Rise and Exercise

There are 3 concepts to maximize a good strength training workout: concentric, eccentric, and isometric training.

The Difference between Concentric, Eccentric, and Isometric Training

Imagine you are doing a bicep curl with a free weight. As you pull that weight up to your chest, you involve yourself in a concentric contraction. This means your bicep muscle shortens while generating force.

As you slowly lower that free weight down, parallel to the floor, you are involved in eccentric contraction. This means your bicep is having to work to decelerate movement while stretching the muscle.

When your free weight is parallel to the ground and your muscle is neither stretching or contracting, then you are involved in isometric training.

In order to get the most out of your strength training workout, it is essential that all 3 of the methods be utilized. It is best when doing bicep curls (as with most other strength training exercises) that you develop a rhythm.

Starting with the weight at your chest and your bicep curled, lower your free weight very slowly for 3-5 seconds until the weight is parallel to the ground. Then hold that position for 2 seconds. After the 2 second hold, quickly curl back up to the starting position.

This rhythm of 4 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second, uses each type of training and produces the best results.