The Deceleration Phase of Lifting

The deceleration phase of lifting is the segment in which the movement is characterized by reducing the speed of the weight. This is exemplified in the squat when you begin your descent toward to the ground, or during the bench press when you lower the bar to your chest. This deceleration phase, also known as a eccentric muscle action, is important when exercising and has been associated with muscle injury.

  1. Eccentric Muscle Action

    • Eccentric muscle action is what allowed this dummbell to be stop before it hit the ground.

      There are two type of of muscle actions that produce movement: concentric and eccentric. Concentric muscle actions are what you think of when lifting. They are the "up" phase of a lift and are typically associated with the "burn" we feel after a number of repetitions. Eccentric muscle actions are the ones associated with the deceleration phase. To create this type of action the muscles are lengthening and acting as a brake to slow down the movement.

    Benefits

    • Training aimed at the deceleration phase can improve your power.

      Focusing on the deceleration phase of the lift can have several benefits when done properly. These benefits include increased strength, improved balance, improved muscle coordination, increased power and sport performance, and increased strength at various movement speeds. Effective training aimed at the deceleration phase of exercise will ideally be slow. Try counting to three or four when you lower the weight. This way you increase the muscle's time under tension which will increase strength gains. Additionally, by performing the exercise slowly you will decrease your risk of injury while exercising.

    Injury

    • Perform exercises slowly to ensure you aren't putting yourself at risk of injury..

      As previously stated, it is important to perform the deceleration phases of an exercise slowly. Performing exercises at high speeds, especially the deceleration phase, is associated with high amount of muscle damage and injury. Even if you do not wish to train eccentrically, a slow descent is still important. A two count is sufficient to ensure that your muscles aren't acting too fast.

    Considerations

    • The deceleration phase of a lift is an impotant aspect of any fitness program.

      Eccentric muscle actions are typically much stronger than concentric muscle actions; basically people can lower more weight they can lift. Because of this there are several things to consider before training eccentrically. First, make sure you are properly warmed up and prepared for exercise. Second, eccentric exercise cause lots of muscle damage so prepare to be sore! Third, make sure you have a spotter to decrease your risk of injury. Finally, do not perform this type of training often, typically once per week is enough. (See reference 1)