The Claim
In untrained men, resistance training with self-selected repetition duration results in significantly shorter time under tension per repetition (1.7–1.8 seconds) compared to controlled repetition duration (4.0 seconds), and muscle strength and hypertrophy gains are not impaired when training is performed to concentric muscle failure.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
In untrained men, lifting weights with a self-chosen pace reduces the time muscles are under tension during each rep compared to a slow, controlled pace, but both methods produce the same increases in muscle strength and size when lifts are performed until muscle failure.
See the scientific wording
In untrained men, resistance training with self-selected repetition duration results in significantly shorter time under tension per repetition (1.7–1.8 seconds) compared to controlled repetition duration (4.0 seconds), yet does not impair muscle strength or hypertrophy gains when training is performed to concentric muscle failure.
When a muscle is pushed until it can no longer complete a repetition, all available muscle fibers are activated, no matter how fast or slow the movement is. This full activation ensures that the muscle receives the same total stimulus for growth and strength, even if each rep is shorter.
What the research says
1 studyWhen untrained men lifted weights until they couldn’t do another rep, whether they lifted fast or slow, they got just as strong and built just as much muscle. Speed didn’t matter as long as they pushed to exhaustion.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.