Stephen Lotesta, a bodybuilder and gym proprietor, has transformed workouts into a true art form with his unique methodology. In this article, Stephen Lotesta unveils the secrets behind his favorite techniques—Time Under Tension and Supersetting—empowering fitness enthusiasts to sculpt their own personalized, highly effective routines.
Resistance training is medicine.
According to the study, inactive individuals lose three to eight percent of muscle mass every decade, on top of fat accumulation and reduced resting metabolic rate. Just ten weeks of resistance training may reverse this; increasing lean weight by 1.4 kg, resting metabolic rate up to seven percent, and reducing fat accumulation by up to 1.8 kg.
Strength and resistance training help build muscle and boost movement patterns, allowing individuals to move safely in day-to-day activities. Both new and seasoned gymgoers will benefit from resistance training, but time under tension and supersets are two methods that can help mix things up and increase workout intensity.
Stephen Lotesta discusses below some advice on how to tailor time under tension techniques and incorporate supersets into workouts.
Stephen Lotesta Details Time Under Tension and Supersets
An Over of Time Under Tension
Time under tension (TUT) is a term used in weightlifting that refers to the amount of time a muscle or a group of muscles is under tension during a workout set. It is a resistance training technique that lengthens the time of eccentric movement during an exercise and is often used to promote muscle building and growth.
Varying TUT can alter the stimulus of a workout, helping people target different facets of fitness such as muscular endurance, hypertrophy, or muscular power.
Superset Overview
Stephen Lotesta says that in a traditional workout set, an individual completes one set of an exercise, rests, and then does another set of the same exercise. However, in a superset, gym goers perform two different strength exercises back-to-back without rest.
Many utilize this method of supersets because it is time-efficient and burn more calories. As per a study called Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods, which was published in MDPI, performing both upper and lower body exercises in supersets improves the efficiency of exercisers’ workouts.
3 Quick Tips to Tailor a TUT Workout
Customizing a TUT workout allows an individual to determine and target specific goals. Whether it’s to enhance strength, improve endurance, or achieve muscle hypertrophy, they can easily adjust certain variables according to their fitness goals and progress while keeping their workout effective, efficient, and engaging.
Stephen Lotesta says that adding supersets to a TUT workout adds intensity to the session by increasing the amount of time the muscles are engaged. This strengthens endurance, promotes muscle hypertrophy, and improves metabolic conditioning – all in a time-efficient manner.
Tip 1 – Adjust the Repetition Speed
Different speeds of repetition yield different results. Slow repetitions increase time under tension which helps build muscles, while fast repetitions improve strength and power.
Stephen Lotesta Bodybuilding explains to incorporate a superset, combine two exercises wherein one consists of slower, more controlled reps and the other with faster, more intense reps. This set will then target both muscle hypertrophy and strength development, optimizing the efficiency of the session.
Tip 2 – Manipulate Rest Periods
One trick to try is to vary the rest period in between supersets. Lotesta Bodybuilding reports that shorter rest periods increase TUT, which promotes muscle building and growth.
A good set to try is pairing bench presses with push-ups, lessening the rest period between the two exercises. It may be more intense, but it is also better for muscle development.
Tip 3 – Try Progressive Overload
Stephen Lotesta Bodybuilding says that gradual increase of resistance in a workout adds intensity and challenge. It also benefits the muscles as it continually adapts to new difficulties. Try adjusting equipment settings, utilizing resistance bands, or adding more weight.
Do a superset with progressive overload in mind. To help the muscles adapt, challenge them further by gradually increasing the difficulty level or increasing the resistance of exercise in the superset.
For instance, do lunges with weighted lunges, gradually increasing weight with each superset. This approach will not only strengthen the muscles but will also train the muscles to adjust to new challenges quicker and more effectively.
Lotesta Bodybuilding says that adding time under tension and superset techniques to workouts make them more dynamic and efficient. Customizing TUT and combining it with supersets allows individuals to target and achieve fitness goals quickly, leading to more engaging and productive workout sessions.
