tempo training

Definition

Controlling the speed of each phase of an exercise using a prescribed count (like 3-1-2-0 for eccentric-pause-concentric-pause), because apparently just lifting the weight isn't complicated enough. It's micromanaging your reps for maximum time under tension.

Example Usage

His program specified 4-second negative tempo training on squats, turning 10 reps into an eternity of quad burn.

Origin

From bodybuilding and strength training methodology emphasizing time under tension

Fun Fact

Slower tempo training doesn't necessarily build more muscle than normal speeds, but it definitely builds more character through suffering.

Source: Strength training research and bodybuilding programming methodology

Related Terms

Beginner

pump class

A group fitness format using light weights and high reps to music, like BodyPump. Aerobics married strength training and produced exhausting offspring.

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Advanced

Hypertrophy

The scientific term for making muscles bigger, which sounds like a disease but is actually the thing every gym bro is desperately chasing. It involves lifting moderate weights for moderate reps, which is far less dramatic than it sounds.

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No Pain No Gain

The unofficial motto of every gym that essentially glorifies suffering as a prerequisite for improvement. It was probably invented by someone selling ibuprofen, and it's been used to justify questionable exercise decisions since the dawn of spandex.

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range of motion

The distance a joint moves during an exercise, abbreviated ROM. Full ROM builds muscle and flexibility; partial ROM builds ego and Instagram content.

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Beginner

press

In fitness contexts, any exercise where you push weight away from your body, because apparently "push" wasn't fancy enough. The bench press, shoulder press, and leg press are all variations of this movement pattern that gym bros use to measure their self-worth. Not to be confused with the media press, though both can make you feel equally crushed.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

Beginner

isometric hold

Maintaining a static position under tension without changing muscle length, like planking until your core contemplates filing a grievance. It's the art of not moving while everything inside you screams to move.

⚽ Sports / Fitness

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