Eccentric exercises involve lengthening muscles against resistance. All forms of sports and everyday activity necessitate both eccentric and concentric strength for maximum performance.
Unusual eccentric training can cause muscle damage that leads to pain and decreased function, but regular exposure to eccentric loading significantly lowers this occurrence.
Start off slowly by having your client start with eccentric workouts at 60% of their 10RM for one week, so the muscles have an opportunity to adapt without experiencing unnecessary soreness.
Improved Muscle Strength
Strength is essential for athletic performance, and eccentric training may be an effective way to build more muscle. You can increase your strength by emphasizing the eccentric portion of each rep of a weightlifting exercise – simply choose a heavier weight than you can lift concentrically, and focus on lowering it slowly as you focus on getting it back up again after every repetition. You may need someone on hand as a spotter to assist in getting back the weight up again between repetitions.
Eccentric training can also be an effective way of increasing strength for athletes recovering from chronic injury or who have limited movement patterns. A 2013 study discovered that eccentric training can assist individuals living with scapular dysplasia (a condition in which shoulder blades tilt abnormally) perform exercises without pain or discomfort.
Physical therapists may employ eccentric training as part of rehabilitation after knee injuries or surgeries, which has been shown to improve knee stability by strengthening muscles surrounding the joint and decreasing swelling after surgery.
Eccentric exercises may not always be easy to incorporate into a workout, but the effort will pay off. They can be easily added to any strength-training activity by focusing on the lengthening phase of movement with a slow, controlled approach in order to extend time under tension – for instance if performing standard dumbbell squats try slowing down their lowering phase until your legs stay on the floor for three seconds and counting back up again as your lower yourself from each repetition.
As with all forms of exercise, when starting eccentric training it is recommended that newcomers begin slowly and increase the load gradually in order to minimize muscle damage and discomfort, as this could compromise recovery and training intensity. Eccentric exercises may cause delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), though this usually subsides after 12-24 hours with proper rest, sleep and active recovery measures like rest.
If you are considering eccentric training, it is recommended to seek guidance from an experienced physical therapist and seek their advice on creating a program tailored specifically to meet your individual needs. They will ensure it will be safe and beneficial.
Increased Endurance
Squash is an exciting, fast-paced game requiring players to move quickly while remaining balanced and stable. Physical fitness is vital to successful squash play as it helps players remain strong and avoid injury. Eccentric training can increase endurance by targeting muscles not usually trained during traditional strength-training workouts – for instance by focusing on eccentric exercise such as step-ups or deadlifts for eccentric training, players can create greater muscle load which leads to improved endurance for activities requiring the stretch-shortening cycle such as jumping or running.
Eccentric resistance training was found to increase muscle mass more efficiently than concentric loading according to research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2014. One reason is that eccentric training allows you to overload your muscles by lengthening them under loads they cannot contract under, due to muscle fibers separating more in an eccentric exercise than they would during concentric loading, thus taking in additional energy from it.
As well as increasing strength, eccentric training can also enhance flexibility. When muscle fibers lengthen, more tension is placed on their surrounding tissues causing tightening in connective tissues that support muscles and other body parts – this may explain why studies have demonstrated how eccentric training leads to greater lower limb flexibility, better balance, and the ability to descend stairs more smoothly.
Another key advantage of eccentric training is lowering injury risks when compared to high-load concentric training. Eccentric exercise causes less short-term muscle force loss and delayed onset muscle soreness than concentric workouts, with its effects lessening over repeated bouts.
To integrate eccentric training into your workout, try some of these exercises:
Improved Cardiovascular Health
Squash is an amazing full-body exercise that works multiple muscle groups simultaneously. The constant movement and use of core muscles required to maintain balance help build strength while the eccentric portion of the game provides an invaluable stimulus to build muscle mass – it requires lengthening leg under an amount greater than your ability to contract your muscles against. This type of loading produces significant muscle growth while simultaneously decreasing risk.
Concentric exercise can be useful in building strength, but eccentric exercises offer additional cardiovascular health benefits. Studies have demonstrated how eccentric resistance training improves heart rate management following exercise and can even lower cholesterol levels for people who have high blood pressure. Furthermore, eccentric resistance training has also shown to strengthen lung function by helping you take in more oxygen while exercising.
Dependent upon how hard and long you train, eccentric training may cause delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), an inflammation which makes your muscles feel sore after an intensive workout session and lasts up to 48 hours later. DOMS should be seen as positive sign that shows your muscles are responding positively and you are making progress with training.
Note that when starting eccentric training for the first time, it is wise to allow your body to recuperate for 48 to 72 hours after each workout before returning. Without giving your muscles time to repair and recover properly, soreness may increase significantly and may impede progress.
Physical therapists frequently incorporate eccentric exercises into rehabilitation programs for clients recovering from knee injuries or surgeries. Research has demonstrated that eccentric exercises can assist in the rebuilding of muscle strength after injury and reduce re-injury risk by strengthening the ligaments more quickly. They can also increase stability for improved knee stability reducing chances for future injury issues.
Reduced Risk of Injury
Maintaining physical fitness not only prevents injuries, but it can also enhance both mental and emotional well-being. Exercise has been shown to lower stress levels, boost self-esteem and decrease anxiety; in addition it improves sleep which has been proven as one way of decreasing depression risk. Furthermore, strengthening is integral for other aspects of squash training such as agility, movement and power development.
Injurys often result from performing eccentric exercises too quickly or under too much load, leaving their muscles unable to recover and leading to DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Studies have demonstrated that repetitive “non-damaging” eccentric training sessions may aid with muscle recovery by protecting against further exercise-induced damage and speeding recovery time.
Squash is an intense ball-sport that demands effective force transfer between lower body and upper body. This is particularly evident during shots taken while lunging or running towards the ball; furthermore, many shots require one leg support which increases demands on that leg’s stability; eccentric exercises may help improve this transfer and reduce risks of injury; particularly with single leg positions.
Eccentric training is a form of resistance exercise that focuses on the final phase of a repetition – known as negative training – during which weight becomes heavier, forcing muscles to experience an increased amount of resistance from external forces such as gravity.
Beginners should start out using less weight until they become comfortable performing the desired number of reps. To begin this exercise, stand in front of a step-up box while holding two appropriately sized dumbbells in each hand and step onto it using both legs to track across its top surface, before slowly stepping off with left leg and focussing on eccentric contraction of quad. Repeat this exercise for desired number of reps on one side before switching sides to repeat.