If you’ve ever felt you don’t have time for strength training, here’s encouraging news. Research from Edith Cowan University in Australia suggests that focusing on one part of each movement, the slow lowering phase, can deliver strong results in less time.
Concentric vs. eccentric movements
Most strength exercises have two phases:
- Concentric (lifting): the muscle shortens as it works, such as curling a dumbbell up toward your shoulder.
- Eccentric (lowering): the muscle lengthens while still under tension, such as slowly lowering the dumbbell back down.
Many people focus on the lifting part and let the weight drop on the way down. This study suggests that may be backwards.
How the study worked
Researchers led by exercise scientist Professor Ken Nosaka compared three versions of a dumbbell biceps curl over five weeks. Participants trained twice a week, doing three sets of 10 repetitions:
- One group did only the lifting (concentric) phase.
- One group did only the lowering (eccentric) phase.
- One group did both lifting and lowering.
A fourth group didn’t exercise and served as a comparison. Each training group had 14 people. The findings were published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
What they found
- All three types improved lifting strength.
- Only the lowering-only and combined groups also improved lowering strength and static (isometric) strength.
- Lowering-only training matched the combined workout in strength gains, while taking about half the time.
- Lowering-only training produced the biggest increase in muscle thickness.
Professor Nosaka noted that the lifting phase contributed surprisingly little to the training effects, even though it’s what most people focus on.
Why eccentric training works
Muscles can handle more load while lengthening than while shortening, so the lowering phase places a powerful stimulus on them with relatively less effort. That makes eccentric work efficient. It’s also why lowering-focused exercise can cause more muscle soreness at first, so it’s wise to start gently.
How to use this in your workouts
- Slow down the lowering. Take about three seconds to lower weights instead of letting them drop.
- Use the two-up, one-down trick. The researchers suggested lifting a weight with both arms, then lowering it slowly with one, for moves like curls and overhead extensions.
- No gym needed. Slowly lower yourself into a chair before standing up, walk down stairs with control, or lean into a wall and slowly bend your arms for a wall push-up.
- Start light. Expect some soreness for a day or two at first. It usually eases as your muscles adapt.
- Stay consistent. Two short sessions a week made a measurable difference in this study.
Who can benefit
Because eccentric exercise can build strength efficiently, it may be especially useful for busy people and for older adults, who need to maintain muscle to stay independent and reduce the risk of falls. Lowering yourself slowly into a chair, for example, builds leg strength used in everyday life.
If you have heart disease, joint problems or are recovering from an injury, check with your doctor or a physical therapist before starting a new strength routine.
The bottom line
A five-week study found that focusing on the slow lowering phase of an exercise built as much strength as full lift-and-lower repetitions in about half the time, with more muscle growth. Slowing down on the way down is a simple way to get more from every workout.
This article is for general information and isn’t medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your individual needs.
