I’m all for trying the latest and greatest. fashion workouts. but part of build a fun workout routine that too* delivers significant results includes going back to basics. I’m talking the essential—as in, learning the fundamentals of how your body and muscles move. Enter: eccentric, concentric and isometric movements.
Let me explain. First, your muscles contract in three different ways: eccentric, concentric, and isometric. Here’s what each of those terms means:
- Eccentric The movements occur when the muscles lengthen.
- Concentric Movements occur when muscles contract.
- isometric it is when the muscles are in a static position (not moving).
You will likely experience all three types during your workouts as well. “Eccentric exercise is lengthening the muscle under tension or load, or slowly lowering it against gravity,” explains Kimberly Wolf-King, PT, DPT, of Spooner Physiotherapy. Meanwhile, “Concentric builds force, so it makes the muscle shorter.” One of the most common examples of a eccentric the exercise is to go down to a squataccording to Tatiana Lampa, CPT, personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist and creator of the Training with T application
Get the full breakdown of eccentric exercise, including seven expert-recommended ways to incorporate eccentric training into your exercise routine, right here.
Benefits of eccentric training
Here’s why it matters: Eccentric exercise can work your entire body (yes, every muscle group) and has some serious benefits over strength training, running, and yoga, just to name a few terrific benefits. Focusing on eccentric movement in your exercise routine can also:
- Reduce risk of injury
- improve stability
- Power your body anti-inflammatory answers
- Improve stabilization
- Improve the effectiveness of your workouts
You are probably familiar with the eccentric movement, even if you don’t realize it. “Really, everything we do, if we just get out of bed and walk to the kitchen in the morning, all of that is our body’s way of doing eccentric loading,” says Wolf-King. “Otherwise we would collapse against gravity.”
In addition to keeping the body upright and moving, eccentric movements have many other benefits. Eccentric training can help prevent injuries because it strengthens musculotendinous junctions (or the places where tendons attach muscles to bones), says Wolf-King.
There is research that proves it. Eccentric exercises stimulate the production of collagenwhich is the material that helps strengthen tendons and other tissues, according to a recent study in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology.
Eccentric movements are also great for helping your body produce anti-inflammatory responses, adds Wolf-King. Eccentric exercises send a signal to your body to produce more anti-inflammatory substances like cytokines, according to a 2021 study in International Sports Medicine Open.
Everyone can get a boost by focusing on eccentric training, but especially if you’re doing strength training for King Wolf and Lampa. “If you’re going to lift a weight, you’re going to have to put it down,” says Wolf-King. Training your muscles to lengthen them will help improve your form and prevent future injuries. Also, eccentric training is better for increasing muscle size Y strength than concentric training, according to research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
The benefits of eccentric training extend beyond the weight room. The practice involves stabilizing your muscles and holding certain positions while gravity works against you, which is a big plus on the yoga mat, says Wolfe-King. Additionally, eccentric exercise is also an effective way to improve lower extremity flexibility, according to a 2014 review of relevant research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
And, Lampa says that runners or others who focus on cardio (hello again, elliptical lovers) may notice an improvement in their performance after performing a few eccentric movements.
Potential risks with eccentric exercise
First, it’s important to always get the approval of a medical professional (either your doctor or a physical therapist) before starting any new exercise program, Wolf-King says. Take special care if you have an injury or condition that affects your muscles or joints.
When trying eccentric exercises, be sure to focus on proper form, he adds. Otherwise, you risk putting too much stress on your joints, which could lead to injury.
“This is very, very important for anyone who is rehabbing their body,” says Lampa. If he’s in recovery, eccentric movements can help him get back on his feet in no time (again, with his doctor’s approval!).
How to Add Eccentric Exercise to Your Routine
Now that you have a long list of why eccentric exercise is great, you may be wondering how to add it to your workouts. Start slowly: Lampa recommends focusing on eccentric movements (the lengthening part of the movement) once or twice a week. Basic movements that you may already be familiar with, such as squats and Lizards, they are a great place to start.
And listen to your body. If you’re new to eccentric training, Lampa says you should expect some sore muscles after your sweat session is over (investigate support this as well). “It will probably take a day or two to recover from that pain,” he explains. But he adds that feeling pain is a sign that you’re doing it right: your body isn’t used to the movements yet.
The best eccentric exercises to add to your workouts
If you’re ready to dive in, Lampa suggests starting with these seven wacky exercises. For every move, do three sets of five to ten repetitions each, depending on how heavy your load is. And always exhale the effort.
squat
How:
- Start with your legs hip-width apart.
- Bend your knees as you slowly sit your hips back, while keeping your chest up, until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as far as you can sit without your heels rising, your chest falling forward, and/or your knees moving). well beyond the ankles). ).
- He stands up again.
Make it eccentric: Take three seconds to squat down (eccentric phase) and take one second to come back up (concentric phase).
Level up: Hold a weight on your chest.
dead weight
How:
- While holding a dumbbell or kettlebell, place your feet directly below your hips. Hold the weight between your legs, making sure the weight doesn’t float forward, but stays between your legs the entire time.
- Push your hips back while maintaining a neutral spine and release as you bend your knees, firing your hamstrings and glutes.
- Then, get back on your feet.
Make it eccentric: Take three seconds to squat down (eccentric phase) and take one second to come back up (concentric phase).
Push up
How:
- Start on a high plank with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width. (Optional modification: do kneeling reps instead.)
- Bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle, so your chest lowers toward the floor.
- Press away from the ground to return to the starting position.
Make it eccentric: Take three seconds to go down (eccentric phase) and take one second to go back up (concentric phase).
Coach Tip: Think of a push up as a moving plank, so try to keep a neutral spine the entire time.
Lift
How:
- Place a bench under a pull-up bar.
- Get on the bench and grab the bar with an overhand grip that’s slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hang from the bar, bend your knees and cross your ankles behind your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your body until your shoulders are just below the bar.
- Lower your back to the starting position.
Make it eccentric: Take one second to stand up (concentric phase), and take three seconds to slowly lower your body back down (eccentric phase). “I swear on this!” Lampa says. “If you’re looking to nail down your first pull-up, increase your reps or improve your form. Eccentric reps (3-5 seconds) will help you immensely.”
shoulder hold
How:
- Start by holding a pair of dumbbells just above your shoulders, palms facing each other, and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Press the weights until your arms are straight above your head.
- Hold, then lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders.
Make it eccentric: Take one second to push the weights up (concentric phase) and take three seconds to slowly lower them (eccentric phase).
bicep curls
How:
- Start in a sitting or standing position, holding a pair of dumbbells at your side, palms facing forward. Bend your elbows, pulling your hands toward your shoulders slowly and with control.
- Roll all the way up, leaving a small space between your hands and shoulders.
- Pause and slowly lower yourself to the bottom.
Make it eccentric: Take three seconds to lower the weights (eccentric phase) and take one second to raise them back up (concentric phase).
Coach Tip: The upper arm and wrist should remain still; just move your forearm from the elbow joint.
tricep dips
How:
- Start gripping the front edges of a chair or bench with your hands.
- Move your butt right to the side and in front of the seat, feet flat and legs bent so thighs are parallel to the floor with arms straight. (You can also sit on the floor, as shown.)
- Lower your body toward the floor until your arms form 90-degree angles. Then engage your triceps to press back to start.
Make it eccentric: Take three seconds to go down (eccentric phase) and take one second to go back up (concentric phase).
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