{"id":1146708,"date":"2025-12-19T11:54:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T08:54:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1146708"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:54:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T08:54:47","slug":"7-eccentric-exercises-to-add-to-your-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1146708","title":{"rendered":"7 Eccentric Exercises to Add to Your Workout"},"content":{"rendered":"
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7 Eccentric Exercises to Add to Your Workout<\/h1>\n
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By<\/span><\/p>\n
Kayla Voigt<\/p>\n
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\"Byrdie\"Byrdie<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nKayla Voigt\n<\/div>\n
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    \nKayla is a journalist, content strategist, editor, and writer.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \nByrdie’s Editorial Guidelines\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    Updated on December 14, 2021 11:00AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Reviewed by<\/span><\/p>\n
    Briana Bain<\/p>\n
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    \"Briana\"Briana<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    Reviewed by<\/span>
    \nBriana Bain\n<\/div>\n
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    Briana Bain, DPT, PT, is a physical therapist based in Virginia Beach. She works as a Physical Therapist at Adler Therapy Group and a BodyPump Instructor at OneLife Fitness<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \nAbout Byrdie’s Beauty & Wellness Board\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    Physical Therapist<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Fact checked by<\/span><\/p>\n
    Madeline Hirsch<\/p>\n
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    Fact checked by<\/span>
    \nMadeline Hirsch\n<\/div>\n
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      \nMadeline has been with Byrdie since 2021. Most recently, she led news at Brides where she covered celebrity, beauty, and fashion.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      \nLEARN ABOUT BYRDIE’S EDITORIAL GUIDELINES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      \"Eccentric\"Eccentric<\/div>\n<\/div>
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      Getty\/Design by Cristina Cianci<\/p>\n

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      If you clicked on this article thinking eccentric training involved something unconventional, like painting fences or waxing cars, I\u2019m afraid you\u2019re in the wrong place.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

      Your muscles move in several different ways: eccentrically, concentrically, and isometrically.\n<\/p>\n

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      • Eccentric training refers to when the muscle lengthens, like when you\u2019re lowering down into the squat.<\/li>\n
      • Concentric training refers to when the muscle contracts, like when you\u2019re straightening up for your squat. That translates into fast, powerful moves that make up a lot of HIIT workouts.<\/li>\n
      • Isometric training refers to a hold, like holding a low squat. It\u2019s about increasing flexibility and balance while strengthening the muscle (and let\u2019s be real, there\u2019s a mental element too).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Most workouts incorporate all three, but eccentric training often gets neglected. \u201cThere are two phases to every lift: concentric and eccentric,\u201d says NASM and AFPA-certified trainer Autumn Calabrese. \u201cPeople typically focus on the concentric phase, which involves contracting or shortening the muscle. Eccentric training means that you are focusing on the part of the lift that involves lengthening the muscle. In other words, the emphasis is on lowering the weight.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

        \u201cA lot of people don\u2019t have eccentric strength,\u201d adds physical therapist and yoga instructor Lara Heimann. \u201cIf you\u2019ve ever been really sore after hiking, it wasn\u2019t going up that made you sore, it was going down.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

        The Benefits of Eccentric Training <\/span><\/h2>\n

        If your goal is to build muscle, eccentric training is a good place to start, even if you\u2019ve got experience working out. \u201cResearch shows that eccentric training can be more effective for building size and strength due to the greater demand that it places on muscles,\u201d says Calabrese.\n<\/p>\n

        It\u2019s also effective to learn proper form. As you slow down, you can really feel how your muscles work and make sure you\u2019re approaching them ergonomically. \u201cIt’s just really beneficial for learning how to control the body and space,\u201d says Heimann. \u201cAnytime you train in different ways, the more prepared you are to not only optimize performance but to prevent injury.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

        It translates into more functional movement, whether that\u2019s walking, yoga, or sports in a way concentric doesn\u2019t. That\u2019s why PTs like Heimann often use eccentric training as part of a rehab plan for injuries. \u201cIf somebody is weak or recovering, eccentric moves put less force on a tendon,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s really important to build strength around where the muscle and tendon connects, and that\u2019s exactly what eccentric training does.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

        7 Eccentric Exercises to Add to Your Workout <\/span><\/h2>\n

        The good news about incorporating eccentric exercises is you\u2019re probably already doing most of these, just faster. \u201cAlmost any exercise can be used for eccentric training, as the key is simply to emphasize the lowering phase of the lift,\u201d says Calabrese.\n<\/p>\n

