That's Fit

When lifting weights, there are two portions of the lift: the concentric phase (lifting the weight) and the eccentric phase (lowering the weight). Of course, this varies depending on the particular exercise you are performing; if you're doing a lat pull down, for example, the pulling down represents the concentric phase, whereas letting the bar raise up represents the eccentric phase. But, even in this case, the weighted plates on the machines are still being lifted and lowered according to ... well, gravity. So, with that all out of the way, I can now finally get to my point.

Given that we commonly talk about "lifting weights" to build and tone muscles, it should only make sense that the concentric phase of a lift is more important. I mean, no one tells their buddy that they're off to the gym to "lower weights," do they? Well, maybe they should, for it is actually the eccentric phase of the lift that causes the greatest amount of muscle development.

During a five-week study, Swedish researchers found that eccentric-only (also known as negative) training caused a more rapid increase in muscle strength and growth than concentric-only training. What does this mean for you? Focus on the negative. When working out, try to take 2 to 3 seconds to complete the eccentric portion of the lift. From there, hold the weight for a full count of one second, and then explode the weight upward to complete the eccentric lift. For more advanced exercisers, you may also want to incorporate "negative reps" into your workout once and a while to help break through fitness plateaus.

You lift the weight up, you let the weight down. Then you follow that same design for several more repetitions, hence creating a resistance training workout. Kind of. Yes, you are creating resistance, but are you doing so correctly?

One of the biggest mistakes people make when lifting weights is to forget about the negative (eccentric) portion of the lift - that is, the lowering part. Instead, most of the emphasis is placed on the concentric (or lifting) part of the motion, leading to inadequate results. Case in point - Have you ever been in a gym and seen someone bench pressing a good amount of weight, only to then allow it to almost completely collapse and, even worse, bounce off their chest? It's not to say that this person is not getting a workout, it's just that they are cutting their potential for muscle growth almost in half.

And, if you're not exactly all that concerned with looking all jacked, this still applies to you. Bear in mind that even calorie burning, a primary goal of people looking to drop some body fat and shape up but not bulk up, is effected by the effort you put forth. This stands to reason, then, that if you are only working half as hard as you could be, you're also not going to be burning as many calories as you could be.