When it comes to strength training, most people focus on how much they’re lifting—more weight, more reps, more sets. But what if I told you that how you lift (and lower) the weight might matter just as much? That’s where tempo training and understanding concentric and eccentric muscle actions come in. These simple but powerful principles can help you break through strength plateaus, grow more muscle, and improve control and joint health.

Let’s break it down.

What Is a Concentric Movement?

The concentric phase of a lift is when your muscle shortens as it contracts, basically, it’s the “up” part of most exercises.

Examples:

• Curling a dumbbell up during a bicep curl

• Pressing the bar away from your chest during a bench press

• Standing up from a squat

This is typically the part of the movement where you’re generating force to move the weight.

What Is an Eccentric Movement?

The eccentric phase is when your muscle lengthens under tension, aka the “lowering” portion of a lift.

Examples:

• Lowering the dumbbell back down in a bicep curl

• Bringing the bar down toward your chest in a bench press

• Descending into the bottom of a squat

Eccentric work is where a lot of muscle damage (the good kind) occurs, and it’s also where a lot of muscle growth happens.

Why Does Tempo Matter?

Tempo refers to the speed at which you perform different phases of a lift: the eccentric, pause, concentric, and sometimes a second pause.

You’ll often see tempo written like this:
3-1-1-0 = 3 seconds down, 1-second pause, 1 second up, no pause at the top.

Here’s why slowing things down intentionally can be so impactful:

1. More Time Under Tension (TUT)

Slower movements increase the amount of time your muscles are under tension, which helps stimulate muscle growth. You’re not just rushing through reps; you’re working through them.

2. Improved Mind-Muscle Connection

Moving with control forces you to stay present. You’ll feel what’s working and identify imbalances more easily, which leads to more targeted, effective training.

3. Greater Eccentric Emphasis = More Gains

Most of us rush the eccentric phase without realizing it. But studies show that emphasizing the lowering portion leads to more muscle damage (and in turn, more muscle growth and strength over time).

4. Joint and Tendon Health

Controlled tempo can reduce injury risk and improve joint resilience. It’s especially helpful when rehabbing or returning from a training break.

Concentric vs. Eccentric: Which Is Better for Muscle and Strength?

Both are essential, but they serve slightly different purposes:

How to Add Tempo Work to Your Training

Here’s how to get started:

Start Light

You don’t need a PR-level load when using tempo. Lifting more slowly is harder, and the goal is quality, not just quantity.

Use It Strategically

Try adding tempo to:

• Your warm-up or activation sets

• The first 1–2 working sets of a compound lift

• Accessory work (e.g., tempo Bulgarian split squats, RDLs, pushups)

Track the Tempo

Make note of the tempo in your program. For example:

• 4-0-1-0 Romanian Deadlifts = 4 seconds down, no pause at the bottom, 1 second up

• 3-1-2-0 Goblet Squats = 3 seconds down, 1-second pause at the bottom, 2 seconds up

Don’t guess, make it intentional.

When Tempo Work Makes the Most Sense

Tempo can benefit everyone, but it’s especially helpful when:

• You’re in a muscle-building (hypertrophy) phase

• You’re working through a plateau

• You need to improve movement quality or stability

• You’re training with lighter loads (e.g., in a home gym or deload week)

• You want to develop better control and joint health

Final Thoughts: Don’t Rush Your Reps

If your workouts have become a race to finish each set, tempo might be the reset you didn’t know you needed. By slowing down and emphasizing the eccentric and concentric phases, you’ll build more strength, feel more connected to your movements, and get more from every single rep.

Apply to work with a Fitbliss Coach!

Jess Petersen