Eccentric vs Concentric

pnx · 09-02-2006, 05:24 AM

I started Strength 1. When we did Bench Press, I lifted 180 lbs for 1 rep, for 3 sec eccentric & 1 sec concentric, btw it's not my MAX yet. While my friend lifted 300 lbs for 1 rep, 1 sec down 3 seconds up, with a spotter. After the set, he was all RED, face & eyes.

I believe he pushed really hard & I'm worried for his safety. I told him that eccentric is better in muscle building, so it's better to use a weight that he can do the eccentric portion correctly for 3 seconds.

What will he achieve in 1 sec ecc & 3 sec concentric?

jvernacchio · 09-02-2006, 11:45 AM

If by "spotter" you mean helping him lift the bar then he needs to drop the weight. If he can't do the reps on his own then the weight is too much.

Lisa~ · 09-02-2006, 03:55 PM

There is not just one right way to lift a weight. All tempos serve a purpose and can be used at different times in different programs. Slow eccentrics are excellent for new lifters (to help teach correct technique) and for hypertrophy programs. In many strength programs you will see faster eccentrics because you can get more explosion out of the strength shortening cycle. A slow concentric in this case may simply be a factor of a heavy load.

I'm not saying your friend was making a good decision. Maybe he was or maybe he just doesn't know what he's doing. I just wanted to clarify that a 311 tempo is not the end-all-be-all of training.

Ian King wrote an article explaining tempo prescriptions. You might find it interesting to read.

What Speed of Movement Should I Use?

pnx · 09-02-2006, 06:04 PM

Thanks, Lisa! My fitness knowledge is based on general fitness, which eccentric is more important than concentric. Now, I know..

JBH · 06-17-2009, 06:44 PM

Resurrecting an old thread to ask a related question:

I'm just beginning Strength 3 and have definitely noticed significant strength gains as I've worked my way through Strength 1 and 2. I've been trying to observe the recommended tempos, but to even come close to a 1-second concentric on, say, low-rep squats, I'd have to use about HALF the weight I'm using. I still go down at a 2-second eccentric, but my concentric sometimes takes 3 seconds or more!

Lisa wrote: "A slow concentric in this case may simply be a factor of a heavy load." I get it. I guess what I'm wondering is: Would I have gained a similar amount of strength by cutting that weight in half and really powering that 1-second concentric?