What’s the Difference between Concentric and Eccentric Training?
Concentric training is most easily thought of as the muscle contraction when a weight is lifted. The muscle fibers shorten while contracting to lift the load as in the upward movement of a bicep curl. An eccentric muscle action is when the muscle fibers lengthen to lower a load, as in the downward movement of a bicep curl. While the fibers are lengthening, they’re also contracting to return the weight to the start position in a controlled manner. Eccentric muscle actions are common in strength training with free weights, body weight exercise, and non-hydraulic exercise machines. Most activities of daily life contain both types of muscle actions. As an example, walking up the stairs works the quadriceps concentrically while walking down the stairs works the muscle eccentrically. Likewise, picking up a child or laundry basket are total-body concentric actions while lowering the child or laundry basket are eccentric movements. Since we use the muscles in our bodies in both ways in every d
