TUES: “3131”, What’s in a Number?

“It’s boring, but it’s my life.”
-Ron Burgundy

Ron might as well have been discussing tempo work, and not bicep curls, since there’s nothing very exciting at all about purposely taking forever on a movement.

You might recall that last year we wrote a detailed article about tempo training and the reasons why it makes a lot of sense for a lot of folks. I recommend that you check it out in its entirety, here.

As a quick reminder, tempo schemes work in the following manner.

3 – The first number in the four-number sequence indicates the time spent on the eccentric, or lowering of the dumbbells. So, the lifter would apply a focused three second count to their descent.

1 – The second number indicates time spent at end range of motion. In this case, a one second pause. 

3 – The third number indicates time spent on the concentric, or raising of the dumbbells. A three second count.

1 – You guessed it. The fourth number is the time spent at the top prior to starting the next rep.

So, three second raise. One second pause at top. Three second lowering. One second pause at bottom. As Head Coach J likes to say, “Make sure you count Mississippi-illy.”

For today’s benefit, we are trying to find our rear delts, turn them on, find our traps, and turn them off. We’ve talked many times about how in isolation movements like raises, we want to make sure that our trap doesn’t take over the movement, otherwise we start to see very real imbalance in the shoulder develop and the potential for injury increases along with it.

Sometimes, when we move so quickly in a movement we get really good at the pattern but we lose the ability to make the important mind-muscle connection. Today is about moving slow, and finding that.

1001, 1002, 1003…

-Dave

Tuesday, 2.13.18

First, for Strength.
5 Deadlifts @ 60-80%
5x 3131 Bent Over RD Raises
Complete 1 set every 5 minutes
for 20 minutes.
—
Then, for Conditioning.
10 Plyo Lunge Slams
7 Push-Ups
10 KB Figure 8s
50m Waiter Walk
(x12 Min)