If you are in stagnation or want to support your results in the gym, maybe you should make more use of eccentric training. We will tell you what it is and why you should learn it in the following lines.
Eccentric training is often overlooked, but along with concentric movements it is essential for the development of muscle mass and strength. With this type of training, the muscles are activated during muscle elongation. For example, in biceps exercise, it is the phase at which you lower the barbell.
It is very important that the movement is slow. It uses large weights, while the stroke (concentric movement) can be performed with the assistance of a training partner or a swing. Especially in the latter way, however, care must be taken with regard to injuries.
And here are four specific reasons why you should exercise eccentrically:
1. Improves body endurance
If you train mainly for muscle mass and strength, you will certainly be pleased that eccentric training is also useful for developing endurance, which you can also use in stressful situations in everyday life. Not only do you train your muscles, but you also connect connective tissues. Strong tissues, ligaments and tendons are a great support for joints and reduce the risk of injury. You can also use it to improve your flexibility.
2. Increases strength
It is easier to slowly release a heavier weight than to pull it, lift it or push it. During the bench press, it must have happened to you that you could control the movement down, but you could not cope with the subsequent displacement. This is because the muscle is weaker as it shrinks. However, eccentric movement can also increase its strength, because it affects the development of general strength. Therefore, it is also used by weightlifters.
3. Build muscles
Finally, what you have been waiting for – eccentric training maximizes muscle growth. If you train hard and don’t see any progress, it’s time to focus more on eccentric movements. Slow movements will keep the muscles under longer tension and create more muscle damage that leads to muscle growth. It also supports protein synthesis, thus streamlining the use of ingested proteins.
4. Consumes less energy
Although you can put more strain on your muscles during eccentric exercise, you don’t need as much energy. In most exercises, more energy is used to lift the weight. Therefore, in this case, you save energy, thanks to which you will be able to make more robots.
