What Role Does speed Play in Your Workout?
Progress in the gym often looks like increasing weights, increasing reps, or increasing duration but speed and pacing is another factor that can help build progress on your fitness.
Both slowing down, and speeding up can help you achieve your goals. It is important to know what the goal is and what will be most beneficial in that moment.
I can tell you, I spend a lot of time telling people to Slowwww Dowwwwn!! If you are unsure, I would start there.
Below I have more specifics on when you want to slow down and when you want to speed up. If you are unsure, my go to would be go slower. It's easier to start slow and speed up than it is to start fast and then slow down.
Benefits of slowing down:
*The movement
1) Better form- Going slow builds neural pathways that create muscle memory. This will help you create better form that is more consistent from rep to rep, set to set, and day to day. This is especially true when you are working with a new movement or working on improving or changing your technique on a movement.
2) More Strength- By slowing down on the eccentric or loading portion of a movement, you help build muscle mass which will help your overall strength.
3) Overcome compensations- Speed can often times hide disfunction. This means if our body is not feeling super comfortable with a movement, it will try to go really quickly through it, using whatever muscles and positions it can to get the job done. Going slower can reveal those compensations and allows you to help rebuild a movement in a more efficient and stronger pattern.
*The overall workout
1) More strength- Studies have shown that 1-3 minutes of rest between sets allows your body to recover and be able to lift more weight in more sets.
Benefits of speeding up:
*The movement
1) More strength- Wait, Sarah, you just said going slower will build strength. How does going faster make you stronger as well? Well, once you have solid technique and are consistent in your form, if you add in the intention of speed behind a movement, you will often times be able to lift more weight. For example, if you think about having speed while standing up out of a squat, standing up from a deadlift or pressing in bench press, your lift may not actually move any faster, but the weight might move easier. This then builds more strength overall.
2) Power movements- Power is the ability to quickly convert energy into force. For move like a Medicine Ball slams and throws, Dumbbell Push Press, KB swing, or hops and jumps, speed is crucial.
3) Cardiovascular health- In order to get our heart rates up, speed is obviously going to play a part. You can increase or decrease speed to get the desired cardiovascular output.
*The overall workout
1) Strength endurance/ endurance- If you have ever seen or taken a Crossfit class, you know that there is little rest mixed in with a lot of strength movements. Having less rest is going to help build more endurance.
All speeds have a place in workouts. Some things I like to remember about seed is that 1) When speed is applied, it should be done when you are feeling proficient. and 2) what is the goal you or your client is trying to achieve? This will help you figure out your pacing.
