Effective Training Series #2: The Optimal Tempo of Concentric and Eccentric Movements

In our previous blog article, we explored the benefits of long-length partials, highlighting how focusing on the lengthened part of the range of motion can significantly enhance your strength training routine. By incorporating these extended movements, athletes can target muscle growth more effectively, improving flexibility and reducing the risk of injury.

Building on that foundation, our next article dives deeper into the dynamics of resistance training. Let's delve into the complex ballet of muscle contraction—essential for enhancing your workouts and achieving fitness goals. This journey spotlights the pivotal role of concentric and eccentric movements, foundational to every resistance exercise. These actions go beyond mere physical effort, sculpting the path of muscle development, recovery, and fortification. We aim to illuminate the impact of eccentric exercise and its dynamic with concentric movement, guiding you through the nuances of their tempo to refine your technique, elevate efficiency, and unlock the full potential of your strength training endeavours.

Understanding the Basics: The Difference Between Concentric and Eccentric Training

Resistance training involves a range of muscle movements known as concentric and eccentric contraction. Distinguishing these concepts can maximise one’s comprehension and execution of workout routines, thus producing more productive training sessions and better fitness outcomes.

What is Concentric Training?

Concentric workouts include muscle contractions where muscle fibres get shorter as they contract. This type of muscle contraction is associated with the "lifting" phase of an exercise. Let's say you’re doing a bicep curl. In this case, the concentric contraction happens as you curl the weight up towards your shoulder. Concentric exercise is primarily about developing strength and power, as it requires a lot of compressed force to make the muscle-shortening movement.

What is Eccentric Training?

On the other hand, eccentric training is applied to lengthen the muscle fibres as they are in action. It occurs during the "stretching" of the motion when the muscles elongate under a tense situation. For example, in the bicep curl, the contraction process starts when the weight is lowered. The body develops specialised muscles that result in better muscle control and endurance due to the new source of stress, which the muscle fibres don't typically experience. This causes muscle strength and flexibility to improve.

Eccentric vs. Concentric and Training: Differences and Similarities

The two workout movements are a must for a balanced and all-inclusive workout plan. Although their approaches are different, both of these methods will stimulate muscle growth and strength by applying varying types of force to the muscles. To simplify, consider this analogy: concentric training is like winding the spring tightly, while eccentric training is like stretching the spring out. Both exercises act on a spring (muscle fibre) but in opposite reactions.

To further illustrate the contrast between concentric and eccentric training, here's a simple table highlighting their key features:

Feature	Concentric Training	Eccentric Training
Muscle Action	Shortening of muscle fibres	Lengthening of muscle fibres
Phase of Exercise	Lifting phase	Lowering phase
Focus	Strength and power	Strength, flexibility, and control
Example	Curling a weight upwards in a bicep curl	Lowering the weight down in a bicep curl
Benefits	Increases muscle size and power	Enhances muscle strength, flexibility, and control

Sculpting Success: Defining Form and Lifting Technique in Exercise

Excellence in weight lifting training is not only about the lifting of weights; rather, it requires a thorough assessment of form and technique. Both these terms, even though they are closely related, satisfy the different needs of exercise execution. Thus, the two are equally important for the utmost application of eccentric as well as concentric movements as well as an understanding of isometrics and isotonic exercises.

What is Form?

"Form" is a term that encompasses the way the whole body is positioned and maintained throughout an exercise. It is the foundation for both, safe and effective exercises and helps to perform them with appropriate body mechanics. Taking the right position reduces the risk of injury and provides the focused muscles with optimum stimulation. An illustration of this includes maintaining a straight back and an engaged core during a deadlift, which safeguards the spine and offers greater power during the lift, the perfect kind of contraction is obtained and the advantages of the exercise are maximised.

What is Lifting Technique?

