tempo training
empo: 2-0-2-0
Exercise(s): Any/All
Goal: Intermediate Fiber Recruitment
If you read some of the old Eastern Block/Russian literature (i.e. Verkhoshansky), you’ll often see “tempo” or continuous training methods.
Tempo training is done to:
Improve stability
Develop intermediate muscle fibers
Develop work capacity
In a base or accumulation phase, try throwing in some continuous motion exercises such as bench presses/push-ups, squats, chin-ups, etc. This can be done with just about any exercise, but the key is not to let your ego get in the way.
Here’s a protocol to get you started:
Exercise: Squats, Bench Presses, Chins, Rows, etc.
Tempo: 2020 tempo
Work: 40 seconds (10 reps)
Rest: 60 seconds
Repeat 3 times
The key here is to not stop or rest at any point during the set. Focus on maintaining continuous motion.
While it’s not specifically noted in the other tempos, a zero (0) as the fourth number typically means you can reset in between reps. In the case of 2020 tempos, you can’t rest between reps as doing so decreases the training effect.
Furthermore, I’d highly recommend using a metronome app on your smart phone to make sure you’re not cheating. Chances are you’ll lower over a two count, but raising the bar will get consistently faster and faster as the reps and sets go on. Don’t let this happen!
While I’ve used this protocol with numerous trainees, one in particular stands out.
One of our clients at IFAST was incredibly unstable, had poor connective tissue development, and as a result, always ended up with some sort of overuse injury.
To rectify this, I created two months of workouts that were strictly tempo based. Squats, split-squats, push-ups, inverted rows, chin-ups, and Romanian deadlifts. The training was brutal for her, but in the year or two since we implemented that routine, she’s had zero overuse injuries.
Give these a shot and see how they work for you. Chances are you’ll be humbled at this seemingly benign tempo prescription.
Tempo: 2-3-1-0
Exercise(s): Squat and Bench Press
Goals: Improved Stability and “Pop” Out of the Hole
I’m pretty old school when it comes to my thoughts on powerlifting training. I feel if you want to get better at squatting, benching, and deadlifting, you should spend more time squatting, bench pressing, and deadlifting.
However, constantly banging your head against the wall with no manipulation to the lifts themselves can definitely hamper your progress. To rectify this, try playing around with some paused lifts at the midpoint of the exercise.
For example, go through your typical squat workout. Then for a set or two, cut the weight by 50% and lower to the bottom position and hold for a 3-count. Stay tight, and then drive up hard to the starting position.
What you’ll often see is that people (myself included) get loose in the hole of a squat, or loose off the chest with a bench press. If you consistently take away that stretch reflex and force your body to stay tight, you’ll build some amazing starting strength.
As a side benefit, you’ll become more aware of where your body is in space, and find the most optimal line for each specific lift.
Tempo: 3-0-1-0 or 2-0-1-0
Exercise(s): Any/All
Goal: Basic Body Control and Connective Tissue Strength
3010 and 2010 are the most common tempos you’ll see in my programming.
Not only are they very all-encompassing, but I throw them in to remind people that we should always be in control of our lifts. Even when training for maximal speed, we should still be under control.
Early on, I’ll make 3010 the most common tempo in my programs. This provides several benefits:
Teaches people to lower under control
Allows them to "feel" where their body is in space
Develops muscular and connective tissue strength early on in a program.
So when you pair a slower TUT with a high(er) rep scheme (8-12), you lay a fantastic foundation for clients moving forward. Not only do they have the body awareness to continue to develop, but they have that connective tissue strength to build upon as well.
As someone progresses, 2010 is the most common tempo you’ll see. Essentially I want them to control the eccentric portion of the lift and raise the bar as quickly as possible (the number of which can also be replaced by an “X,” which means do the rep explosively).
Tempo: 2-1-1-0 or 3-1-1-0
Exercise(s): Upper Back and Scapular Stability Work
Goal: Upper Back Stability
Growing up I was fascinated with Dorian Yates. I loved the hard work he put into the gym, and I also agreed with many of his training philosophies.
He was asked in an interview about his upper back development and what training concepts he attributed it to. Other than hard work, he said he’d only use weights that he could hold for a one-count at the midpoint.
If he couldn’t hold it there, it was too heavy and he was just using momentum. And if that’s good enough for arguably the best back ever in bodybuilding, it should be good enough for you!
Now let’s take that a step further. We assess a lot of people that have shoulder injuries at IFAST, and a common theme is that those with shoulder pain or dysfunction are unstable through the scapulae.
With this in mind, when I write a program, I require that every upper body pulling or scapular stability exercise should be held for a one-count at the midpoint.
If you’re rowing, hold the weight (or bar) to your chest for a one-count.
If you’re chinning, hold your chest to the bar for a one-count.
If you’re performing scapular stability work like I’s, T’s and Y’s, hold that midpoint for a one-count.
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XXX On overtraining
Overtraining is an unplanned and prolonged stagnation or lowering of an athleteâ??s sport-specific fitness resulting from overstressing the athlete. Overtraining manifests itself in all functions of the athleteâ??s bodyâ??not just select muscle groups or other organsâ??and most prominent are symptoms of dysfunction of the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and endocrine system.
Overtraining is an imbalance, expressed differently in different systems. Looking at the central nervous system, overtraining is a result of an imbalance between stimulating and inhibiting the central nervous system. Looking at the autonomous nervous system, overtraining is a result of an imbalance between activity of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system. Looking at the endocrine system, overtraining is a result of an imbalance between releases of anabolic and catabolic hormones. Looking at muscle fibers, overtraining is a result of an imbalance between stimulation of slow-twitch (aerobic) fibers and fast-twitch (anaerobic) fibers. An excess of anaerobic efforts overdevelops anaerobic fast-twitch fibers at the expense of aerobic slow-twitch fibers and causes excessive production or poor removal of lactic acid. A too high volume of aerobic endurance training may cause overdevelopment of the mitochondria in the muscle cell at the expense of myofibrils, its contractile elements.
To prevent overtraining, use signs of excellent health to guide the training process. React to the first signs of less than optimal function. Donâ??t wait for symptoms of overtraining. Assuming that all is well if symptoms of overtraining are not present and waiting for those symptoms before correcting the training process is stupid. It means deciding to get way behind the events before reacting. It is like an MD who waits to begin treatment until symptoms of a clinical disease are present. When you see signs of overtraining, it means your control of the training process and your common sense have failed.
Since overtraining is most commonly caused by doing too much, control of the training processâ??so athletes do not do more than what is healthy for themâ?? is the key to preventing overtraining. Rational sports training is about getting optimal results with minimal effort. All Stadion publications apply this concept, to get more with less: Flexibility Express, Gold Medal Mental Workout, Explosive Power and Jumping Ability for All Sports, Acrobatic Tumbling: From Rolls to Handsprings and Somersaults, and others. After all, the motto of my book Science of Sports Training: How to Plan and Control Training for Peak Performance is â??Training is efficient if the highest sports result is achieved with the least expense of time and energy.â?? And in that book you will find all you need to know about overtraining and control of the training process.