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Is the common notion that slower reps lead to more muscle growth true? However if we look into the research behind different rep tempos it may not be true. A study that looked at the effect of time under tension on muscle growth found not significant difference between a longer and shorter duration (5-8 seconds). On the contrary a duration longer than 10> seconds showed a decrease in muscle growth.

This is just preliminary evidence as direct studies have not been conducted comparing the differences in muscle growth when comparing time under tension or how much volume one can get training with greater TUT. One issue with increased time under tension is the possibility of deceasing total lifting volume due to fatigue. Some studies have shown a faster tempo to allow for a more total volume to be performed compared to slow tempos.

It may be more beneficial to focus on slower eccentric contractions with a higher velocity (explosive) concentric contraction to allow for more volume.Knowing the benefits of eccentric training which is less metabolically taxing and should not hinder the amount of volume that can done which is a primary driver of hypertrophy.

When I personally my focus is getting as much volume as possible with controlled explosive movements while focusing on slower eccentric movements. This is usually done easier with more isolation exercises that are not as taxing. When it comes to heavy compound movements I focus on being able to have proper form with a good amount of weight. Performing heavy compound exercise with high time under tension usually does not allow for a great volume to be achieved and can potentially limit your muscle gain.

What kind of repetition tempo do you use, do you focus more on weight or explosiveness?