On the other hand, the "lifting technique" dives deeper into the specific execution of an exercise, focusing on how a movement is performed from start to finish. This includes the grip, breathing pattern, pace, and the specific path of the movement. A refined lifting technique ensures that each phase of the exercise, whether it's eccentric or concentric, is executed to maximise strength training benefits and efficiency.

Posture vs. Execution: Contrasting Form and Lifting Technique

While form and lifting techniques are intertwined, distinguishing between them is key to a comprehensive understanding of exercise execution. Think of form as the foundation—ensuring overall body alignment and safety—while the lifting technique builds upon this foundation with detailed execution strategies for each exercise. For instance, correct form during a squat means feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, and knees tracking over toes. The lifting technique, however, might involve specifics like the depth of the squat, speed of descent and ascent, and whether the movement is isotonic (with movement) or includes isometric holds (without movement).

Being aware of the differences allows the athletes and fitness devotees not only to improve their performance levels but also to develop their comprehension of the specific techniques needed for various exercise and contraction types. The knowledge of how these two parameters hold an important role during eccentric and concentric exercises as well as isometric and isotonic contractions can make the training sessions more precise. This clarity, on the other hand, results in an approach to fitness that is holistic and considers safety, efficiency, and optimal muscle activity.

The Rhythm of Strength: Exploring the Definition of Tempo in Training

In the realm of strength training, tempo is defined as how an exercise is done, including the speed of the movement. Therefore, the main considerations are about the time of each eccentric and concentric (muscle lengthening and muscle shortening) phase, the isometric (muscle holding) phase, as well as any pauses in between. Managing tempo enables an athlete to centre on individual training aims, like an increase in muscle strength, size, or efficiency, by orienting towards specific aspects of the contraction cycle run by muscle.

The Four Types of Tempos

A single repetition in strength training can be broken down into four distinct tempos:

1. Eccentric Tempo: The rate at which you slow down the weight or your body during the muscle-lengthening phase.
2. Pause Tempo (Eccentric-Isometric): The duration of the pause at the end of the eccentric phase and before switching to the concentric phase.
3. Concentric Tempo: The acceleration with which you lift the weight or your body when it is contracting.
4. Pause Tempo (Concentric-Isometric): The time delay that ends the concentric phase before the next rep begins.

To put this into context, consider a bench press exercise with a tempo of 2-1-1-0:

• 2 seconds to lower the bar to your chest (eccentric phase).
• 1-second pause with the bar at your chest (eccentric-isometric pause).
• 1-second to press the bar up (concentric phase).
• 0 seconds pause at the top before starting the next repetition (concentric-isometric pause).

It's important to note that not all exercises start with the eccentric phase. For example, pull-ups begin with the concentric phase as you pull yourself up towards the bar. This nuance means that the designated tempo must adapt to the starting phase of the exercise being performed, ensuring the prescribed tempo aligns with the lift's initiation point.

Understanding and applying the concept of tempo in training can significantly impact your workout's focus and outcomes. By manipulating the speed of each phase, athletes can target specific muscle adaptations, from endurance to explosive power, offering a sophisticated tool for fine-tuning your strength training regimen.

Science Speaks: What Studies Recommend for an Effective Training Plan

In the quest for optimal muscle hypertrophy and strength gains, studies emerge as a pivotal guide, each dissecting the nuances of resistance training techniques, aiming to set a gold standard for lifting methodologies conducive to muscle growth. Here's a closer look at the key recommendations from this research, designed to enhance the efficacy of your training plan.

Explosive Concentrics for Strength and Muscle Gains 

A key takeaway from our dive into optimising resistance training techniques is the emphasis on performing concentric movements explosively.  When we refer to concentric movements, we talk about that part of the exercise in which the muscle actively shortens. Thus, the upward push in a bench press or the ascent during a squat is an illustration of concentric movements. This explosive approach to concentric exercises is ultimately what makes the development of both muscular strength and size, known as hypertrophy, possible.

