7 Eccentric Exercises to Add to Your Workout

If you clicked on this article thinking eccentric training involved something unconventional, like painting fences or waxing cars, I’m afraid you’re in the wrong place. 

Your muscles move in several different ways: eccentrically, concentrically, and isometrically.

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

Most workouts incorporate all three, but eccentric training often gets neglected. “There are two phases to every lift: concentric and eccentric,” says NASM and AFPA-certified trainer Autumn Calabrese. “People 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.”

“A lot of people don’t have eccentric strength,” adds physical therapist and yoga instructor Lara Heimann. “If you’ve ever been really sore after hiking, it wasn’t going up that made you sore, it was going down.”

The Benefits of Eccentric Training

If your goal is to build muscle, eccentric training is a good place to start, even if you’ve got experience working out. “Research shows that eccentric training can be more effective for building size and strength due to the greater demand that it places on muscles,” says Calabrese.

It’s also effective to learn proper form. As you slow down, you can really feel how your muscles work and make sure you’re approaching them ergonomically. “It's just really beneficial for learning how to control the body and space,” says Heimann. “Anytime you train in different ways, the more prepared you are to not only optimize performance but to prevent injury.”

It translates into more functional movement, whether that’s walking, yoga, or sports in a way concentric doesn’t. That’s why PTs like Heimann often use eccentric training as part of a rehab plan for injuries. “If somebody is weak or recovering, eccentric moves put less force on a tendon,” she says. “It’s really important to build strength around where the muscle and tendon connects, and that’s exactly what eccentric training does.”

7 Eccentric Exercises to Add to Your Workout

The good news about incorporating eccentric exercises is you’re probably already doing most of these, just faster. “Almost any exercise can be used for eccentric training, as the key is simply to emphasize the lowering phase of the lift,” says Calabrese.

Keep in mind, though, that you may find yourself more sore than usual with exercises like these. “As with any form of weightlifting, if eccentric training isn’t performed properly, there is a risk of injury,” says Calabrese. “If you’re 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.”

Slow down as you lift, thinking about the push and pull of your muscles—and don’t be afraid to try these exercises: