Time under tension - TUT

 

Trainers everywhere agree the time under tension (TUT) technique is one of the most effective ways of increasing strength and muscle. “TUT is a type of exercise technique that aids in stimulating muscle fibers and leading to a more sculpted physique. Instead of focusing on the number of reps of an exercise, TUT training aims to make athletes slow down and perform an exercise with less momentum.” TUT keeps muscles under resistance for a longer amount of time, which helps improve muscle strength and endurance. Considering what we have been as a world going through over the past year plus, with the pandemic, to losing jobs, to economic, political, racial instability, devastation in nations – the tension each of us globally and individually sustained is unimaginable. Every time we think something is slowing down, another situation springs up and it just keeps going on and on and on! Each of us only have so much power and strength, but in the past year, we have been pushed to limits of trying to hold the tension and some of us have felt we have reached our breaking point.

I am not an exercise buff. The word TUT – Time under tension – resonated with my heart and mind so much – it’s like time is moving slowly in so many ways and the tension never easing. We hoped for 2021 to bring change and release the tension so we can be back to our ‘normal’. By now I believe most of us have come to believe that there is no going back as we feel the world constantly shift under our feet. I am sure the tension is strengthening us in some form or fashion; but man, it doesn’t feel like it! It feels like exhaustion and soreness and that our muscles have come to the point of breaking down before it builds itself up and grows stronger and larger. It somehow feels like we are spending a lot of time in the breakdown phase.

I came across another form of exercise - Isometric exercise – strengthening without moving – Static holds. Such as a plank or a wall sit. They create not just time under tension, but a sustaining tension. The longer you stay in the position the more the muscles breakdown. Which means eventually we will be stronger. But right now, it feels like I have been holding this plank for so long. What I don’t want to do is to give up. I can try to avoid the pain but how can I sustain my hold and continue to gain strength? Where has this time under tension and static hold phase of the world placed our emotions and mindsets. What has changed? When the tension remains unchanged most of us tend to take one of the two stances:

1. Give up altogether and not allow ourselves to be affected by anything that happens in the world – Basically ‘do nothing’. Place a shield around our eyes to just see what is in front of us; focus on our lives, practically – be selfish. ‘As long as my family and those I care about are functioning in an acceptable manner, I am going to be fine’ – attitude. A lot of us find comfort in this and have come to accept that we find happiness in this space. Church is available online in the comfort of our couches/beds. Nothing around the world need to bother us and this has become our new normal.

2. Breakdown all together. Allow the tension of the hold to take over and fill your mind and body with weakness and anxiety.

Both these positions are unhealthy. So how can we help ourselves? This is where we apply the word into our lives because on our own, we are unable to sustain the tension. We allow the ‘Helper’ – the Holy Spirit to work in us and do what He came to do – help us – (John 14: 15-18 & 26). We give permission to the Holy Spirit to change us and use us in a way that only He can. We need to come to a position of acceptance that we are unable to do this on our own. Submit our will and pride to the feet of the cross and ask Him to lead us. Ask the Holy Spirit to provide us new and creative ideas to help and continue to serve the Kingdom in ways that we have not thought of before. And if we truly desire this and submit ourselves, the Holy Spirit will open up atmospheres and spaces for us to continue to bless and build our muscle – (Acts 1:8). He can handle our truth - so let's bring our ugly, messy, painful, confused soul to the feet of the One who can make us whole. He will be our support and comforter and on the days our muscles come to a breaking point, He will hold the plank for us – (Romans 8:26-27). He will sustain us to continue moving the muscle groups so that we are not breaking under tension, but we are building new levels of strength which we never thought possible on our own. 

Written by: Anu Varghese