# How long should a rep last for maximum hypertrophy?



## Gerry_bhoy (Dec 25, 2008)

Ive read on here, a rep should be explosive in the positive and slow and controlled in the negative (lasting around 3 seconds) and have abided by that.

However, doing a search on the forum I came across a link posted by Essex boy.

http://bachelorlivewell.wordpress.com/2007/07/09/timothy-ferris-physical-routine/

Which states : "2. Perform every repetition with a 5/5 cadence (5 seconds up, 5 seconds down) to eliminate momentum and ensure constant load".

So 5 on the way up and 5 on the way down?

I can see how this would make sense, putting constant pressure on the muscle.

Opinions?


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## WRX333 (Oct 13, 2008)

Ive always trained the way you said.

I dont know why or where it came from i just do!

Got me thinking now? lol.


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## Gerry_bhoy (Dec 25, 2008)

WRX333 said:


> Ive always trained the way you said.
> 
> I dont know why or where it came from i just do!
> 
> Got me thinking now? lol.


  Yeah its an interesting one lol.


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## ohmygoodness (Apr 11, 2009)

I like explosive energy on the positive and to protract the negative as much as possible. That's for chest/tris/shoulders/traps/hamstrings & calves. For back its more even. Bi's I haven't found a tempo that feels good. Maybe because bi's are my weak point. For squats my tempo evens out as my work load becomes heavier.


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## Propper Joss (Aug 22, 2009)

If you are attempting to train too failure, then the constant load is more appropriate. Find a rep cadence which works for you, but 2 seconds or more for each phase of the rep, to eliminate momentum assistance, should be fine. SuperSlow systems advocate a 10 second positive and 10 second negative, but I think they have become over obsessed with training safely. If you are doing an explosive movement, you get a short rest at the end of each positive phase (as the generated momentum assists you) which detracts from the time under load.

If you are attempting to increase a particular lift, then an explosive positive and controlled negative are also great. The explosive movement means you are lifting more in the positive than you can manage, and in the stronger negative phase you are training the muscle beyond what you could normally manage. If you have a training partner you trust with heavy weights, negative only training can be very productive.


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## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

hmmm got me thinking about my training now. i do different things, but always a slow negative on all exercises.


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## n987 (Oct 19, 2008)

go on youtube, search for any bodybuilder you like. look at there development. they are the most developed athletes on the planet. see how they train. if you go 5 secs up 5 down and get to there level you will be the start of a new trend.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

An explosive concentric (or trying to lift explosively if the load is very heavy) is the best way to activate the most muscle fibres and stimulate the muscles development that way, a slower negative breaks down more muscle tissue and so activates more anabolic pathways at a cellular level and so maximises adaptation that way.

Saying the 5/5 cadence should be used to 'eliminate momentum' is silly as it's another misuse of the word 'momentum' in the context of weight lifting - something that is annoyingly misused a lot. What he really should saying is 'to train at a tempo which doesn't allow for the traget muscles to be robbed of part of the work by prematurely activating stabilising muscles in the lift'... in other words to avoid turning it into a cheat exercise.

Cheating is a form and load selection issue though - is more to do with trying to lift a load that is too heavy for one or more of the muscles involved in the exercise (chain as strong as its weakest link) and has nothing at all to do with rep cadence.


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

Dtlv74 said:


> An explosive concentric (or trying to lift explosively if the load is very heavy) is the best way to activate the most muscle fibres and stimulate the muscles development that way, a slower negative breaks down more muscle tissue and so activates more anabolic pathways at a cellular level and so maximises adaptation that way.
> 
> Saying the 5/5 cadence should be used to 'eliminate momentum' is silly as it's another misuse of the word 'momentum' in the context of weight lifting - something that is annoyingly misused a lot. What he really should saying is 'to train at a tempo which doesn't allow for the traget muscles to be robbed of part of the work by prematurely activating stabilising muscles in the lift'... in other words to avoid turning it into a cheat exercise.
> 
> Cheating is a form and load selection issue though - is more to do with trying to lift a load that is too heavy for one or more of the muscles involved in the exercise (chain as strong as its weakest link) and has nothing at all to do with rep cadence.


Agreed 100%.

People also misjudge the length of time the take to do a rep too. What people think is slow is normally not. You just have to lift at the right tempo for the exercise. Controlled negative, explosive concentric.

10 second reps would take forever in sets of over 10 lol


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## Propper Joss (Aug 22, 2009)

I do get the explosive +ve protracted -ve idea. I use it, however, the ideology of all the slow weight training systems has to do with training the muscle through a complete range of motion. A muscle does not have uniform demonstrable strength though its full range of motion- it is stronger at some points than others. If during the strongest part of the range of motion you accellerate your lifting speed as much as poss, there is some liklehood that you are taking some of the resistance away from the weaker part of the muscle. Its like giving your self a short break in the later part of the +ve phase. There is a benefit to this of course, in that you can then provide a greater stimulus to the -ve phase of the movement. Muscles are considerably stronger in the negative phase, so need more weight than on the +ve.

I think that for myo-facial stretching purposes, slow strict +ve and -ve are good, because there is constant tension. 5,5 is too long. 2 sec +, 1 sec hold contraction, 4 sec -ve would be fine for slow rep speed.

For strength gain, go the explosive route. High weight low reps, train too failure.


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Like a lot of things, no real 'rule' as such.

Periodize your training. Try the 5-x-5 method for a few weeks, see how you get on then switch it back up.


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