Slow weight lifting works as well as fast for muscles
Effects of Whole-Body Low-Intensity Resistance Training With Slow Movement and Tonic Force Generation on Muscular Size and Strength in Young Men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Light weights (55-60% 1RM) produced similar muscle growth to heavy weights (80-90% 1RM).
Contradicts common gym advice that heavy loads are essential for hypertrophy.
Practical Takeaways
Try slow reps (3s up/3s down, no rest between) with 55-60% of your max weight for muscle growth, especially if new to lifting.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Light weights (55-60% 1RM) produced similar muscle growth to heavy weights (80-90% 1RM).
Contradicts common gym advice that heavy loads are essential for hypertrophy.
Practical Takeaways
Try slow reps (3s up/3s down, no rest between) with 55-60% of your max weight for muscle growth, especially if new to lifting.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2008
Authors
Michiya Tanimoto, K. Sanada, Kenta Yamamoto, H. Kawano, Y. Gando, I. Tabata, N. Ishii, M. Miyachi
Related Content
Claims (5)
Doing gentle weight training slowly twice a week for 13 weeks makes young men's muscles about 7% bigger and 33% stronger, almost as much as regular heavy lifting, which made muscles 9% bigger and 41% stronger.
Slow, low-effort weight training keeps your muscles working hard and starves them of oxygen more than fast, heavy lifting, which might help build muscle and strength just as well by stressing the muscles in a different way.
A tough type of fast weightlifting burns more belly fat than slow weightlifting, probably because it makes your body work harder and release more fat-burning hormones.
When doing slow, gentle weight training for your whole body, your muscles get just as tired and produce the same chemical buildup as fast, hard training—even though you're not lifting as heavy. This means your body is working hard in a different way to make the exercise effective.
Gentle strength training lowers your blood pressure during workouts more than intense training does, making it safer for people with heart risks.