Eccentric Loading
Did you know that your body can tolerate up to 1.75x time more weight during the eccentric phase of a lift than the concentric portion?
Eccentric loading benefits
- The potential for more muscle damage, with a reduced risk of injury often associated with the concentric element.
- Increasing your efforts in the eccentric can lead to stronger connective tissue (ligaments and tendons) which is great for your joints and body in general.
- Increased flexibility and improved range of motion
What is eccentric and concentric?
In lifting terms, the concentric portion is when we shorten our muscles and act against a weighted force and/or gravity. For example, the upwards phase of a deadlift, squat, pull up or the pulling of a cable row. The eccentric portion is the loading of the muscles as they also lengthen controlling the pace you move again against a weighted force and/or gravity. For example, the downwards phase in a squat, deadlift, bench press, pull up etc.
Unfortunately, it’s not easy to access a gym that would have the equipment to do heavy eccentric loading only (you’d need lifting aids like chains, specific bands, maybe a spotter all the time, or weighted hooks), so our focus is on increasing our time under tension during the eccentric phases of the lifts.
The program will follow a 3-day format, so for extra work specific conditioning, huff and puff work (great for improving your work capacity, meaning you can tolerate more and keep on improving) I suggest you attend 2 class workouts and have 2 rest days.
Example week format
- Monday: Session 1
- Tuesday: Session 2
- Wednesday: FW class
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Session 3
- Saturday: FW class
- Sunday: Rest
Sessions
Session 1
- Any variation of a weighted squat (Front squat, back squat, goblet squat etc)
Find a weight that challenges you over 6reps with a 5 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 5 sets, 90sec Rest - Bulgarian split squat
Find a weight that challenges you over 10reps with a 4 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 4 sets, 60-90sec Rest - Single leg hamstring curl (Lying down)
Find a weight that challenges you over 12reps with a 3 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 3 sets, 60sec Rest
- Any variation of a weighted squat (Front squat, back squat, goblet squat etc)
Session 2
Slightly different format – upper body focus so you’re super setting two exercises back to back then resting.
- Strict Press (barbell or Dumbbell)
- Pull-ups or Lat pulldownFind a weight that challenges you over 6reps with a 5 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 5 sets, 90sec Rest
- Bench Press (Barbell or Dumbbell)
- Chest supported row (Dumbbell or machine) or cable rowFind a weight that challenges you over 10reps with a 4 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 4 sets, 60-90sec Rest
- Cable or Dumbbell chest fly’s
- Face pullsFind a weight that challenges you over 12reps with a 3 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 3 sets, 60sec Rest
Session 3
- Either conventional deadlift or sumo deadlift
Find a weight that challenges you over 6reps with a 5 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 5 sets, 90sec Rest - Split stance RDL’s (Barbell or dumbbell, google it if unsure)Find a weight that challenges you over 10reps with a 4 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 4 sets, 60-90sec Rest
- Hip extension on GHD or hip thrusts (Machine/barbell/dumbbell)
GHD Guidance + Hip Thrust GuidanceFind a weight that challenges you over 12reps with a 3 seconds eccentric phaseComplete 3 sets, 60sec Rest
- Either conventional deadlift or sumo deadlift
The aim of this program
Each week of the program your aim is to do the same rep, rest, set, tempo scheme but increase the weight to increase the demands. Use week one as a feeler to find out what weights you can work with and then complete 4 weeks before de-loading.
As always everybody will respond differently physically, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.