How eccentric training can help improve athletic performance

Walk into any gym and you will see somebody performing an eccentric training exercise – you just might not know it’s called that. Common eccentric training exercises are push-ups, rows, pull-ups, squats and bicep curls.

“You’re using the body to control loads, which slows down movement and trains the muscles to better handle force,” Kurt Solberg, a strength and condition coach for Sanford Sports said. “The downward motion of either the weight or the individual’s body causes the targeted muscle to lengthen.”

Performing an eccentric bicep curl is bringing the dumbbell back down slowly, so that the muscle lengthens, and the tension attacks the fibers. That movement helps build bigger muscles. 

Benefits of eccentric training

Eccentric training exercises ensure you feel the burn as you build muscle mass, but they also help with mobility. They are essential exercises for working on change of direction abilities, running techniques and building a body’s ability to absorb force.

“In sports, absorbing forces is inevitable, whether it’s stopping a defensive lineman from rushing, sticking the landing on a broad jump, or catching off of a flight phase and into a stance phase,” Solberg said.

Eccentric exercises can also benefit those who are just starting their wellness journey.

“Training with eccentric loads allows people to understand a movement more and better trains their body to complete different movement patterns,” Solberg said.

How can someone get started?

Eccentric exercises can be performed in any setting or workout, and they can be done with or without weights.

“Using weight implements, such as barbells or dumbbells, an individual can lower the apparatus slow and controlled, typically three to five seconds with each repetition,” Solberg said. “When working with body weight, the same rules apply. An individual would move slowly in a controlled manner.”

Eccentric training puts a higher level of stress on the muscles. Due to this, the body can experience faster fatigue, as well as higher rates of injury if the training technique is done improperly.