Concentric Vs. Eccentric—What’s the Difference?

Have you ever been curious enough to take your current strength training and cause it to skyrocket?   When it comes to the success of your workout program—specifically the rate in which you strengthen your core muscle groups—it all comes down to the success in which you move (and how you move!) Learn how to make the most of your killer body by understanding and utilizing the benefits of concentric and eccentric strength training!

Concentric Training

Your muscles are a powerful tool. In fact, they are one of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal. Strengthen them concentrically by performing any exercise that shortens the muscle (as opposed to lengthening it) and you’ll achieve a ripped body in no time! Concentric exercise includes squats, lunges or leg extensions. When you perform a concentric series of exercises, you are actually using your body to pull it away from gravity (such as when you squat) and this contraction of your muscles can offer many benefits. Increased heart rate, strengthening of your muscles and body fat loss are just a few!

The Basics of Eccentric Training

Unlike concentric training (which focuses on contracting your muscle groups) eccentric training lengthens them. Have you dreamed about having a long and sleek runners body? Are you curious to understand the connection between stretching and eliminating disease? Studies have shown that eccentric form of exercise such as lifting free weights or cycling can actually minimize your risk for type 2 diabetes! Unlike concentric exercise, eccentric training targets the growth of muscles through exercises through resistance. Push-ups, pull-ups and yoga poses are all a great way to strengthen—and lengthen—your body through a eccentric training program.

Try a pull-up: a pull-up doesn’t just lengthen multiple muscle groups—it also boosts your metabolism! To do this eccentric exercise correctly, begin in a standing position with your chin above the bar. With your arms extended, begin to lower yourself down to the ground, being sure to move in a controlled, slow manner. Then, lift yourself up to the starting position. Just aim for one pull-up to begin with, and soon you’ll make it to ten!

Understanding the Fine Print

Do you want to increase your strength in very little time at all? Or, perhaps you want to tone your tummy in time for bikini season! Whatever ways in which you want to transform, strengthen or lengthen your muscle groups, the force in which you use to accomplish it, matters. Forget wasting another minute at the gym performing the wrong repetitious exercise. Instead, focus on concentric or eccentric specific exercises and get ‘sexy’ and ‘sleek’ in no time!