You're Wasting Half Your Reps

I watch people train.
I wish I could mind my own business.
I can't.
I like being bothered.
I watch and cringe, for sport.

Doesn't matter who: trainers, clients, solo lifters.

Out of all the sins, one drives me nuts.

They lift the weight, then drop it back down.
Zero control. Zero intention.

Yesterday at the bench: guy pushes the bar up, clean…then drops it, bounces it off his chest, uses the rebound to start the next rep.

Wasted rep.

He's not alone. Gyms are full of lifters rushing the only part of the rep that actually builds muscle.

The eccentric. The lowering. The descent.
That's where growth happens, and most treat it like a formality.

Here's what they're missing and how slowing down changes everything.

Not all phases are created equal.
Each delivers a different stimulus.

1. Concentric — the lifting phase (muscle shortens)
Pressing the bar up. Curling the dumbbell. Pulling during a row.

2. Isometric — the hold or pause (muscle stabilizes)
The brief pause at the bottom of a squat, the midpoint of a row, or right before reversing a curl.

3. Eccentric — the lowering phase (muscle lengthens)
Lowering the bar to your chest. Controlling the descent of a curl. Returning from a row.

Most people focus on the concentric.
The lift. The contraction. The show.
That's where it feels like you're working.

But the real work?
The part that builds strength and size?

It's in the eccentric. The lengthening.

It's all about TIME UNDER TENSION.

When you lower a weight under control, your muscles stay loaded longer.
More tension = more muscle damage = more growth.

Eccentric work triggers:
• Greater muscle damage (the kind that builds size and strength)
• Better stabilization and motor control
• Joint protection and injury prevention
• Faster strength and hypertrophy gains

Translation:

Slow reps = real strength
Fast reps = wasted potential

Anyone can let gravity win.
Smart lifters fight it and get rewarded.

You don't need a new program.
Just change your tempo.
Simple as that.

If all you did was slow down your reps and kept everything else the same, you'd see serious change.

Try this:
• Lower: 3–5 seconds on the eccentric
• Pause: 1 second hold at the bottom - kill momentum
• Up: Controlled power, fast but intentional

Tempo shorthand: 4–1–1 (down–pause–up)

Bicep Curl
3–5 second lower.
Keep your shoulder pinned back.
No swing.

Chest Press
3–5 second lower.
Stop 1–2 inches above the chest.
Forearms vertical at the bottom.

Pull-Ups
3–5 second lower.
Ribs down. No leg kick.
Full hang at bottom without losing shoulder/lat engagement.

Squats
3–5 second lower.
Knees track with feet.
Brief pause at bottom, explode up, squeeze glutes at the top.

Get a spotter.
Get uncomfortable.

Find someone who knows what they're doing.
Strong enough to keep you from getting crushed.

Then run a negatives-focused session.

Pick a weight heavier than your usual working set.
Something you can't lift cleanly on your own but can lower under control with help.

Your only job: own the eccentric.
Your spotter handles the lift.
You control the descent.

5–6 seconds of pure control.

Rest 2–3 minutes between sets.
Keep reps low. This isn't about volume.

Bench Press - 3–5 reps
Use 105–110% of your normal working weight.
Spotter handles the press. You control the 5–6 second descent.

Pull-Ups - 4–6 reps
Add weight or step into the top position.
Lower for 6 seconds, no dropping.
Use assistance (partner push or jump) to reset.

Weighted Push-Ups - 5–8 reps
Add a plate or vest. Lower slow.
Remove weight or use knees to reset between reps.
Keep hips level, core engaged.

Negative Dumbbell Curls - 5–6 reps
Use weight heavier than you can curl cleanly.
Partner helps get dumbbells to the top (or cheat them up).
Lower for 5–6 seconds.

There are other movements you can do as negatives, but they're trickier to spot and carry higher injury risk.

These four are the safest and most practical.

Most lifters chase numbers.
Smart ones chase control.

Skip the eccentric, skip the gains.
Slow down to get stronger.
That's how real strength is built.

Train Hard.
Think Deep.
Live with Intent.

— The CODE