Trainer Tip: Focus on the Eccentric
Trainer Tip Tuesday
Focus on the ECCENTRIC part of the movement to get the most out of your exercises.
What the HECK does that mean and why should you try it?
๐ ณ๐ ด๐ ต๐ ธ๐ ฝ๐ ธ๐๐ ธ๐ พ๐ ฝ๐
Concentric (Muscle Shortens As You Lift the Weight)
Eccentric (Muscle Lengthens As You Drop the Weight)
๐ ด๐๐ ฐ๐ ผ๐ ฟ๐ ป๐ ด๐:
Squat (Dominant Muscle - Quad): Concentric = Going Up
Squat (Dominant Muscle - Quad): Eccentric = Going Down
Bicep Curl (Dominant Muscle - Bicep): Concentric = Curling Up
Bicep Curl (Dominant Muscle - Bicep): Eccentric = Weight Comes Down
Whenever youโre lifting a weight (even if itโs just your bodyweight) you are either concentrically loading or eccentrically loading (unless youโre holding the weight in the middle for certain period of time to which then youโd be isometrically holding the weight).
Most people focus on the shortening part and donโt pay much attention to the lengthening part (i.e. If youโre bicep curling you curl the weight up and then drop the weight down with no control) - ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎโ๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ !
Focusing on going slow through just the concentric and not the eccentric (or what I like to call - dropping the weight - i.e. losing control of the weight) is like doing half the exercise! ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ฌ (๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐) ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ญ.
๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ฌ: The next time you go to squat (or do any other movement for that matter), drop it down low and slow!
Try this tempo out the next time you lift (4/2/1 = Eccentric for 4s, Hold for 2s, Concentric for 1s). You may have to go down in weight, which is totally fine!
If youโre looking for a safe space where you can learn how to let go of dieting for good, enjoy food without guilt, and turn exercise into something you love to do rather than something you โhaveโ to do, submit a client application to get in contact with me! I work with clients virtually all over the world helping those who are frustrated with dieting and want to change their relationship with food and themselves.
Hi, Iโm Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
