This video describes concentric and eccentric muscle contraction. A concentric contraction is the shortening of a muscle. Eccentric contraction is a controlled lengthening of a muscle against a force, usually gravity. Bodybuilders refer to eccentric muscle contractions as “doing negatives”.
2026 Update:
For many years, I taught about using eccentric muscle contraction to treat strained muscles or tendons, or sprained ligaments. Now it seems that isometric muscle contraction may be more effective than eccentric contraction. The eccentric contraction may help because of the slowness of the movement, but the slowest way to load a muscle or joint is with no movement, using isometric contraction.
This YouTube video explains why that may be the case.
1 thought on “Eccentric Muscle Contraction”
Very clear explanation. With a little humor thrown in as well!