Curious about the latest fitness trend? Time under tension workouts might be your new go-to. By focusing on longer hold times during the toughest phases of exercises, you may boost muscle growth and improve form. Ready to dive in?
Time under tension workouts aim to boost strength and muscle control with a long, slow burn.
Do you spend everyworkoutsqueezing in as many reps as possible before yourmusclesburn out? If so, you might wanna meet the new method in town: Time under tension (TUT).
Think of TUT as the Zen sibling tohigh intensity interval training(HIIT). Instead of aiming for maximum reps, you aim for longer times in the toughest phase of a movement. Holding yourmusclesunder tension can help stimulate muscle growth without the frenetic pace.
Want to learn more? Here’s the deep dive on why and how to add time under tension training to your routine.
What are the benefits of time under tension workouts?
Folks who stan TUT workouts rave most about:
Slowing down helps you focus on proper form andbreathingtechniques. And that could lead to dopemusclecontrolandmore definition. Plus, the better your form, the less likely you are to end up with a strain or injury.
How do you do a time under tension workout?
The most important thing is to go slooooow.
The TUT method looks different with each move, but here are some general pointers:
TUT exercises to try
The best thing about TUT is that you can incorporate it intoallyour favorite moves. Start increasing your hold time duringbodyweightexerciseslike:
Remember, TUT = holding the tension longest during the most challenging part of each position. Increasing time under tension can be incorporated into everything fromleg liftstoDownward Dog.
But do TUT workouts actually do anything?
TBH, the research is mixed.
Researchshows that increasing your muscles’ time under tension can increase metabolic response.
And a 2012studyfound that when athletes increased each move’s time from 1 second to 6, their muscle fiber synthesis was stimulated for up to 30 hours post-exercise. So, TUT workouts might increase post-workout perks likemetabolism boostand growth hormone release.
Sounds swell, but not all research gets those results. A 2019studyand 2021studyboth found that TUT madeno noticeable effecton muscle size and strength. Womp, womp.
Bottom line? We need more studies to know if and how TUT = stronger, better, faster muscles.
