Tempo Property

The Tempo Property allows coaches to prescribe and track the speed of movement during an exercise by defining how long each phase of a repetition should take.

Tempo training controls time under tension, movement quality, and exercise execution. Rather than simply prescribing sets and reps, coaches can dictate exactly how quickly or slowly an athlete should perform each portion of the movement.

This property is commonly used in strength training, hypertrophy programs, rehabilitation, motor control development, and technical skill acquisition.

What Does the Tempo Property Record?

The Tempo property defines the duration of each phase of a repetition.

Depending on the exercise and coaching preference, tempo can be prescribed using either:

Three-Part Tempo

Eccentric → Pause → Concentric

or

Four-Part Tempo

Eccentric → Pause → Concentric → Pause

The numbers represent seconds spent in each phase of the movement.

Understanding the Tempo Components

Eccentric Phase

The lowering or lengthening portion of the movement.

Examples:

• Lowering into a squat
• Lowering the bar during a bench press
• Descending during a pull-up

Bottom Pause

The pause between the eccentric and concentric phases.

Examples:

• Holding the bottom of a squat
• Pausing on the chest during a bench press
• Pausing at the bottom of a split squat

Concentric Phase

The lifting or shortening portion of the movement.

Examples:

• Standing up from a squat
• Pressing the bar upward during a bench press
• Pulling upward during a pull-up

Top Pause (Optional)

The pause after the concentric phase before beginning the next repetition.

Examples:

• Standing tall before the next squat
• Holding lockout before lowering the bar again
• Pausing at the top of a pull-up

Three-Number Tempo

A three-number tempo uses:

Eccentric – Pause – Concentric

Example

3-1-1

The athlete would:

• Lower for 3 seconds
• Pause for 1 second
• Lift for 1 second

Total repetition time:

5 seconds

Four-Number Tempo

A four-number tempo uses:

Eccentric – Pause – Concentric – Pause

Example

3-1-1-2

The athlete would:

• Lower for 3 seconds
• Pause at the bottom for 1 second
• Lift for 1 second
• Pause at the top for 2 seconds

Total repetition time:

7 seconds

Common Tempo Prescriptions

Controlled Strength Work

3-1-1

• Controlled lowering
• Brief pause
• Strong concentric effort

Hypertrophy Training

4-0-2

• Slow eccentric
• No pause
• Controlled concentric

Technique Development

5-2-2

• Very slow lowering
• Extended pause
• Controlled ascent

Pause Squats

3-3-1

• Controlled descent
• Long pause in the bottom position
• Explosive ascent

Rehabilitation

4-2-2-1

• Controlled movement
• Increased positional awareness
• Reduced momentum

Why Use Tempo Training?

Tempo prescriptions help coaches:

• Improve movement quality
• Increase time under tension
• Develop positional strength
• Reinforce exercise technique
• Reduce momentum during lifts
• Progress rehabilitation exercises safely
• Standardize exercise execution across athletes

Common Use Cases

Strength Training

Control movement speed during:

• Squats
• Bench Press
• Deadlifts
• Lunges

Hypertrophy Programs

Increase muscular time under tension.

Rehabilitation

Slow movements to improve control and tissue tolerance.

Technical Development

Teach athletes proper positions throughout a lift.

Return-to-Play Progressions

Ensure controlled movement quality before progressing loading.

Tempo and Other Exercise Properties

Tempo is often combined with:

Example

A coach prescribes:

Back Squat

• 4 Sets
• 5 Reps
• Tempo: 3-1-1

For each repetition, the athlete must:

1. Lower into the squat over 3 seconds
2. Pause in the bottom position for 1 second
3. Stand up in 1 second

Each repetition takes approximately 5 seconds, resulting in 25 seconds of time under tension per set.

CoachMePlus stores the prescribed tempo alongside the exercise, ensuring athletes understand exactly how each repetition should be performed and allowing coaches to standardize execution across individuals and teams.