How many reps of tempo toes-to-bar should you attempt when you are new to the exercise?

Because each rep takes 5 to 7 seconds, sets stay short: 3 to 5 reps for 2 to 3 sets, resting a full 2 minutes so the tempo doesn't collapse on the last rep of a set.

What can you do instead of tempo toes-to-bar without a pull-up bar?

A slow-tempo lying leg raise or a hollow body hold with the same 3 to 5 second lowering count reproduces the strength demand without a bar.

What is tempo toes-to-bar good for?

It builds strict strength and control in the lower abs through a long, deliberate eccentric. It's a poor choice for anyone who can't yet do strict toes-to-bar at a normal pace; add the slow tempo only after the range itself is solid, not before.

Advanced

Tempo Toes-to-Bar

Slowing the lift and especially the lowering strips out every ounce of swing and forces the rectus abdominals and hip flexors to work through the full range under load. The eccentric is where most of the growth and control lives, so fight the descent. Use a three-to-five second lower on each rep. This is a punishing strict-strength and hypertrophy tool for the lower abs.

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar
Body part: Abs, Lats
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Lower Rectus Abdominals, Rectus Femoris
Browse by movement: Spinal Flexion

How to do it

1
Hang from the bar with an overhand grip and depress the shoulders to load the lats.
2
Over two seconds, pull the bar in and raise straight legs until the toes touch the bar.
3
Pause briefly at the top with the pelvis tucked and the abs fully shortened.
4
Lower the legs over three to five seconds, resisting the urge to drop.
5
Exhale as you lift, inhale slowly as you lower, and never bounce out of the bottom.
6
Reset to a still hang between reps if needed to kill momentum.

Tips

Count the eccentric out loud or in your head to keep every rep honest.
Posteriorly tilt the pelvis at the top to fully engage the lower abs.
If the legs shake on the way down, that is exactly the control you are building.

Variations

Common mistakes

The lowering phase quietly speeds up to under three seconds, undoing the exact eccentric control this tempo variation exists to build.
Bouncing at the very bottom of the hang to launch the next rep skips the dead-stop reset and turns a strength tempo set into a kipping swing.
The knees bend to make the two-second pull easier, which lets the hip flexors take over from the lower abs the slow tempo is meant to isolate.
Holding the breath through the long eccentric instead of exhaling up and inhaling down spikes tension everywhere except where it's needed.

Frequently asked

How many reps of tempo toes-to-bar should you attempt when you are new to the exercise?: Because each rep takes 5 to 7 seconds, sets stay short: 3 to 5 reps for 2 to 3 sets, resting a full 2 minutes so the tempo doesn't collapse on the last rep of a set.
What can you do instead of tempo toes-to-bar without a pull-up bar?: A slow-tempo lying leg raise or a hollow body hold with the same 3 to 5 second lowering count reproduces the strength demand without a bar.
What is tempo toes-to-bar good for?: It builds strict strength and control in the lower abs through a long, deliberate eccentric. It's a poor choice for anyone who can't yet do strict toes-to-bar at a normal pace; add the slow tempo only after the range itself is solid, not before.

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