One Simple Training Trick to Boost Muscle Strength 50 Percent
by Team ANR December 21, 2022
We’ve known for a while that “slow and steady” wins the race. Now it looks like it may make you substantially stronger, too.
According to a study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, super-slow weight training may increase strength gains by 50 percent.Yes, 50 PERCENT!
In the study, researchers split 147 weight trainers among two groups. Both groups trained three times a week for eight weeks on a 13-exercise weight-training circuit.
The only difference between the groups was the speed at which they lifted and lowered the weight. One group trained at a conventional speed (2 seconds lifting, 1-second pause, 4 seconds lowering).
The other group was asked to dramatically slow things down (10 seconds lifting, 4 seconds lowering). At the beginning and end of the trial period, all of the participants were tested for their 10-rep max.
Results showed that super-slow training resulted in about a 50 percent greater increase in strength than regular-speed training. Specifically, the super-slow training group showed a mean increase in 10-rep max of 26.4 pounds. The regular-speed group experienced only a 17.6-pound increase.
Lead study researcher Dr. Wayne Westcott believes the results are due to the increase in lifting intensity seen with super-slow training.
“Slower repetition speed may effectively increase intensity throughout the lifting phase while decreasing momentum,” he says.
Why Critics of Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates Get It Wrong About HIT Training Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty and Dorian Yates’ High-Intensity Training (HIT) built some of the most jaw-dropping physiques in bodybuilding history. Yet, exercise scientists and fitness influencers who couldn’t match their results in a thousand lifetimes still line up to critique their methods. These so-called experts cite studies on high-volume training, conveniently ignoring that these studies often use untrained subjects and lack the intensity Mentzer and Yates demanded. Meanwhile, the comments sections of YouTube videos defending HIT are packed with lifters swearing by its effectiveness, saying, “The proof is in the pudding.” When it comes to real results, no one questions the legends who dominated the stage with efficiency, precision, and unparalleled intensity. Read on to discover why Mentzer and Yates’ methods are still the gold standard for serious lifters.