KEEP THE TENSION ON!

To maximize your workout routine you must remember the concept of “Time under Tension”
By this, I mean that the more time the muscle you are working is under tension, the better the
muscle is developed. Making it a more, lean and more fat burning tissue.

Many people, either knowingly or unknowingly, use momentum when they workout.

By swinging the weight, or bouncing the bar, or by not pausing at the end of the lowering phase (sometimes referred to as the negative rep), they are using momentum to help lift the weight, and doing their muscles a disservice.

Without getting too technical, keeping the muscle under tension through out the total range of the rep, makes you recruit additional muscle fibers to complete the rep and in turn builds a better, more effective muscle.

Keeping the tension on

A basic formula to keep you muscle under tension is to control the tempo of each rep. The lowering phase (negative rep) should be slightly slower than the lifting phase. 2 seconds to lift the weight and 3 seconds to lower it.

- During a bicep curl, when you curl the weight towards your shoulder, this is the lifting phase. When the weight is being returned towards your thigh, that is the lowering phase.

-In a squat, when you lower your hips and thighs to a parallel position with the floor, that is your lowering phase.

If you are using momentum to complete your sets you’re lifting too much weight!
- Reduce the load and perform a controlled rep.
 -Pause for at least a full second at the end of the lowering phase.

 You will find this to be instantly effective in increasing the intensity of your workout and in maximizing your results!


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