Increase Strength With Eccentric Hook Training
The eccentric phase of a lift occurs when the muscle lengthens. This action occurs during the down motion of the bench press, biceps curl or squat. Most personal trainers will agree that when it comes to strength training, your body is stronger during the eccentric movement.
Think about it — you can lower more weight in the bench press or deadlift than you can lift upwards. Using eccentric hooks is a great way to boost hypertrophy and increase strength by recruiting more motor units. A good training protocol when structural balance is optimal is 10 sets of one rep using 10-second eccentric drops.
Remember that rest is vital when training the nervous system. You will need five minutes between sets in order to be successful using this training protocol. You can choose one exercise and rest the complete five minutes, or rest 2.5 minutes and choose an additional lift targeting another muscle group such as the press or a pull up. Research has shown that it takes this amount of time for the nervous system to fully recover from the previous set. Weight on the bar should create a shake during the eccentric movement and should be 20-25% lighter when the hooks release.
Click here to watch a short video demonstrating a completed set using eccentric hooks.
Benefits of using eccentric training protocols:
- The muscle lengthening (eccentric) portion of the exercise triggers hypertrophy
- Eccentric training offsets Sarcopenia (muscle loss) in people age 40 and older
- Eccentric training increases flexibility by increases the number of sarcomeres
- You remodulate muscle for lowering weights, not lifting them, IGF1 increases
- Eccentric muscle damage is harder to recover from.
I suggest training every fifth day using this training protocol since eccentric training puts more stress on your muscles. However, adding eccentric hooks training to your workout routine will add to your overall strength and produce improved increases in muscle production.
