If your strength training has hit a plateau or you’re looking to make your work outs a little more challenging adding some focus to the eccentric work particularly in your major lifts is a great way to get a little more out of each session. Typically eccentrics will focus on taking your time to lower the weight for any where from 2-6 seconds but can also be longer.
Check out the point below to find some of the main benefits of adding eccentrics to your training.
Enhanced Muscle Building: By focusing on the lowering phase of an exercise, you create more tension in your muscles, leading to greater muscle fibre recruitment and growth. Embracing eccentrics allows you to challenge your muscles beyond their limits and stimulate additional hypertrophy.
Increased Strength and Performance: By emphasizing the eccentric phase, you build eccentric strength, which translates into greater overall strength. This strength gain not only benefits your resistance training but also carries over into other physical activities. Think of preloading for a jump or decelerating when changing direction. These have high amounts of eccentric loading, so learning to control heavy loads will assist in building stronger movement patterns.
Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation: Eccentric training plays a crucial role in injury prevention and rehabilitation. By focusing on the controlled lowering phase, you strengthen your tendons and connective tissues, making them more resilient to stress and reducing the risk of injury. Additionally, eccentrics can aid in the recovery process by promoting tissue healing and improving range of motion. Whether you’re aiming for muscle growth, increased strength, or injury prevention, eccentrics have got you covered.
So next time you hit the gym, try to slow down, emphasize the lowering phase, and feel the difference in your workout.