Herman Nation,
I know, I know. You're probably wondering what the hell a long dead Egyptian Pharoah has to do with growing muscle? Well the King Tut here is not King Tutankhamen but rather King Time Under Tension :-) I wanted to post this because we have all discussed the values of TUT and most people use it. Scott is a big proponent of TUT. I want to post this because TUT is especially beneficial for older people like me who are in their late 40's and early 50's and beyond. Why? Well as we age, our joints aren't as flexible and resilient as they once were. Weight training does help but if you have been lifting as long as I, they have taken a beating. TUT is great because you don't need massive amounts of weight to stimulate growth - which happens to be safer and easier on older joints.
I just did my chest and bicep workout tonight and I know I will be sore tomorrow. I only went up to 80 Lbs dumbells on my flat and incline presses and I only did 85Lbs on the Olympic bar for curls. Can I do more? Of course but I really don't need to on a regular basis like when I was younger. When TUT is done properly with slow reps and controlled negatives, you make any weight feel 10X heavier than what it is. I also like using the often maligned and controversial Smith Machine for squats. If done correctly and utilizing TUT to do slow, controlled, ATG squats, they really kill your quads. For the younger or beginning bodybuilder, barbell squats should always be used and TUT can be applied. I have already done years of barbell squats so now that I am older (and I train alone) I utilize Smith Machine squats more.
The message here is it doesn't matter whether you are young or old or male or female. If you truly care about bodybuilding (and not power lifting and other training where the weight lifted DOES matter), TUT and slow reps are a great addition to any routine to build a solid physique.
John