Tempo
Tempo controls the speed of each phase of a rep, written in a 4-digit format.
:::note Not a stored field yet HyperIron doesn't have a tempo field — like advanced set techniques, it's on the roadmap. If you train with a tempo prescription, record it in the set or exercise notes (e.g., "3-1-2-0"). The notation below is the standard convention and worth knowing wherever you write it down. :::
Format: E-P-C-P
| Position | Phase | Example |
|---|---|---|
| E | Eccentric (lowering) | 3 = 3 seconds lowering |
| P | Pause at bottom/stretched position | 1 = 1 second hold |
| C | Concentric (lifting) | 2 = 2 seconds lifting, X = explosive |
| P | Pause at top/contracted position | 0 = no pause |
Common tempos
| Tempo | What it means | Use case |
|---|---|---|
3-1-2-0 | 3s down, 1s pause, 2s up, no pause | General hypertrophy with control |
4-0-1-0 | 4s eccentric, explosive concentric | Eccentric emphasis |
5-5-1-0 | 5s down, 5s pause, 1s up | Paused squats/bench for sticking point work |
2-0-2-2 | 2s down, 2s up, 2s squeeze at top | Peak contraction emphasis |
X-0-X-0 | Explosive both phases | Power/speed work |
5-0-0-0 | 5s eccentric only | Negative reps |
Why track tempo?
Consistency
Using the same tempo between sessions makes progression comparisons meaningful. If you benched 200 lbs × 8 with a 3-second eccentric last week, doing it with a 1-second eccentric this week isn't the same difficulty.
Time Under Tension
TUT is easy to compute from the notation (HyperIron doesn't calculate it for you today):
8 reps × (3 + 1 + 2 + 0) = 48 seconds TUT
Specific training effects
- Slow eccentrics (3–5s) increase muscle damage and hypertrophy stimulus
- Paused reps build strength at specific positions (bottom of squat, chest on bench)
- Explosive concentric develops power and rate of force development
When to use tempo
Tempo is most useful when you have a specific training goal that requires controlled rep speed:
- Hypertrophy blocks: 3-1-2-0 or similar for controlled, time-under-tension focused sets
- Sticking point work: 3-2-1-0 with a pause at the weak point
- Eccentric training: 4-0-1-0 or 5-0-1-0 for slow negatives
- Speed work: X-0-X-0 for dynamic effort sets
If you're just training normally without a specific tempo prescription, there's nothing to note.
Tempo and analytics
- TUT is not tracked — there's no tempo field to derive it from, so compute it yourself from your notes if you want it
- Tempo does not adjust 1RM estimates — a slow tempo makes the set harder but doesn't change your max strength
- Progress comparisons are most meaningful when tempo is consistent across sessions