You may have heard the term “eccentric training” in fitness and wondered what it actually is and how it is used. The quickest explanation is that is is the lowering or down phase of a repetition using any sort of weight or resistance. Half of every rep involves the down phase, and knowing how to maximize this part of the lift can dramatically improve your results.
In a biceps curl, the lift begin by holding a weight in your hand, then bending the elbow to lift the weight against the resistance of gravity. This is the “up” phase of the rep and is also called the “positive” or concentric phase.
As you lower the weight against gravity back to where you started, you are performing the “down” or “negative” phase of the lift. This is the portion of the repetition that is called the eccentric phase: you are resisting the weight’s downward pull. You are still using effort in the muscle as you lower the weight, but only enough to control the lowering of the weight rather than lifting it up. So it can be summarized that the eccentric part is exerting effort while the weight or is being lowered and the muscle is lengthening back to the position where it started.
Eccentrics play a part in athletic training like jumping for example. As you get ready to jump up, you automatically squat down a bit and store energy in the muscle before jumping back up. This phase of lengthening and shortening can actually be trained in plyometric training and athletic performance can be enhanced with this skill.
It is the role of plyometric training in day to day life that makes it very beneficial.
Eccentric training in the gym can really improve body control during regular tasks that may be difficult for the injured or elderly, such as going down stairs. Better body control is especially helpful for protecting joints as muscles strengthen and motor control improves. Practicing the slow lowering of weights may teach people better exercise technique by helping them to focus on moving through the full range of motion of each repetition in a controlled manner.
Eccentric training may help increase muscle mass and strengthen connective tissue, such as ligaments and tendons. Also, eccentric movements provide variety in your resistance-training program: You can mix and match eccentric movements to modify familiar exercises and give your muscles a new challenge, or change the intensity of a weight set.