Hare apparent

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2006 by Dwayne Jackson

Is it better to be slow or fast? That's an age-old question that may be best exemplified by the race between the tortoise and the hare. Sure, the speedy hare might take the lead at the start of the race, but the slow tortoise catches up with his steady pace.

That race may be just an Aesop's fable, but it does reflect many aspects of life, even training. Yet rather than talking about your pace on the treadmill, we're addressing the speed with which you do your reps. Is it better to use reps that are performed at a very slow speed, or is it preferable to use reps done at a fast and explosive pace? Which rep speed is better for building muscle strength? Which rep speed is better for encouraging muscle growth? Does it really matter?

If you haven't given much thought to your rep speed, now's the time to do so. Scientists from the University of Sydney (Lidcome, NSW, Australia) investigated this very question to determine which rep speed is better for muscle strength and which is better for muscle growth. From their data, it appears that you should train like both the tortoise and the hare.

Fast or Slow?

Scientists compared four different groups of males and females (not including a control group, who did not train) over six weeks to determine which rep speed on the one-arm biceps curl best increased strength and muscle size. One group trained with one set of slow reps (three seconds each on the positive and negative parts of the rep), another trained with one set of fast reps (one second each on the positive and negative parts of the rep), a third trained with three sets of slow reps, and the last group trained with three sets of fast reps. Each group used their 6-8-rep max on the one-arm biceps curl and trained three times per week.

CHANGE OF PACE

The data from this study suggest that you should employ both fast reps and slow reps to maximize gains in strength and size. Try alternating your rep speed every 4-6 weeks. During slow-rep training phases, take 3-5 seconds on both the positive and negative portions of the rep. During fast-rep phases, keep each portion of the rep to under one second. If you're short on time, keep your sets down to just one per exercise during fast-rep training phases.

REFERENCES

Munn, J., et al. Resistance training for strength: Effect of number of sets and contraction speed. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 37(9): 1,622-1,626, 2005.

BY DWAYNE JACKSON, PHD

M&F Senior Science Editor JIM STOPPANI, PHD