{"id":37642,"date":"2025-12-16T23:36:35","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T23:36:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/an-8-week-eccentric-strength-training-program\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T23:36:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T23:36:35","slug":"an-8-week-eccentric-strength-training-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/an-8-week-eccentric-strength-training-program\/","title":{"rendered":"An 8-Week Eccentric Strength-Training Program"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Explore this workout:<\/p>\n

Program Overview<\/a> \u00a0\u22c5\u00a0<\/strong> Workout 1<\/a> \u00a0\u22c5\u00a0 <\/strong>Workout 2<\/a><\/p>\n

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When it comes to strength training, faster isn\u2019t necessarily better. An approach known as eccentric training<\/a> \u2014 which often involves slowing down the negative, or lowering, portion of an exercise \u2014 is a proven method for challenging the muscles, making you stronger and more resilient.<\/p>\n

\"take<\/a>Some benefits of eccentric training include better body control, improved lifting form and technique, increased muscle mass, and \u00adstronger connective tissues. (Learn more about these and other benefits at \u201cExpert Answers: Benefits of Eccentric Weightlifting<\/a>.\u201d)<\/p>\n

According to Mike Thomson, a Life Time strength and running coach, these rewards are the result of a simple fact of exercise physiology: We\u2019re all stronger in the eccentric (lowering) phase than in the concentric (lifting) phase.<\/p>\n

How much stronger?<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cYou can eccentrically control about 130 percent of what you can concentrically push.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cYou can eccentrically control about 130 percent of what you can concentrically push,\u201d says Thomson, who uses eccentric training to help clients build base strength.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what this looks like in practice. Let\u2019s say you can back squat 100 pounds with control. What you may not realize is that while this weight tests what you can stand up with, you\u2019re probably strong enough to safely lower as much as 130 pounds. It might feel impossible to bridge that gap \u2014 you don\u2019t\u00a0want to safely lower 130 pounds to the bottom of your squat only to get stuck there (or worse, injure your\u00adself trying to stand up).<\/p>\n

This is where eccentric training comes in. By slowing down the lowering portion of the 100-pound squat, you increase the time under tension on the way down. This allows you to maximize the strength-\u00adbuilding potential in the phase where you are strongest, without compromising your form and safety during the concentric phase as you stand up.<\/p>\n

To indicate how slowly to move, fitness coaches use a common notation system consisting of four numbers, Thomson explains.<\/p>\n