Super Slow Sets

A lot of men look to super slow sets when toying around with creating a new strength-training regimen.

 The notion behind super slow sets is the idea that by applying tension over a greater duration of time, you will spark new muscle growth that you were unable to achieve with your regular training rate.

But are super slow sets really worth your time?

How super slow sets are performed

Super slow sets usually take about 14 to 15 seconds to perform 4 to 6 repetitions. This means that you will move through the contraction portion (concentric) for 10 of those seconds, and the remaining 4 to 5 seconds will consist of the relaxation movement (eccentric).

This is very different from the standard bodybuilding protocol in which you perform 8 to 12 repetitions and move through the concentric portion for 2 seconds, followed by a1-second pause at the top of the movement and a 4-second lowering phase.

The physiological effects of super slow sets

The big physiological benefit that you'll get when performing super slow sets is the increased time that your muscles will have a stress loaded upon them during the concentric portion of the exercise. This means that during the exercise, there will be a higher number of muscle fibers that are fired since total muscular recruitment has a direct relationship with time under tension, degree of range of motion and total weight lifted.

Additionally, due to the increased time under tension, you may see an increased amount of the building up of metabolic byproducts, lactic acid being one example, and this can temporarily make the muscles look fuller (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy). While this won't last long, it can provide a great deal of motivation for many guys, helping them stay motivated between workout sessions and making feel like they’re getting some good results from their training.

The momentum benefits of super slow sets

Another important benefit of super slow sets is they make it extremely hard, if not impossible, for you to rely on momentum to hoist the weight upward.

Since many trainees like to use momentum as an added aid, particularly in the exercises of barbell or dumbbell curls, taking away this factor forces the muscles to work a great deal harder.

You do need to be particularly careful when doing these exercises, however, that you don't let your back alignment start slipping. Since that momentum isn’t there to help you through the lift, you may need to lower the amount of weight you’re lifting or you may risk moving out of proper form, placing a great deal of stress on the lower back and setting yourself up for an injury.

Working super slow sets into your program

When it comes to adding the super slow sets into your workout program, there are a few things to consider.

More on how to work super slow sets into your program…First, as with any new training principle, you should implement it gradually. Don't transfer your entire program to one of slow speed, but rather, change one or two exercises to the slower rep protocol and keep the others the same. Furthermore, be sure that you don't stay on a super-slow lifting program for longer than a three-to-four month stretch at a time. This is because super slow sets are slightly more taxing on the central nervous system and can, therefore, increase the recovery reserves you'll need.

If you keep pushing yourself in the gym to maintain this workload, over time you may find that you simply are just becoming too fatigued with each session and are forced to back off to avoid overtraining. By taking a break from the super slow reps every few months, you will help decrease the chances of overtraining and help your body to fully supercompensate from the training, showing maximal performance benefits.

Within each super slow set workout, you might want to also consider increasing your rest time, since this will further help promote a good recovery between each set and prevent early fatigue during your session.

When you first start using super slow sets, don't be surprised if you are sorer the day after. This is a result of the neuromuscular adaptations in the body, which usually create the greatest degree of muscular soreness.

Finally, be sure that you spend a little additional time stretching when using super slow sets, both between each individual set and at the end of your entire workout. Doing so is not just proper practice, but it will further help decrease the delayed onset of muscle soreness.

slow and steady wins the race

So, next time you are looking to change your program, give super slow sets some consideration. Some guys will find them tedious to follow and will feel that it makes their workout drag on. These are usually the individuals who really ”go hard” during their training, moving quickly from one exercise to the next.

If this is how you feel, that's fine. Super slow sets are not for everyone. For others, however, they offer a great way to change things around, keep interest in weightlifting up and reach new heights with regards to total strength capacity.