Isometric, Concentric & Eccentric Contractions | What's the Difference?

When we think of lifting weights to build muscle, very rarely do we ever think about the science behind it all.

Although to many we simply know that when we lift weights to perform an action or specific movement, we break down muscle fibers which then grow to become larger when they fully heal. However, we actually know a lot more about how this process really works.

Muscle contractions can be broken down and separated into 3 major movements or types: Isometric, Concentric and Eccentric. Since not all contractions are alike, knowing how each contraction works can play a large role in muscular development.

What is an eccentric contraction?

The first contraction would be the eccentric contraction. The reason I discuss this one first is due to eccentric contractions being the strongest type that our body can perform. Eccentric contractions can strengthen your muscle fibers over the entire exercise or Range of Motion (ROM).

This is the largest factor you will have in regards to creating a proper muscle contraction and stimulation in order to build size. Eccentric contractions also create the most metabolic stress on a muscle, which in turn results in the release of more hormones such as growth hormones, in order to stimulate the body for protein synthesis. This simply means your body will use more protein for growth and repair in order to grow.