Does anyone have a concentric only training routine?

Bennybird34

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2022
Messages
5
Location
Australia
I've been reading into Peat's thoughts on exercise and the value of concentric only exercise. The problem is that for a lot of muscles I have no idea how to train them concentrically. I get that you can do a pull up and just drop back down for your back, but how do you train your chest?

Was wondering if anyone had any kind of concentric only protocol that they followed

Thanks
 

liber1

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
55
Location
us
Resistance bands are great for this. The concentric portion of the exercise is increasingly challenging as you move through the range of motion and decreasingly challenging as you eccentrically move.

So its some eccentric, but very little. And with the right bands you can use fairy high loads and get a strength training type stimulus.

And obviously basics of olympic lifting are good for this. Doing sets of 1-3 with power cleans or power snatches and dropping each rep from overhead. (Bumper plates are important here)

As a side note, doing all different kinds of kettlebell swings has always been good for me. I come from a background of chronic overtraining but swinging kettlebells and Indian clubs/ maces have always been something I can do frequently and not really experience overtraining.
 

haidut

Member
Forum Supporter
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
19,798
Location
USA / Europe
I've been reading into Peat's thoughts on exercise and the value of concentric only exercise. The problem is that for a lot of muscles I have no idea how to train them concentrically. I get that you can do a pull up and just drop back down for your back, but how do you train your chest?

Was wondering if anyone had any kind of concentric only protocol that they followed

Thanks

In addition to what was mentioned above, I'd say climbing stairs but preferably in a high-rise building so that you can take the elevator down once you climb up. This way you only do the concentric part (going up) and are not doing any eccentric (going down stairs). Swimming, rowing and biking are also good option, as are jumps and pushing/pulling heavy objects - i.e. similar to the pushing against a weight platform as they do in NFL, or pushing/puling a car set on neutral gear. Flipping a giant tire repeatedly with rest between the flips (another NLF exercise). Dead-lift with full/clean drop/release once in upright position is also a good exercise.
 
Last edited:

-Luke-

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2014
Messages
1,269
Location
Nomansland
For legs and general conditioning, you could sprint up a hill with a bicycle and just roll back down.

And since you asked for the chest specifically: If you have a dip bar, you can just push yourself up from the bottom position and then step on some box after you‘ve reached the top position, and just step down rather than lowering yourself down with your full bodyweight.
 

Carrum

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
128
Resistance bands are great for this. The concentric portion of the exercise is increasingly challenging as you move through the range of motion and decreasingly challenging as you eccentrically move.

So its some eccentric, but very little.
There's as much resistance from the band on the eccentric portion of the exercise as there is on the concentric.
 
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Messages
10,501
Eccentric development strengthens and protects muscles. I think it is very important. I disagree with Dr. Peat on this.
 

liber1

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
55
Location
us
There's as much resistance from the band on the eccentric portion of the exercise as there is on the concentric.
I stated that the resistance is increasingly challenging on the concentric and decreasingly challenging in the eccentric. So that could be seen as meaning they are both the same
 

Carrum

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
128
I stated that the resistance is increasingly challenging on the concentric and decreasingly challenging in the eccentric. So that could be seen as meaning they are both the same
So why suggest it as concentric exercise?
 

liber1

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
55
Location
us
So why suggest it as concentric exercise?
I suppose I was giving an option to to replace the resistance for most traditional exercises while reducing the eccentric load.

Just another tool in the tool box bud. I think the person asking the original question will be able to read and decide for themselves if it’s helpful or not.
 

supercoolguy

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2015
Messages
411
When I see "Cross-Training" in action. Those look about right to me. Pulling/Pushing a sled for example.
Some movements are what they are. All I do is De-Emphasize the lower portion. Just relax & allow the motion.

Being in nature around challenging terrain. I go Straight Up the hill, then casually Walk Diagonally down again.
It doesn't have to be perfect, just observe and you'll figure out the way.
 

