Lift Slower, Not Faster.

Ok, I know it’s a poster study and as such I’m aware of its limitations, yet it’s great to see “slow” training validated (can’t wait to see the actual data).

Slow Exercise (Not Fast) Is Better For Menopausal Women.

Summary: Groups of menopausal women (45-55 yrs old) were trained “standard style” (normal speed), or SuperSlow (10 secs up, 10 secs down). When groups were compared (via muscle biopsies) the SuperSlow group gained more muscle.

Moral: Move slower, not faster, for better results. But wait! There’s more to it than that.

While you don’t have to move as slowly as the women in the study did, moving slowly is better. The key, however – the weight you choose should dictate your speed. Here’s what I mean:

When the weight you select feels “light”, it means you have ample strength with which to lift it. However, as the weight gets heavier and heavier, it becomes more difficult to lift. At some point (when the weight approaches the maximum you can handle without rupturing something), the weight feels so heavy that just budging it requires a great deal of effort. An appropriately heavy weight is tough to move at all, and nearly impossible to move fast (unless you employ body english or jerk the weight).

So, amended: Move slower, because you’re moving heavier things, for better results.