If you haven't heard of a weightlifting technique called time under tension, let me introduce it. This approach slows reps of an exercise, typically during the eccentric phase (like lowering into a squat), but sometimes during the concentric phase (like standing from a squat), too.

In short, it refers to how long muscles spend activated, loaded or under contraction. If you increase the overall volume of tension held in muscle groups, whether that's using weights or not, you can stimulate hypertrophy (muscle growth) because the muscles meet resistance longer, which can help build muscle without lifting heavier weights.

If you’re considering adding the TUT technique to your strength training program, I cover everything you need to know below.

Thankfully, time under tension isn't a myth you'd find from fitfluencers on TikTok; it works.

Slowing a move down means performing it for longer, demanding more from your muscles to keep your form in check and work through the reps. The technique is popular in Pilates, too, which involves high-rep endurance training. If you've ever been in a Pilates or yoga class, you'll know that when you slow exercises in either one or all phases, they feel much harder and require more muscular control and stability.

Back when I was training to become a personal trainer, we learned to program exercises in three stages: the concentric phase (when muscles shorten or contract under load), the eccentric phase (when the muscle lengthens), and the pause between them, or isometric contraction.

You may notice trainers now program a lot with eccentric training , or working in negatives, which has become a popular method for growing muscle.

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