Runenight201

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Messages
1,942
I feel like calisthenics is the way, and not taking it too seriously. Just bust out 20-30 push ups every now and them, do some crunches, run around the block, jumping jacks, some pulls ups, then go on your merry way.

I recall a study where if you could do 50 push ups in a row you were at a very low risk for heart disease, so that’s my goal. Right now my max is 38 in a row.

Pull ups is a good way also to test relative strength. Absolute strength is NOT indicative of health. Powerlifters do not look healthy to me…how strong are you RELATIVE to your body weight.
 

ironfist

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2022
Messages
603
Location
Chicago
Alright, so according to what I've heard, concentrics are generating less chance of making you sore. And you might get some strength. But eccentrics are more responsible for hypertrophy and tendon health(?). There aren't too many normal reasons to require a concentric routine.

What is your reason for concentric? I've seen very specific use cases for this.
 
A

Adf

Guest
You should train both concentric and eccentric evenly. The aim should be to maximise your physical state whenever doing any sort of workout routine. Avoiding eccentric is not maximising your physical state. This will cause imbalances.

Why does Peat not like eccentric? Too much stress for him? I think stressing about stress that much as to not move your body in ways it is designed to, is probably too much stress in itself.

Stress less, move in ways that feel natural to you, and lift weights in ways that feel natural to you. For most this would be calisthenics.

For me, eccentric is more important than concentric. For others it may be of equal importance. I do a lot of isometric holds and slow eccentric movements for everything, it is simply amazing for joint and tendon strength.
 

SamYo123

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
Messages
1,493
You should train both concentric and eccentric evenly. The aim should be to maximise your physical state whenever doing any sort of workout routine. Avoiding eccentric is not maximising your physical state. This will cause imbalances.

Why does Peat not like eccentric? Too much stress for him? I think stressing about stress that much as to not move your body in ways it is designed to, is probably too much stress in itself.

Stress less, move in ways that feel natural to you, and lift weights in ways that feel natural to you. For most this would be calisthenics.

For me, eccentric is more important than concentric. For others it may be of equal importance. I do a lot of isometric holds and slow eccentric movements for everything, it is simply amazing for joint and tendon strength.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CjVi2zSvXOR/
 

Advocate2021

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2020
Messages
978
Eccentric development strengthens and protects muscles. I think it is very important. I disagree with Dr. Peat on this.
From someone who has been incorporating these principles for 25 years and has been weight training for 30, this concept has been a huge enigma for me. I have worked with countless very skilled trainers and they definitely agree with @ecstsatic hamster. And their routines work because i am in the best shape of my life right now. However, like everyone, i am always a work in progress and constantly adapting and fine tuning and have to wonder about the importance of this concept for attaining optimal balance. Despite all i do and much excellent signs of health, I still confront temperature dips, hypersensitivity and some other things. So, i actually had this discussion with the trainer who works with me remotely- that all the eccentric might be interfering with all else i do. I suppose the best way to find out is to do concentric workouts for a while and see what happens- but pretty hard to do concentric only in a gym. But I do wonder. For example I am fine tuning with my trainer of late and realized my inner thigh area is not as sculpted as other areas so told him i want to work on that. Last leg workout he gave me the inner thigh machine exercise as part of a circuit- sets of 12 with five second negatives (eccentric). This was 8 days ago and my inner thigh area still shot- I took a rest day yesterday as the day before could barely do my 4th athletic workout- limited by the exhaustion in that area. And i was wiped. Probably due for a deload as i've been training pretty hard and have not done one in over 9 months; but i also have to wonder if that heavy eccentric training resulted in way too much lactic acid production and is effecting my balance.
 

Advocate2021

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2020
Messages
978
And any input on my post and what it means that my inner thigh area is still shot after 8 days much appreciated. Maybe a clue of imbalance that could be the key to solving my remaining issues? just did my morning stretching routine and they are still fried! i dont think ive ever experienced anything like this- 8 days later!!! Thank you.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom