Tempo
Tempo in the gym will make even the easiest exercises seem extremely difficult.
Tempo is usually shown by 4 numbers for example 3110 or 1130.
What does this mean?
Each number is the length of time in seconds you will spend at a specific phase of a lift. The meaning of a number in a certain position varies depending on the lift, as different lifts begin in different phases.
Example of a 3110 Tempo:
Bench press @ 3110 tempo
3 sec (eccentric) - down (negatives)
1 sec pause (not true isometric but close)
1 sec (concentric) – up
0 sec (time btw end of one rep and start of next.
Note – these are target times, amount of resistance and fatigue will affect ability to keep tempo – good way to tell if you need less or more weight.
Example of a 1130 Tempo:
Bicep curl @ 1130
1 sec (concentric) up
1 sec pause (isometric)
3 sec (eccentric) down (negatives)
0 sec (btw reps)
#’s follow the phase order of the movement.
Can be set up other ways as long as a key is with program
Tempos can be done with any amount of time, for instance, 4221 or 3220. The most common are 1130 and 3110.
