Natural Man, I took a look at what you said in the “Mentzer” thread and I found it interesting. I first started considering speed of repetitions and such after I read thru the Poliquin priciples. I applied it, for example, to the bench press and the squat. When I tried getting thru a few 4 second negative on the bench press, my shoulders were just roasting off with weights that I could easily handle with good form in my normal, “natural” rep speed. I didn’t feel it in my chest, though, which is where I wanted to feel it. I tried the slow negatives on the squats, and my squatting weights fell dramatically because my lower back was fatiguing in no time from sustained effort on extended negatives and concentric reps in my sets.
I have used TUT and extended length sets for my arms, and I found that to be a different experience. I lightened the weights on my sets and went through the single joint movements fairly well, not to mention got a good pump, and got sore, so I was satisfied… kind of. But I think, like natural man said, the muscle tension produced by pressing 225 for a good solid 8, is what I prefer instead of 185 for a slower, more deliberate 8 to failure.
I am into getting my hands on some heavier loads and so I forego TUT considerations in my workouts in favor of going with a weight that is substantial. I would rather have my physique be a product of acquiring strength through heavy loads. My form is like Natural Man described to be deliberate enough and controlled with no bouncing or swinging, but not any exaggerated attempt to work the rep for any longer than I need to. I favor charging up the ladder using a more instinctive performance of reps with good biomechanical form but a speed aggressive enough to take a heavy feeling load in my hands or whatever and press it for a tough 5RM set, if not less. I do full squats, and if I were to apply an extended TUT then, on my typically 1RM final set, I’d break my neck. I can’t quite get into the whole rep speed variable; I still prefer to manipulate the weightload and get more reps, progress up that way. Maybe I’ll tinker with this more when I have lifted for much longer, but I like the more instinctive, good form repetition done in a natural speed at the current time.