The science behind this strategy lies in the nature of explosive movements to intensively engage muscle fibres, particularly the fast-twitch fibres. These fibres are not only crucial for quick, powerful movements but also have a higher capacity for growth compared to their slow-twitch counterparts. By incorporating explosive concentric actions into your routine, you're effectively tapping into this growth potential, stimulating significant strength gains and muscle development.

Let's consider the squat as an illustrative example. Traditionally performed with a focus on steady, controlled movements, applying an explosive element to the concentric phase (the upward motion from the squat back to standing) radically transforms the exercise. This explosive push doesn't just work the muscles harder; it recruits a broader spectrum of muscle fibres, especially those fast-twitch fibres. The result? Enhanced strength, superior power output, and greater muscle growth over time. This technique, while demanding, unlocks a new level of efficiency and effectiveness in your resistance training regimen.

Slow Eccentrics to Maximise Muscle Engagement

While explosive concentric target strength and hypertrophy through fast, powerful movements, eccentric movements—the phase where the muscle lengthens under load—benefit from a slower, more deliberate execution. This approach, particularly during the lowering phase of exercises, shifts the emphasis from gravity doing the work to the muscle itself controlling the action. This slow and controlled descent magnifies muscle engagement, increasing tension and stimulating the micro-tears in muscle fibres that are essential for growth and repair, ultimately leading to hypertrophy.

Take, for example, the classic bicep curl. In the eccentric phase of the curl, when the arm is returning to its starting position with the weight being lowered, slowing down the movement to a calculated pace ensures that the bicep muscle is fully engaged and actively resisting gravity. This not only prevents the temptation to let gravity take over but also maximises the strain placed on the muscle, encouraging more significant muscle tear and, subsequently, growth during the recovery process. This technique of emphasising a slow eccentric phase applies across various exercises, turning simple movements into profound opportunities for muscle development and strength enhancement.

Optimal Repetition Tempo: A Balancing Act

Finding the right rhythm in your resistance training involves more than just moving weights; it's about how you move them. The study brings to light the concept of an optimal repetition tempo—suggesting that each complete repetition should last between 2 to 8 seconds, with a special emphasis on elongating the eccentric, or muscle-lengthening, phase. This recommendation is based on the understanding that prolonged muscle tension, especially during the eccentric phase, leads to increased muscle damage and, subsequently, more significant muscle repair and growth.

Consider the deadlift, a staple in strength training. Applying the advised tempo, a practitioner might take 3 seconds to perform the eccentric phase (slowly lowering the barbell back to the ground), include a brief pause at the bottom, and then spend 1 second in the concentric phase (lifting the barbell). This not only ensures that the muscles are under tension for an optimal duration but also accentuates the eccentric phase, which is crucial for muscle development. By meticulously controlling the tempo of each repetition, you create a more challenging and productive environment for your muscles, encouraging superior growth and strengthening through enhanced muscle fibre engagement and repair. This balancing act between the phases of each repetition is a refined technique that, when mastered, can significantly amplify the outcomes of your resistance training regimen.

Emphasis on Lengthened Range of Motion

Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of spending more time at the lengthened part of the exercise's range of motion. This approach, as detailed in the previous article “Effectiveness of Long-Length Partial Reps,” suggests that targeting muscles at their most stretched state can significantly amplify hypertrophy outcomes. This technique leverages the mechanical tension and muscle fibre recruitment patterns unique to these extended positions, offering an additional lever to pull in the pursuit of muscle growth.

Wrapping It Up: Maximising Your Workout Efficiency

Incorporating the principles outlined in our exploration into your regimen offers a pathway to enhanced training efficiency, particularly with exercises like the squat. However, it's important to recognise the scope for further investigation in this field.

As you integrate these strategies, personal experimentation is key to determining their effectiveness for you. Stay tuned for our next article, where we'll delve into the intensity of your sets and introduce the concept of reps in reserve (RIR), further expanding your training toolkit.