Author: Jim Stoppani
Time under tension (TUT) is a way of calculating the total amount of work you place on a muscle. It refers to the total time a muscle resists weight during each set. For example, if you did the barbell curl and it took you two seconds to curl the weight up and another two seconds to lower it, that’s four seconds of tension per rep. Performing 10 reps at this pace would take a total of 40 seconds.
Therefore, the TUT for that set is 40 seconds. If you increased the speed of those reps to about three seconds, then it would take you only 30 seconds to complete a 10-rep set.
Although the number of reps and the amount of weight are the same, the second set might not increase your muscle mass to the same level as the first. And that’s the basis of TUT training:
Focus on sets that last for a certain amount of time based on your training goals. For maximizing strength, the ideal TUT is about 20 seconds or less; for muscle mass, it’s at least 40 seconds; and for muscle endurance, it’s at least 70 seconds.
Although no controlled research has been done on the subject, their anecdotal evidence suggests that the best TUT ranges are:
4-20 seconds for strength
40-60 seconds for growth
70-100 seconds for endurance.
Regardless of your training goals, it’s important to vary your reps and TUT times within the range of your goal so you don’t get stuck in a rut.
Make weekly modifications, such as those suggested in the “Countdown to Growth Program” on the previous page. Each week, change the number of reps you perform per set and the time it takes to complete each rep.
Time under tension (TUT) is a way of calculating the total amount of work you place on a muscle. It refers to the total time a muscle resists weight during each set. For example, if you did the barbell curl and it took you two seconds to curl the weight up and another two seconds to lower it, that’s four seconds of tension per rep. Performing 10 reps at this pace would take a total of 40 seconds.
Therefore, the TUT for that set is 40 seconds. If you increased the speed of those reps to about three seconds, then it would take you only 30 seconds to complete a 10-rep set.
Although the number of reps and the amount of weight are the same, the second set might not increase your muscle mass to the same level as the first. And that’s the basis of TUT training:
Focus on sets that last for a certain amount of time based on your training goals. For maximizing strength, the ideal TUT is about 20 seconds or less; for muscle mass, it’s at least 40 seconds; and for muscle endurance, it’s at least 70 seconds.
Although no controlled research has been done on the subject, their anecdotal evidence suggests that the best TUT ranges are:
4-20 seconds for strength
40-60 seconds for growth
70-100 seconds for endurance.
Regardless of your training goals, it’s important to vary your reps and TUT times within the range of your goal so you don’t get stuck in a rut.
Make weekly modifications, such as those suggested in the “Countdown to Growth Program” on the previous page. Each week, change the number of reps you perform per set and the time it takes to complete each rep.
