Eccentric training is more than just a sub-method in the “strength” category of S&C. It’s foundational, yet often neglected.
Think about it: at least 50% of actions in team sports are decelerations—sometimes more (Silva et al., 2023). You see this as a coach, an athlete, or even in casual settings. For instance, who’s the most agile in your running club during Fartleks or trail runs? It’s often the one who decelerates and changes direction most effectively.
You’ve likely felt the difference, too. Whether practicing agility drills, running downhill, walking downstairs, skiing, or focusing on the eccentric portion of a gym exercise, it just feels… different. It’s challenging in a way that isn’t purely physical—it’s a skill.
Yet, it’s a skill most athletes never formally learn. No one teaches “how to stop,” turn, or land properly—even in extreme joint positions. This neglect spans every level of sport.
And for women? The gap is even wider (Larwa et al., 2021). The unique characteristics of female muscle-tendon units demand earlier and more frequent eccentric training. Unfortunately, decades of neglect in developmental, amateur, and professional women’s sports have left athletes underprepared, leading to glaring performance and injury issues. Men aren’t faring much better, particularly on the ACL injury prevention front.
This blog, inspired by Episode 147 of the Training Science Podcast, expands on key points discussed there. If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend listening to the episode (preferably before reading). Here, I’ll share practical insights into eccentric training, emphasizing its application across sports and even broader populations, from chronic disease management to aging.
Why Eccentric Training Matters
Before diving into the practicalities, let’s establish the unique benefits of eccentric training:
- Neural Control: Eccentric muscle actions involve different and unique neural pathways compared to concentric contractions (Duchateau & Enoka, 2016).
- Energy Efficiency: Eccentric actions are about 60% metabolically cheaper (Hoppeler, 2016).
- Adaptation Benefits: They build tissue compliance, protect against future soreness, and lead to rapid improvement (Hyldahl & Hubal, 2014; Kjaer & Heinemeier, 2014).
- Skill Development: Eccentric training hones the ability to decelerate and lengthen muscle-tendon units while resisting external loads.
- Accessibility: While awkward and logistically challenging to implement, eccentric training can scale from beginner to advanced levels.
If you want to embrace this “magic” of eccentric-only training (yes, eccentric-only!), here’s how to start:
Master Deceleration First
The first step in eccentric training is learning to decelerate. This may sound simple, but it’s surprisingly complex. Athletes often find eccentric movements challenging—not in terms of muscle exertion, but coordination and skill (Figure 1).
Figure 1: The LTP process for designing & implementing a deceleration skill program (learn, train & practice).
To clarify: eccentric training isn’t just overload training. If it were, we wouldn’t see the persistent issues with deceleration and directional changes in athletes today. These problems arise because deceleration is a learned skill, one that most athletes have never been taught.
Why is learning deceleration so hard?
- Logistical Challenges: You need external momentum or force to decelerate effectively.
- Focus on Eccentric-Only Movements: Concentric contractions distract from the learning process.
- Neglected Joint Ranges: Most programs skip exposing tissues to the demands of eccentric deceleration.
Programs like FIFA 11+ are great warm-ups but fail to train the eccentric components needed for long-term tissue adaptation and injury prevention.
Starting Out: The Basics of Deceleration
Here’s how to get started:
- Static Eccentric Work (Two Legs): Begin with slow, static movements that maximize joint range.
- Yes, it feels awkward.
- Yes, it goes against traditional warm-up programs.
- But this is how you truly teach the body to decelerate.
- Progress to Controlled Movement: Gradually add degrees of freedom, such as forward or backward movements, while maintaining slow tempos.
- Directional Variability: Move from familiar directions (e.g., forward) to more challenging ones (e.g., backward, sideways).
Once proficient, reset the process using single-leg variations. This systematic approach ensures athletes develop the foundational skills before advancing to high-speed drills.
Beyond Basics: The LST Framework
Deceleration can be divided into three primary movements:
- Landings
- Stops
- Turns
These form the LST framework (Land, Stop, Turn) (Figure 2). To truly master eccentric actions, athletes must Learn, Train, and Practice (LTP) each component. Best, in that order.
While these skills are physically easy to perform, they are technically complex. That’s why they require dedicated developmental programs, ideally spanning months or even years.
Figure 2: The LST framework for progressing an eccentric-only program that focuses on learning and improving deceleartions (landings, stops & turns).
Eccentric Training for Advanced Athletes
Once athletes have mastered the basics, eccentric training becomes an integral part of advanced programs. Tailor exercises to sport-specific demands. For example:
- Tennis players may prioritize side-to-side movements early.
- Speed skaters and cross-country skiers should focus on lateral eccentric actions.
Remember, even experienced athletes benefit from revisiting eccentric-only training, as it challenges coordination and refines movement patterns.
Final Thoughts
Eccentric training isn’t just about physical effort—it’s a skill. Every deceleration you’ve ever performed, whether landing from a jump or slowing during a sprint, relies on this skill.
Unfortunately, many current approaches, such as overemphasizing hamstring exercises for ACL prevention, oversimplify eccentric training. No single method or device can cover the full scope of eccentric actions. A balanced approach—understanding the strengths and limitations of each tool—is essential for long-term success.
If this has piqued your interest, reach out to me at marcin@alatus.kiwi or via social media. Eccentric training is a passion of mine, and I’d love to help you incorporate it into your program.
Call to Action
Want to dive deeper? Check out Episode 147 of the Training Science Podcast for a comprehensive discussion on eccentric training and its applications.
About the author
Dr Marcin Lipski – Health, Wellbeing & Performance scientist/practitioner with focus on Eccentric Training // Science Translator & Multimedia Creative @ HIIT Science
Message me! I love eccentric training and would be honoured to help you:
marcin@alatus.kiwi // Linked // Bluesky // Instagram
References
Silva et al., 2023 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35700979/
Larwa et al., 2021 – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8038785/
Duchateau & Enoka, 2016 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26792331/
Hoppeler, 2016 – http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2016.00483/full
Hyldahl & Hubal, 2014 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24030935/
Kjaer & Heinemeier, 2014 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24436295
