What Tempo Means
On Your Plan
If your training plan has four numbers next to an exercise, like 3010, this is what they mean and why they are there. It takes two minutes to read and it will change how much you get out of every set.
01The four numbers, in order
Tempo is simply how fast to do each repetition. It is written as four numbers, and they always come in the same order, following the rep from start to finish.
| Number | What it controls | On a squat |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Seconds lowering the weight | On the way down |
| 2nd | Seconds held at the bottom | In the hole |
| 3rd | Seconds lifting the weight | Standing back up |
| 4th | Seconds held at the top | Before the next rep |
So 3010 is three seconds down, no pause at the bottom, one second up, and straight into the next rep. A 0 never means rush. It means do not deliberately stop there.
You do not need a stopwatch. Counting in your head is close enough, and being roughly right every rep beats being exactly right for two reps and then forgetting.
02Why bother slowing down
Muscle responds to how long it spends working, not just to how much weight is on the bar. Take a set of ten. Rushed, that is maybe fifteen seconds of work. At 3010, the same ten reps take forty seconds.
Same exercise, same weight, nearly three times the work. That is why a tempo set feels so much harder with a weight you thought was easy, and it is the point rather than a side effect.
Three other things happen when you slow down:
- You stop using momentum, so the muscle does the work instead of the bounce
- You find out where you are actually weak, because you cannot rush through the hard part
- Your technique improves fast, since you have time to feel what you are doing
03The slow bit matters most
If you only take one thing from this, take this: the lowering half of the rep builds more than most people realise, and it is the half nearly everyone throws away.
Watch a busy gym floor and you will see weights dropped on the way down on almost every set. That is half of every rep wasted. Controlling it costs nothing, needs no extra weight, and is the single easiest change most people can make.
Lower everything under control. Even on exercises with no tempo written next to them, take two to three seconds on the way down and lift with intent. That alone is most of the benefit.
04The tempos you will actually see
You will not see a different tempo on every line. Most plans use one or two, on the exercises where it changes the most.
| Tempo | Reads as | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 3010 | 3 down, straight up | The everyday one. Most exercises, most of the time |
| 3110 | 3 down, 1 held at the bottom | Killing momentum. Split squats, rows, anything you tend to bounce |
| 2011 | 2 down, 1 squeezed at the top | Glute and back work, where the squeeze is the whole point |
| 4010 | 4 down, straight up | Coming back from a break, or learning a movement properly |
05What tempo does to your weights
Expect to go lighter. Often noticeably lighter, and that is not a step backwards.
If you normally squat a weight for ten quick reps, that same weight at 3010 might stop you at six. The set is harder, not easier, and the muscle has done more work. The number on the side of the plate went down while the training got better.
This catches people out, so it is worth saying plainly: do not compare a tempo set to a normal set. Compare it to the same tempo set last week. That is the number that tells you whether you are progressing.
06When not to use it
Tempo is a tool, not a rule. There are times to leave it alone:
- Very heavy sets. When you are near your limit, lifting with intent matters more than counting
- Explosive work. Kettlebell swings and jumps are meant to be fast. Slowing them defeats the purpose
- Your very first sessions. Learn the movement first, add tempo once it feels familiar
If a line on your plan has no tempo written next to it, that is deliberate. Lower it under control, lift it with intent, and get on with the set.
07Common questions
Do I need to count out loud?
No. In your head is fine, and roughly right is fine.
What if I lose count halfway through a set?
Nothing bad happens. Keep the reps controlled and
pick the count back up on the next one.
Does tempo apply to machines too?
Yes, and machines are the easiest place to practise it,
because you are not managing balance at the same time.
My plan says 3 x 8-10EL. What is the EL?
That is each leg, or each arm. It is not part of the
tempo. Tempo is always the four numbers in its own column.
Should I use tempo on every exercise?
No. If it is written on your plan, use it. If it is not,
just control the weight.
Ready when you are
Reading is a great start. It all gets easier when the plan's built for you and someone's in your corner. Train with me at UltraFlex Durham or Hii Club Gosforth, or get coached online anywhere.
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