There are different ways to train the strength of the muscles and the length of time they can be in tension. That is, the time that the muscle is able to make an effort until it regains its resting position. Training this is essential depending on the objectives you have. Today we are going to explain the 4-second rule so that you can optimize your training to the maximum and achieve the results you want.
Phases during the repetition of the exercise from outside
Very rarely do a trainer or in gyms explain what the repetitions consist of during a resistance exercise. So before we get into the subject, we are going to explain its different phases:
- Concentric phase : this is when the muscles shorten their original size and the insertion points are closer.
- Eccentric phase : it is when the muscles lengthen and, in this way, overcome the weight of the load.
- Isometric phase: this is when the muscle does not move and the insertion points remain at the same point.
So that you understand it much better, we are going to give you an example. When you pick up a glass of water, the moment you pick up the glass is the concentric phase, when you already have it and you do not move your muscles it is the isometric phase and, finally, when you release the glass again you would be in the eccentric phase.
In terms of force applied to training, an example would be when you stand up straight and bend your knees and then jump very high. When you jump like this you achieve more height because you take advantage of the elastic energy of the muscles when they shorten after they have been stretched. That is, we would be talking about an eccentric phase.
Analyzing these phases it was discovered that in the bench press when you lower the bar in one second your body needs to be in the isometric phase for four seconds to dissipate all the energy of the movement of the cycle .
Application in weight lifting
When you do strength training you must take into account the times for the training to be effective. In fact, times are sometimes much more important than how much weight is lifted . That is, it is useless to lift a large amount of weight if it is immediately dropped to lift it using the force of the stretching and shortening movement. By doing this you only move the weight a minimum distance and therefore you are not really pushing.
For your strength training to be effective, depending on the results you want, you must do it in one of the following two ways: slowly lower the weight in the eccentric phase to build strength and cause hypertrophy or lower it in the eccentric phase a little faster to build strength.
If you want to train to lift as much weight as possible, you should do short eccentric phases to gain explosive strength.
Many people, when they go to the gym, make the mistake of quickly dropping the weight to raise it later, taking advantage of the accumulated energy. Actually, the work that is being done here is minimal, since it only works in the final part of the lift, when the energy accumulated in the eccentric phase has finished.
The 4 second rule
Depending on the training, you will work more on the eccentric or concentric phase. This means that not much attention is usually paid to the isometric phase, which is the one in which you prepare for an effort. Well, you should know that it is in this rest phase when the 4-second rule enters.
To apply this rule you can slow the weight down for 2 seconds, then wait 2 seconds and then go up. You can also combine it with a descent of 3 seconds and a rest of 1. You can even invest the 4 seconds in the descent and not take a rest.
And if you feel strong, you can increase the time between the descent and the pause, as long as you invest at least 4 seconds, never less.
Use of force and supervision
In the last phase, the lifting phase, is when the bodybuilding work really begins. You need to raise as much as you can to get your muscles to really work, so use a weight that allows you to do it without problems .
As always, and especially when you are going to start a new training, we recommend that you do it with the help of an expert who supervises you . In this way, in addition to correcting possible errors, it is much easier to achieve good results. As well as it is a way to avoid injury or discomfort due to bad posture.
And, finally, if what you want is to gain muscle, having a good training technique is as important as eating a balanced diet rich in protein so that hypertrophy can occur, since, if not, no matter how much you train your body you will not be able to muscle properly and the training will be useless.
