All About Eccentric Exercise: Get Stronger Doing Half Of An Exercise

If you have heard about eccentric exercise but are unsure of the benefits, what it is or how to do it, this episode is your primer! 

Eccentric muscle contractions generate more force with less energy than other types of muscle contraction and are therefore one of the best ways to get stronger. The mechanism of eccentric contraction within the muscle is a little complicated but Katy offers a simple analogy involving two hair combs! 

Katy and Jeannette offer some examples of how you can incorporate eccentrics into your movement plan with the empowering message that you can get a lot stronger doing only half an exercise. Can’t do a pull-up? Not a problem, train the eccentric half of the movement—lowering down from the pull-up bar—and you will reap the strength rewards. 

Also in this episode, Katy speaks with Pack Matthews of Ikaria Design and creator of the Soul Seat®, the original and adjustable cross-legged chair. Katy is using one for her podcast set up and she and Pack talk about the origin of the chair, how the design has changed over time and Katy’s experience with it.  

Enhanced Show Notes & Full Transcript

CHAPTERS

(0:07:08) - Muscle Contraction: Three types 

(0:15:56) - Sarcomere: Actin, Myosin, and Titin 

(0:26:57) - Get Stronger Doing Half of an Exercise 

(0:41:00) - Listener Question: 'use it or lose it' brought to you by Earth Runners  

(0:47:40) - Interview with Pack Matthews of Ikaria Design 

BOOKS, ARTICLES AND RESEARCH MENTIONED

Want to Get Stronger and Avoid Injury, Try This, New York Times article on eccentrics
Eccentrics: Get Stronger Doing Half Of An Exercise, Katy Bowman
The Chair by Galen Cranz

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