Slow then fast is the way to go

There are many fitness ideologies, some that are well-researched and extremely valid, some that are time-tested and approved by the fitness pundits, and some that are plain garbage. I'd rather not get into the negative stuff at the moment, so I'll stick to what people say works -- and actually does.

For years, people have argued about the speed at which weight lifting repetitions should be performed. Many firmly believe that a slow, deliberate pace creates the greatest amount of muscle tension, thus leading to the best results. Others feel that a faster and less structured pace is better, as it works to create an immediate "pump." There are enough extremely fit people, who go by the aforementioned methods, to conclude that their respective assertions have merit. But, there is new research that suggests a different approach may be best of all.

According to a study conducted at Anderson University in Indiana, short, quick bursts of effort on the positive (or concentric) portion of an exercise burn as much as 20 percent more calories than any other method. By lowering the weight for a count of two seconds, pausing for onesecond, and then exploding upward, activates fast-twitch muscle fibers, which require a great deal of energy to move.