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Why Learning the Different Types of Muscle Contractions Is Critical for Your Workout

Understand muscle contraction to get the most of your weight training workouts.

Most people think of muscle contraction only in terms of weightlifting: rhythmically lifting a weight up and down to see changes in their bodies. But the truth is that even as you are reading this, muscles are contracting. Your core muscles are engaged to hold you upright, your eyes are moving side to side, breathing — all of this requires contractions. When muscles contract they generate force, and your body can change if you overload it the right way. So, let's look at the basic types of contraction and how to train them.

Concentric Contraction

A concentric contraction occurs when a muscle is actively shortened. Think of bending your elbow to itch your nose. You've shortened the biceps in order to bring your lower arm up towards your face.

Eccentric Contractions

An eccentric contraction is when a muscle is actively lengthened. This happens as you lower your arm back down in a controlled manner. If it just flops down, then the muscle released and didn't actively lengthen.

Isometric Contractions

When you perform an isometric contraction the muscle is generating force, but there is no movement. Think of sitting up straight with your core engaged, standing in a line or holding something in your arms. Muscles engage constantly throughout the day to keep you steady.

Getting the Most from Training

To build muscle you need to overload — but do it wrong and you will end up hurt rather than stronger with more muscle. Lift too heavy and you cannot control the muscle contractions. You end up using momentum and gravity to lift and lower the weight and using a lot of unnecessary movement. Instead, lighten the load a bit and perform concentric and eccentric muscle contractions with control, concentrating on lifting and squeezing and lowering slowly back down. For isometric contractions, the same control should be put into practice.

Think of a standard plank exercise. It can be extremely challenging but you're not actively moving. You have to focus on holding your body in a precise position in order to strengthen your core, but your shoulders, hips, glutes and other muscles are all actively engaged as well. Progress to quickly or don't position properly and you end up hurt.

In compound movements such as squats, push-ups or pull-ups, you have some muscles concentrically contracting while others are eccentrically contracting. Still, others are isometrically engaged. That's why form is critical. Form first, then add weight slowly so that you can see real progress and changes to your body.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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