Slowing Down To Strengthen Up: The Benefits Of Controlled Eccentric ContractionsWhen talking about training, we always hear about the importance of proper form, different training techniques, and progressive overload. While those are essential parts of making progress in the gym, an often overlooked aspect is the tempo of your reps while training, especially in the eccentric phase of an exercise.
When you read or hear the term eccentric contraction, it’s describing a muscle that lengthens under tension, such as when lowering a weight. An example would be during the bicep curl, lowering the dumbbell back to its starting position. Doing this movement controlled is crucial for muscle development and injury prevention.
What Are Some Benefits Slowing Down The Eccentric?
Greater Muscle Growth: Slow eccentric training places greater stress on the muscle fibers, leading to more damage of the muscle, which is an essential part of hypertrophy. Studies have shown that slower eccentric movements can significantly increase muscle growth compared to faster repetitions.
Improved Strength Gains: Our bodies will adapt to whatever stresses we put them through given the right amount of time. Slowing down your reps will force greater tension to be placed on the muscles, which leads to enhanced strength adaptations. This will help not only when it comes to your total overall strength in the gym, but you’ll reap the rewards in your everyday life.
Greater Control and Form: Focusing on a slow eccentric phase helps improve your control over the weight being lifted. This will ensure proper form as well as reduce risk of injury by preventing jerky movements.
Reduced Risk of Injury: Eccentric training has been shown to help in injury prevention. It strengthens connective tissues and improves joint stability. By practicing slow eccentric movements, you not only strengthen and grow your muscles, but you also protect yourself against common injuries that arise from rapid or uncontrolled movements.
Increased Range of Motion: Slow eccentric reps can improve flexibility and range of motion. As you lower weights more deliberately, you allow your muscles and joints to stretch and adapt, which can contribute to better overall mobility.
Functional Strength: Slow eccentric training mimics real-life movements, where muscles often lengthen while under load. This helps improve functional strength, making daily activities and sports performance more efficient.
What Can You Do To Incorporate Slow Eccentrics?
Focus on Tempo: Taking 3-5 seconds to lower the weight during the eccentric phase while maintaining a controlled lift during the concentric phase (the lifting part) is what you want to aim for.
Use Lighter Weights: When you slow down your reps for the first time you’ll probably feel a bit weaker and need to drop the weights a bit. But that’s only because slow reps make the movement more challenging, allowing you to focus on form and control while preserving your joint health.
Choose Your Exercises Wisely: Focus on compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, where the eccentric phase can be emphasized. That being said, isolation work such as leg extensions or bicep curls benefit greatly from it, and your joints will love you for it.
Track Your Progress: Whether or not you decide slowing down your reps is right for you, keeping track of your workouts to ensure you’re making continual progress is vital. This ensures you know when to tweak certain aspects of your training, such as tempo, sets, or reps.
Conclusion
Implementing slow eccentric reps into your training can lead to significant improvements in muscle growth, strength, and overall performance. By focusing on this phase, you not only enhance the effectiveness of your workouts but also promote better control and stability in your movements. So next time you hit the gym, remember to slow it down and embrace the power of eccentric training. Your muscles and joints will thank you!