        Keep in mind, though, that you may find yourself more sore than usual with exercises like these. \u201cAs with any form of weightlifting, if eccentric training isn\u2019t performed properly, there is a risk of injury,\u201d says Calabrese. \u201cIf you\u2019re new to it or if you push yourself too hard, you might also experience DOMS, which stands for delayed onset muscle soreness. It usually sets in 12 to 24 hours after a tough workout, and can last for two to three days.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

        Slow down as you lift, thinking about the push and pull of your muscles\u2014and don\u2019t be afraid to try these exercises:\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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        01<\/span>of 07<\/span><\/div>\n
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        Reverse Push-Ups <\/span><\/h2>\n

        If you do yoga regularly, you already do reverse push-ups in every yoga flow as you transition from high plank to low plank. \u201cI teach this a lot in yoga,\u201d says Heimann. \u201cPeople think that push-ups are all about shoulders and deltoids, but it\u2019s just as much eccentric tricep strengthening because they have to decelerate that action.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        02<\/span>of 07<\/span><\/div>\n
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        Reverse Pull-Ups <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Pull-ups can seem intimidating, but if you want to build up to it, set yourself up at the bar while standing on a box. Jump up into a pull-up position and then slowly lower your body back down to the box and repeat.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        03<\/span>of 07<\/span><\/div>\n
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        Reverse Lunges or Split Squats <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Rather than step forward into a lunge, step backward and lower yourself slowly into a split squat position before coming back up.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        04<\/span>of 07<\/span><\/div>\n
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        Romanian Deadlifts <\/span><\/h2>\n

        This takes some balance. Standing on one leg, hinge at your hips and lower your hands to the ground, holding a weight in the opposite hand to your standing leg. \u201cThat\u2019s pulling on the hamstring in a lengthened way and it has to control, which is great for the whole posterior chain,\u201d says Heimann.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        05<\/span>of 07<\/span><\/div>\n
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        One-Legged Hop and Hold <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Take a one-legged hop in a diagonal line forward and land as softly as you can, absorbing the impact before leaping onto the next leg. \u201cYou need the coiling to be able to spring,\u201d says Heimann. \u201cI love one-legged hops because they need explosive power, but also need to land and absorb that power in a controlled way.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        06<\/span>of 07<\/span><\/div>\n
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        Calf Lowers <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Instead of traditional calf raises, try this on a set of stairs. \u201cSlowly lower the heels so the calf is stretched instead of shortening. This better prepares all that soft tissue for performance,\u201d says Heimann.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        07<\/span>of 07<\/span><\/div>\n
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        Squat and Pulse <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Incorporating eccentric movements into the basics can go a long way. Next time you\u2019re set up to squat, focus on lowering down as slowly as possible, pulse up and down about an inch to two inches three times, and then explode back up to standing or a jump.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        Traditional vs. Functional Strength Training: What’s the Difference? <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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        Article Sources<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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        Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.<\/div>\n
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        1. \n

          Douglas J, Pearson S, Ross A, McGuigan M. Chronic adaptations to eccentric training: a systematic review.\u00a0Sports Med<\/em>. 2017;47(5):917-941.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        2. \n

          Katsura Y, Takeda N, Hara T, Takahashi S, Nosaka K. Comparison between eccentric and concentric resistance exercise training without equipment for changes in muscle strength and functional fitness of older adults.\u00a0Eur J Appl Physiol<\/em>. 2019;119(7):1581-1590.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        3. \n

          Inder JD, Carlson DJ, Dieberg G, McFarlane JR, Hess NC, Smart NA. Isometric exercise training for blood pressure management: a systematic review and meta-analysis to optimize benefit.\u00a0Hypertens Res<\/em>. 2016;39(2):88-94.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        4. \n

          G\u00e9rard R, Gojon L, Decleve P, Van Cant J. The effects of eccentric training on biceps femoris architecture and strength: a systematic review with meta-analysis.\u00a0J Athl Train<\/em>. 2020;55(5):501-514.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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          Read more:<\/div>\n
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          • Health & Wellness<\/span><\/li>\n
          • Fitness<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

            Source URL: https:\/\/www.byrdie.com\/eccentric-exercise-5180079<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            7 Eccentric Exercises to Add to Your Workout By Kayla Voigt Kayla Voigt Kayla is a journalist, content strategist, editor, and writer. Byrdie’s Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 14, 2021 11:00AM Reviewed by Briana Bain Reviewed by Briana Bain Briana Bain, DPT, PT, is a physical therapist based in Virginia Beach. She works as a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1146709,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-1146708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-byrdie-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1146708"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146708\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1146709"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1146708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1146708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1146708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}