Here's one topic in bodybuilding that gets overlooked: tempo. How quickly or slowly are you supposed to lift the weight? To answer this question or any question, I always come back to this: what's your goal? What's your goal in lifting in the first place? Are you lifting to look good, or to perform athletically?
The other thing I always assess is "How are your muscles wired?" Are you geared for slow strength and neural endurance? Or are you designed for speed and explosiveness? Of course, it's much more complicated than this. Although people can be categorized as either fast or slow, each muscle group has it's individual characteristics. This is why
Strength and Physique, V1 has a chapter devoted to each body part, discussing each muscle group's peculiar way of training. Some muscles respond to explosive lifting, some respond to constant tension. To further complicate things, different exercises require different tempos. Olympic lifts obviously require explosive movement while many bodybuilding exercises (not all) require constant tension.
To make things simple for you, just go with the goal you have in mind. In other words, your goal dictates your method, genetics be damned. If you want to look good for the beach, then steady constant tension in your lifting is the best thing for you. If you want to perform athletically, then speed is king.
I will say this though: I have found speed and explosiveness to be largely a genetic thing. You can teach somebody to slow down a lift, BUT teaching someone to be fast is difficult. Either you're fast or you're not. Most people are not. But if you discover that you're built for speed (a martial arts striker, Olympic weightlifter or track athlete), then maximize that advantage and train accordingly.
The other thing I always assess is "How are your muscles wired?" Are you geared for slow strength and neural endurance? Or are you designed for speed and explosiveness? Of course, it's much more complicated than this. Although people can be categorized as either fast or slow, each muscle group has it's individual characteristics. This is why Strength and Physique, V1 has a chapter devoted to each body part, discussing each muscle group's peculiar way of training. Some muscles respond to explosive lifting, some respond to constant tension. To further complicate things, different exercises require different tempos. Olympic lifts obviously require explosive movement while many bodybuilding exercises (not all) require constant tension.
To make things simple for you, just go with the goal you have in mind. In other words, your goal dictates your method, genetics be damned. If you want to look good for the beach, then steady constant tension in your lifting is the best thing for you. If you want to perform athletically, then speed is king.
I will say this though: I have found speed and explosiveness to be largely a genetic thing. You can teach somebody to slow down a lift, BUT teaching someone to be fast is difficult. Either you're fast or you're not. Most people are not. But if you discover that you're built for speed (a martial arts striker, Olympic weightlifter or track athlete), then maximize that advantage and train accordingly.