Should I be pushing my rep as fast as possible?

[LowCarbDude]

For at least Bench and Press should I be trying to do the rep from contracted(wording?) as fast as possible, and ease down from expanded. Slow to average down, quickly up?


Does this really help build strength faster?




Note: I have practical programming, but I could find a part that discussed this specifically.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You should do the hardest concentric contraction you can.

But dude: LowCarbDude???

[Adam Skillin]

But dude: LowCarbDude???

Maybe he's a really big, fat guy.

[LowCarbDude]

You should do the hardest concentric contraction you can.

Thanks

But dude: LowCarbDude???

Lol, I picked whatever random name came to mind. Also a healthier eating habit than roughly 99% of what is out there. I'm up for this debate as long as I don't get banned.


And before anyone says it, I'll confirm..... It is not advantageous to strength training.

[Kevin Pavon]

In SS:BBT 3rd Edition, p. 163, Rip says, "For both the bench press and the squat, optimum bar speed occurs when the bar moves fast enough to efficiently elicit a stretch reflex and thus permit an efficient drive up. Bar speed is too slow when the descent produces fatigue, as it will if you deliberately lift submaximal loads very slowly. Bar speed is too fast when it actually adds momentum to the load on the bar on the way down, so that you must decelerate against both the weight on the bar and the effect of its excessive velocity on that load -where the effective load on the bar is actually heavier than the weight." Also on that page, "Don't think about lowering the bar; just think about driving it up." Read up.

[LowCarbDude]

I would buy a 4th edition if every chapter contained a full page dummies guide, lol.

[danlightbulb]

In SS:BBT 3rd Edition, p. 163, Rip says, "For both the bench press and the squat, optimum bar speed occurs when the bar moves fast enough to efficiently elicit a stretch reflex and thus permit an efficient drive up.

Maybe off topic, sorry, but I definately do not feel a stretch reflex on the bench press. Off what muscles do you have a bounce and how pronounced should it be?

[Mark Rippetoe]

The muscles in which the stretch reflex occurs will obviously be the muscles which lift the weight. Eccentric/stretch reflex/concentric. So, triceps, pecs, delts, et al. I believe the book mentions that you have to tighten things up voluntarily to create the SR.