If you’re lifting weights, you must have heard about progressive overload.
It's the most important factor for muscle growth!
In order to stimulate muscle hypertrophy, you need to progressively overload the muscle.
Which means your workouts have to become harder over time.
But not many people know that overloading your muscle doesn’t necessarily mean adding more plates.
There are other ways to make the workout more challenging.
One of them in particular is great for triggering muscle hypertrophy without increasing the risk of injury.
You see, when you add more plates, the risk of injury goes up.
On the other hand, if you control the movement and slow down the reps without adding more plates, your workouts will become more effective AND safer at the same time.
That’s because time under tension is crucial for muscle hypertrophy.
Time under tension (TUT) refers to the amount of time a muscle is held under tension or strain during an exercise set.
Generally speaking, the more TUT, the better.
This is why you should lengthen each phase of the movement to make your reps and sets longer.
Your muscles will work harder and develop more strength and endurance.
But the main benefit of this approach will be the increase in muscle size caused by increased damage to your muscle during the workout.
Now, here’s the interesting part…
One of the best ways to increase time under tension in your workouts is to substitute free weights with machines and cables because they provide constant tension in the muscle.
Which means you could use lighter weights on cables and machines compared to the weights you normally use…
And still get incredible gains in muscle size.
Stay fit my friend,
Michael
Founder & CEO