What is Time under tension?
Time under tension is how long a muscle stays working during a set, from the first rep to the last.
Also called: TUT, muscle tension time.
Time under tension, or TUT, is the total time your muscle is under load in a set. It depends on how many reps you do and how slowly you perform each one. A set of 10 slow reps has more tension time than 10 quick ones.
It can help you control the weight and feel the muscle working. For example, lowering a dumbbell curl for three seconds instead of dropping it fast raises the time under tension. Do not slow reps so much that you can no longer use a challenging weight with good form.
Related terms
General information, not medical advice. All terms.