is there a difference between lifting with more speed or less? like bench press as fast as possible or go down slowly and lift up slowly?
lift weight faster or slower?
- Thread starter It.Is.99%Mental
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Yes, it targets your fast and slow twitch fibers. Your fast twitch fibers are used when you push the weight up and slow twitch fibers are used to control weight as you are lowing the weight down. You benefit more if you lower the weight in a controlled matter( about 3 or 4 seconds) and when pushing up the weight, you should try as fast as possible in a controlled manner to push the weight back up.
To a degree you are right, but to lift this significant amount of weight, you are using MAINLY fast twitch fiber. Fast twich fiber muscle has little endurance but is capable of generating lots of power. Remember there are two types of fast twitch fiber so using faster or slower lifts will isolate the different of the two fibers.
type I fiber = slow twitch fiber
type IIb fiber = fast twitch fiber as you understand it
type IIa fiber = fast twitch/oxidative-glycolytic fiber
type IIa fibers have an intermediate contraction speed but can change to be more like type I fibers or type IIb fibers. So fast contractions will make these muscle fibers more fast twitch while slower contractions will make it more slow twitch. But likely, if you do faster lifts you will hit more type IIb and slower motions will hit more type IIb and type I than faster contractions. Sorry if this doesn't make sense. Might I suggest picking up Scrawny to Brawny?
type IIb fiber = fast twitch fiber as you understand it
type IIa fiber = fast twitch/oxidative-glycolytic fiber
type IIa fibers have an intermediate contraction speed but can change to be more like type I fibers or type IIb fibers. So fast contractions will make these muscle fibers more fast twitch while slower contractions will make it more slow twitch. But likely, if you do faster lifts you will hit more type IIb and slower motions will hit more type IIb and type I than faster contractions. Sorry if this doesn't make sense. Might I suggest picking up Scrawny to Brawny?
It also depends on ya goals. If hypertrophy is your goal then do the concentric and eccentric phases slowly and keep it to the point of tension ie. don't lock our your elbows, knees or whatever joint is controlling the movement.
General Rule of Thumb:
Fairly-Light Weight Very-Slow (5-10 seconds one-way) Builds Strength & Endurance (& sometimes Size as well)
Moderate-Weight Semi-Slow (1-4 seconds one-way) Builds Size & Strength
Moderate-to-Heavy Weight Fast (<1 second) Builds Power & Size
"Isometric" (strong, static contraction held for 7-to-12 seconds) builds Strength & Power/"Springiness" (& sometimes Size as well)
Fairly-Light Weight Very-Slow (5-10 seconds one-way) Builds Strength & Endurance (& sometimes Size as well)
Moderate-Weight Semi-Slow (1-4 seconds one-way) Builds Size & Strength
Moderate-to-Heavy Weight Fast (<1 second) Builds Power & Size
"Isometric" (strong, static contraction held for 7-to-12 seconds) builds Strength & Power/"Springiness" (& sometimes Size as well)
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Actually light weight with slow movement does nothing for anyone.
You can not necessarily isolate different type fibers. SLOW TWITCH is ALWAYS recruited PERIOD. It is necessary for one to train enough with the right regiment to access higher thresholds of fast twitch muscle. Fast twitch both types are primarily used in explosive lifts. I don't mean explosive because the bar moves fast. If someone benches close to max weight the bar will probably move slow HOWEVER the speed is the fastest that person can move it concentrically and eccentrically.
Side note: Recent studies show that slow training is only beneficial at higher loads. It is used in hypertrophy as someone said earlier.