TUT – Time Under Tension
Olivia Davis
2026-03-16
6 min. read
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There are numerous factors that we must take into consideration when we want to achieve our training goals. These include the selection of the appropriate exercise, the number of repetitions, the number of sets, the length of breaks, the weight used, the intensity, the frequency of training. A key component of this arrangement is the time in which we perform a given set. There are two directly related factors, which are tempo and TUT – time under tension. The tempo refers to the time in which the individual phases of movement in a given repetition are executed, while the TUT specifies the time in which your muscles remain tense during one set. This parameter is one of the most important, when it comes to the influence on the final training outcome.
How to compute TUT here
Calculating the time under tension should not pose a problem for anyone. I'll use a specific example to explain how to do this. After performing a series on your chest, you let the weight drop for 3 seconds, then you lift it without holding it for 2 seconds, and start the next repetition immediately. It took you 5 seconds (tempo 3 0 2 0). Assuming the series consisted of 12 repetitions, your TUT is 60 seconds (5 × 12). As you can see, the fundamental effect on TUT has two factors: the tempo and the number of repetitions. Modifying either of them automatically modifies TUT.
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