At times it can be a struggle to find enough time to train, let alone focus on areas of weakness. Somehow, important training areas like mobility are the first to be sacrificed in the pursuit of all-important gains! So, wouldn’t it be great if you could somehow combine your strength and mobility training?
Eccentric loading can help you to train smart, letting you make more efficient use of your training time. Eccentric training offers a number of potential benefits. In addition to improving mobility, it is extremely effective for increasing muscle size, strength, power and speed performance. Now that’s some serious value!
What is an eccentric movement?
Eccentric movement occurs when the muscle under load is lengthening. It is also known as the negative portion of a movement. The figure below shows an example of the different types of muscle loading using a dumbbell curl (arguably the most important exercise of them all):
- Lifting movement – Concentric (the muscle shortens)
- Lowering movement – Eccentric (the muscle lengthens)
- No movement – Isometric (no change in muscle length while resisting load)
Attribution - By OpenStax [CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
What are the potential benefits of eccentric training?
1. Increased mobility
Many studies show that eccentric training is an effective method for increasing flexibility (in particular, lower limb flexibility). While many mobility methods appear to have a neurological response that creates improvements in range of motion, eccentric training takes this a step further, resulting in physiological adaptation that actually makes muscles longer. In addition, when compared to other mobility tools, like foam rolling, eccentric training can offer increased long-term improvements to range of motion.
2. Improved technique
The typically slow movement during eccentric loading offers a great opportunity to focus on correcting movement patterns. The video below provides a great example for athletes struggling with their squatting technique. Perhaps they are having difficulty with tightness, knee positioning (knees shooting forward, or collapsing inward when returning to standing), hip hinging, or maintaining form at depth. Slowing down the movement and focussing on the eccentric portion can really help with correcting technique, also teaching you to stay tight out of the bottom/hole. Incorporating an isometric hold in the bottom position can also help you really own those difficult positions!
3. Protection against injury
Eccentric movements can also help with injury prevention. For example, the Nordic hamstring curl is an excellent exercise for hamstring health. Studies have demonstrated a decrease in the rate of new and recurring hamstring injuries when incorporating this movement into training programs.
Eccentric training can also support you during rehabilitation. Rehabilitation protocols focussing on lengthening type exercises (i.e. eccentrics) can be more effective than protocols containing conventional exercises for return to sport time.
4. Improved performance - Strength, muscle size (hypertrophy) and power
When compared to concentric, isometric, and traditional training programs, eccentric training can offer increased performance by creating adaptations in mechanical function (strength and power improvements), muscle size, neuromuscular function (faster recruitment and activation of muscles) and performance.
How can I begin incorporating eccentric training into my program?
Before beginning to incorporate eccentric training into your programming, it is important to note that this type of training can be very taxing. Eccentric movements can create increased muscle breakdown compared to concentric movements (hence the increased adaptation and potential performance improvements). It is therefore important to start slowly when building eccentric training into your program. To begin, try incorporating eccentric training 1-2 times a week, slowly progressing training load and frequency.
You can try experimenting with the tempo, but a good goal would be a 7-count eccentric phase. You might find this slow tempo very challenging initially. It is therefore good to start light, with weight no more than 50% 1RM. Remember, you can always increase the weight as you adapt to the programming. Due to the taxing nature of the training style the rep range will typically be lower, somewhere around the 1-6 rep range. This can then be repeated for 3-8 sets. For extra challenge, you can also incorporate a pause of 3-5 seconds in the bottom position. This will really help you build control and reinforce mobility improvements.
Wrapping it up
You can apply eccentric training to almost any type of movement. The key is to ensure you have control throughout the entire movement, while focussing on maintaining good technique. As you feel more comfortable, you can also experiment with performing the movement with your eyes closed. This helps you to really lift by feel, not by sight. And remember not to rush, take your time with the movements (and between sets) to make sure you are mentally prepared for each rep.
References
O'Sullivan, K., McAuliffe, S., & DeBurca, N. (2012). The effects of eccentric training on lower limb flexibility: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med, bjsports-2011.
Aune, A. A., Bishop, C., Turner, A. N., Papadopoulos, K., Budd, S., Richardson, M., & Maloney, S. J. (2018). Acute and chronic effects of foam rolling vs eccentric exercise on ROM and force output of the plantar flexors. Journal of sports sciences, 1-8.
Arnason, A., Andersen, T. E., Holme, I., Engebretsen, L., & Bahr, R. (2008). Prevention of hamstring strains in elite soccer: an intervention study. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 18(1), 40-48.
Suchomel, T. J., Nimphius, S., Bellon, C. R., & Stone, M. H. (2018). The Importance of Muscular Strength: Training Considerations. Sports Medicine, 1-21.
