{"id":1839,"date":"2025-06-26T08:04:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T06:04:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/?p=1839"},"modified":"2025-06-25T10:06:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T08:06:14","slug":"this-surprising-move-in-your-workout-unlocks-crazy-muscle-gains-but-almost-everyone-skips-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/this-surprising-move-in-your-workout-unlocks-crazy-muscle-gains-but-almost-everyone-skips-it\/","title":{"rendered":"This surprising move in your workout unlocks crazy muscle gains\u2026 but almost everyone skips it!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever noticed yourself flying through the “easy” part of a squat or dropping your weights quickly after a curl? If so, you\u2019re not alone\u2014but you could be leaving some serious results on the table. The overlooked eccentric phase of exercise (the “lowering” part) is actually one of the most powerful tools for building muscle and strength\u2014yet it\u2019s the part almost everyone ignores.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The real science behind eccentric and concentric movements\u2014and why both matter<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s break it down: every strength move has two phases. The concentric phase is when your muscle contracts (like pressing a weight up or pulling yourself up during a chin-up). The eccentric phase is when your muscle lengthens under tension (like lowering yourself from the pull-up bar or controlling the descent in a squat). Think of it like hiking\u2014a tough climb up (concentric), and a controlled, often tougher, descent (eccentric).<\/p>\n

Why does this matter? Research shows that the eccentric phase actually produces more muscle tension and micro-damage, which leads to greater muscle growth and strength gains over time.<\/strong> It even helps reinforce tendon health and injury prevention, and may offer extra cardiovascular benefits, like healthier blood pressure.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Phase of movement<\/th>\nWhat happens<\/th>\nKey benefits<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Concentric<\/td>\nMuscle shortens (lifting)<\/td>\nPower, force generation, less muscle damage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eccentric<\/td>\nMuscle lengthens (lowering)<\/td>\nMuscle growth, tendon strength, injury prevention<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Why so many people skip the eccentric\u2014and how to make every rep count<\/h2>\n

Most people instinctively focus on lifting the weight (the concentric), then let gravity do the work on the way down. But by slowing down the eccentric phase<\/strong>, you increase the time your muscles are under tension\u2014a major driver of muscle growth, according to multiple studies. This also improves your control and stability, reduces your risk of injury, and helps correct muscle imbalances.<\/p>\n

Letting the weight drop quickly? You\u2019re missing out. Instead, aim for a 1:3 tempo\u2014lift in one second, lower in three. It feels tougher, but that\u2019s where the magic happens for muscle gains.<\/p>\n

The best exercises for eccentric and concentric training\u2014and how to use them<\/h2>\n

If you want to maximize results, both phases deserve attention. For muscle growth, focus on explosive lifts and slow, controlled lowers<\/strong>. For power, emphasize quick, forceful movements. And if your goal is strength and stability, slow down both phases and focus on perfect form.<\/p>\n

Here are four top moves to train both eccentric and concentric strength:<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Exercise<\/th>\nEccentric phase benefits<\/th>\nConcentric phase benefits<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Bent Over Row<\/td>\nControls the return, posture<\/td>\nBuilds back strength<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Supinated Biceps Curl<\/td>\nSlow lower for muscle growth<\/td>\nCurls for power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dumbbell Bench Press<\/td>\nControlled lower for safety<\/td>\nExplosive press for force<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Romanian Deadlift<\/td>\nHamstring and tendon health<\/td>\nGlute and lower back power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Trainers agree: mastering the eccentric phase can be a game changer.<\/strong> Whether you\u2019re aiming for bigger muscles, better control, or fewer injuries, it\u2019s worth the extra seconds. So, next time you hit the gym, slow down, focus, and make every rep count\u2014especially on the way down. The results might just surprise you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever noticed yourself flying through the “easy” part of a squat or dropping your weights quickly after a curl? If so, you\u2019re not alone\u2014but you could be leaving some serious … <\/p>\n

See the full article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1840,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1839"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1841,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions\/1841"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-sports.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}