Slowing down the speed which you use when lifting weights is one of the best ways to get stronger and gain weight fast. Muscles grow by way of tension; and slowing your lifting speed ensures that you work the muscle thoroughly, minimizing momentum. Here are two reasons why you should seriously consider lifting weights slower than most people currently do.

First, slowing down your repetition speed will most likely cause you to reduce the amount of weight you can lift. This is a GOOD thing because you will master proper form and safety. Many longtime weight lifters privately admit that they suffer from tendon damage or significant joint pain. One of the most likely culprits is that they lifted their weights too quickly and with form which could be considered "sloppy." Over time, this ballistic style of moving weights can cause significant trauma due to your joints not being able to withstand the momentum of fast speeds, especially when lowering the weight (called the "negative" portion of a repetition). In order to get bigger and gain weight fast, you need to have consistency in the gym; staying safe will go a long way toward helping you maintain that consistency.

The other reason you should slow your lifting speeds in order to get bigger and gain weight fast is that you need consistent tension on your muscles for a decent duration in order to facilitate new muscle growth. For example, if you wanted to perform the lat pulldown exercise you could do:

3 sets of 8 repetitions where you would pull the bar down in 1 second, maybe have a slight pause, and let the bar raise in 1 second. 3 sets of 8 repetitions (each repetition lasting no more than 3 seconds in total) would equal a MAXIMUM of 72 seconds.

1 set of 8 repetitions where you would pull the bar down in 3-4 seconds, pause for 2 seconds in the fully-contracted position, and raise the bar in 4-5 seconds. In this case, 1 set of 8 repetitions (each repetition lasting at least 9 seconds, if not longer) would equal 72 seconds, if not longer.

The drawback to the faster repetition speed option is that you used momentum and other forces. This would significantly reduce the amount of tension to which your muscles were subjected. A significant portion of the 72 seconds would be attributed to momentum, not tension! Not only would you have increased risk of minor injuries (leading to long-term injuries), but your set would be actually less productive toward your goal of getting bigger and gaining weight fast.

Please talk to your doctor if you are experiencing joint pain or muscle pains even if you are otherwise healthy. Then talk to your doctor and determine if he or she agrees that slowing down your lifting speed would make your weight training more productive. If so, one simple change (with your doctor’s approval) could make the difference in training with reduced pain and being able to achieve your goals of getting bigger and fast weight gain.