Eccentric Deadlift – UPDATED 2022 – A Complete Guide
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Do you want to up your deadlift game? When you think of a deadlift, you usually picture people throwing down the weight quickly. In gyms everywhere, you will find people grunting and letting go of the weight, and banging it to the ground.
However, in an eccentric deadlift, there is a focus to slow down the movement. This can boost your athletic performance, and it has many benefits. In this article, you can learn more about the eccentric deadlift and the various benefits that come with it.
Eccentric Deadlift – A Complete Guide
An eccentric movement is one that lengthens a muscle at the same time it is being contracted. An example is how you lower your arm in a bicep curl. This engages your muscles, and it is known as ‘negative work.’ The eccentric movement of a deadlift is when you throw the weight down. For many, this part of the movement is not seen as the most important aspect. However, it can bring certain benefits when you focus on it. Controlling the downward movement can help you build power and give you a boost in your weight lifting routine.
Common Eccentric Deadlift Benefits
The eccentric deadlift is the standard deadlift with a focus on the movement when you drop the weight. Common benefits of the eccentric deadlift include;
Faster muscle gains
Your muscles work their hardest during the eccentric phase of a movement. This is true for a deadlift, and you can strengthen your back and knee and build more stability and power. If you focus on the eccentric movement, you can expect quicker gains since you will be pushing your muscles to the limit. The eccentric deadlift leads to more microscopic tears, which means you can expect optimum muscle gains. On a per rep basis, research has shown that eccentric training is more efficient since your muscles are pushed to their limits.
Greater metabolic boost
Since you are working your muscles harder, you can expect an improvement in calorie burning. However, this effect stays with you even after you leave the gym! Various studies have shown that eccentric exercises give a boost to your resting metabolic rate, and this effect can last for up to 72 hours. This is a great benefit for those that are looking to burn fat and build muscle.
Stronger connective tissue
Eccentric deadlift training can help to build stronger connective tissues. These are your tendons and ligaments. They are vital to all exercises, and with typical resistance training, they aren’t pushed as hard.
Eccentric Accentuated Stiff Leg Deadlift
In the stiff leg deadlift, you start the movement with higher hips and engage your hamstrings more. The eccentric accentuated stiff leg deadlift involves slowing down the movement to increase the range of movement and increase the load on your hamstring. It helps to build strength and power.
Understanding The Eccentric Phase of Deadlift
There have been studies and research conducted into eccentric movements. With regards to the deadlift, it is important to understand why the movement is important and why you should give it specific attention. Even though you see people in the gym simply throwing the weight after a deadlift, this is not the optimal way to perform the movement.
However, it is important to be safe, especially with larger weights. Make sure that you are comfortable with the eccentric phase of the deadlift and consider working with a partner the first few times. You must have full control of the downward movement at all times, and it can be ideal to start off with a lower weight. The routine of a deadlift can feel very different when you start to focus on the eccentric phase.
It is important to note that starting to switch up your deadlift and focusing on the eccentric phase can lead to increased DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Don’t panic if this is the case. This is actually a good sign since it shows that your muscles are being worked harder. In an eccentric movement, the weight is larger than the muscle being worked, and this leads to greater microscopic tears in the muscle. This is a vital aspect of muscle building, and it helps you to get more from the exercise.
Slow Eccentric Deadlift Benefits
There are many benefits when it comes to specifically slowing down the eccentric deadlift. This is where you focus on the movement and take it as slow as possible. This brings a lot of strain to your muscles which helps to push them.
Increased flexibility
Focusing on the slow eccentric deadlift helps to build flexibility throughout your body. This can lessen the chances of injury. You activate a greater range of motion when performing a deadlift, and this is where you gain the flexibility benefits. Over time you will notice that the range of motion you can do during the deadlift will increase. This is why it is important to stick to it and don’t get discouraged if the movement doesn’t come naturally to you at the start.
Better athletic and sports performance
Regardless of which sport you perform, you will be able to notice a boost in performance. A slow eccentric deadlift forces you to challenge your muscles, and it pushes you beyond your limits. These are key attributes for athletic performance since you better prepare your body for the challenges to come.
Increased range of motion
Completing a slow eccentric deadlift means that you will use a greater range of motion, and this can help to improve your form for all deadlifts. It means your muscles can be worked equally for all aspects of the movement. More force is generated during eccentric training, but this force is also more equally shared across the entire movement. This means there will be fewer sticking points in your deadlift routine and fewer failures on heavy deadlifts.
Eccentric Deadlift – Closing Thoughts
You should now understand the importance of the eccentric deadlift. Focusing on this movement helps to build muscle and gives you a boost in athletic performance. We hope this article has been useful for you, and we wish you the best for your 2022 fitness goals. The deadlift is an essential exercise, and now you know how to get the maximum benefit from it.
