Athena Vale
Whether you're an athlete or a casual walker, tight muscles are a common issue. Lengthening your muscles can improve your posture, prevent injury, and alleviate pain. While static stretching is a well-known method, recent research has shown that eccentric strengthening is a more effective way to lengthen muscles. This involves lengthening the muscle while it's under tension or load, increasing muscle fascicle length and improving the tissue's ability to control movements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Exercise | Eccentric strengthening |
| Definition | When a muscle is lengthening while under tension or load |
| Other Names | Negative phase of a lift or exercise |
| Examples | Nordic hamstring curls, tempo squats, bicep curls |
| Benefits | Improves joint range of motion, increases muscle fascicle length, improves force production, increases power output, decreases risk of injury, improves flexibility, reduces pain, improves blood flow to muscles and joints, improves physical performance, improves coordination and balance, provides stress relief |
| Recommendations | Stretch after exercise, begin with a 5-minute warm-up, stretch daily for 10 minutes, stretch for 20-30 minutes several times a week, stretch to the point of mild discomfort, not pain |
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What You'll Learn
Benefits of lengthening muscles
Lengthening your muscles is an important part of working out and has many benefits. Firstly, it helps improve your flexibility and range of motion, which is an often-overlooked component of fitness. By lengthening your muscles, you can improve your exercise form and overall posture, making everyday tasks easier.
Another benefit of lengthening your muscles is reducing muscle tightness and discomfort. Tight calves, for example, can lead to lower leg and foot pain, which can be alleviated by lengthening the calf muscle. Similarly, neck stretches are important to counteract the effects of spending hours a day hunched over a computer, helping to improve your overall posture and back comfort.
Lengthening your muscles can also help to reduce your risk of injury and aid in rehabilitation. Eccentric exercises, such as the Nordic Hamstring Exercise, strengthen the tissue and improve its ability to contract while lengthening, resulting in a reduced risk of injury. Eccentric training can also lead to pain relief and increased power output, further decreasing the likelihood of injury.
Finally, lengthening your muscles can help improve your athletic performance. Eccentric training increases muscle length and allows for a greater volume of exercise at a lower metabolic and cardiorespiratory cost. This can help improve your muscle mass and exercise capacity, leading to better athletic performance.
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Eccentric training
The benefits of eccentric training extend beyond muscle lengthening and include increased muscle mass, strength gains, and improved range of motion. Research has shown that eccentric strengthening can lead to longer-lasting effects compared to traditional stretching. It is particularly useful in rehabilitation and injury prevention, providing pain relief, improving force production, and increasing power output. Additionally, eccentric training requires the lowest cost of energy production compared to other muscle contractions, making it an efficient training strategy.
It is important to note that eccentric training can cause muscle soreness and injury due to the high amount of muscle damage and micro-tears associated with this training method. However, this type of injury is not necessarily detrimental, as it creates more potential for muscle growth through recovery. When implementing eccentric training, it is crucial to be cautious and consider the levels of injury that may occur.
Overall, eccentric training is a valuable technique to lengthen muscles, improve performance, and enhance muscle strength and mass. By focusing on the eccentric phase of exercises, individuals can achieve their fitness goals and improve their overall physical capabilities.
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Static stretching
There are positive benefits of static stretching on overall health, mobility and flexibility. It does cause the muscle and tendon to lengthen, and these changes can be somewhat permanent and beneficial to sport and wellness. It is especially beneficial after activity, when the muscles are tired and well-vascularised. The fatigue allows you to take advantage of the lengthening reaction, and the sarcomeres are less able to contract.
There have been countless studies on stretching and its effect on general sport performance. Most current research suggests that static stretching prior to activity can induce temporary weakness in the muscle, but it is easier to stretch, or lengthen, a muscle when it is not trying to contract. Some sources suggest that with extensive training, the stretch reflex of certain muscles can be controlled so that there is little or no reflex contraction in response to a sudden stretch. This type of control provides the opportunity for the greatest gains in flexibility but also the greatest risk of injury if used improperly.
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Dynamic stretching
Dynamic stretches are controlled movements that prepare your muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues for performance and safety. They are best used before a workout as they help to warm up the muscles and stimulate activation. They are also good for warming up before any athletic event, whether competitive or not. A complete athletic warm-up should incorporate about 5 to 10 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity swimming, jogging, or cycling, followed by dynamic stretching.
During dynamic movements, muscles work to create and control movement in both shortened and lengthened positions. This means that dynamic stretches are best for before a workout, as they help to warm up the muscles and get them ready for the full range of motion they will be using in the activity.
- Stand with your feet facing forward, as wide as your shoulders, and your arms by your side with a 90-degree bend in your elbows. Keep your feet in the same position and, in a controlled manner, twist your torso from one side to the other.
- Stand with your arms on your waist, take a step forward, and lunge, keeping your front knee in line with your hip and ankle and lowering your back knee toward the floor without touching. Push off the back leg and step forward with the opposite leg, lunging in the same fashion. Engage your abdominal muscles throughout this exercise to avoid arching your back.
- Chair dips also open up the front line of the body, specifically targeting the pecs, biceps, and posterior deltoid, further promoting that lengthening of the front of the body to avoid that rounded shoulders slumped posture.
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Lengthening the hamstrings
Lengthening the hamstring muscles is important to improve flexibility and range of motion, as well as to prevent injuries and reduce the risk of lower back pain.
While traditional static stretching is a common method to lengthen muscles, recent research has shown that eccentric strengthening or eccentric training is a more effective way to lengthen the hamstrings. Eccentric strengthening involves lengthening the muscle while it is under tension or load, which is often referred to as the "negative" phase of an exercise. For example, in a bicep curl, the eccentric phase occurs when the weight is being lowered slowly and the bicep muscle lengthens while resisting the load.
Eccentric exercises help prevent hamstring injuries by improving the tissue's ability to contract while lengthening. The Nordic Hamstring Exercise is an example of an eccentric exercise that can help lengthen the hamstrings. It involves strengthening the hamstring eccentrically, increasing the force it can produce, and reducing the risk of injury.
Another method to lengthen the hamstrings is through "Awareness Through Movement" (ATM), which does not involve passive stretching. Instead, it uses complex active movements designed to increase length in the hamstring muscles. This approach has been shown to produce significant gains in hamstring muscle length compared to passive stretching.
Additionally, yoga poses such as the Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose) and the Krounchasana (Heron Pose) can help lengthen the hamstrings. These poses provide different angles and approaches to lengthening the hamstrings while also building strength and focus.
It is important to note that when performing any hamstring lengthening exercises, individuals should proceed with caution and consult a healthcare professional or physical therapist to ensure the exercises are safe and suitable for their needs.
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Frequently asked questions
Eccentric strengthening is when a muscle lengthens while under tension or load. It is referred to as the "negative" phase of a lift or exercise. For example, during a bicep curl, the eccentric phase is when the weight is being lowered in a slow and controlled manner.
Eccentric strengthening increases joint range of motion and muscle length. It also has longer-lasting effects compared to other exercises. It can be used for rehabilitation and injury prevention, including pain relief, improving force production, and increasing power output.
Eccentric strengthening creates new muscle units in series, increasing muscle length. It also strengthens the tissue so it can create more force at a greater angle, reducing the risk of injury.
Some common examples of eccentric exercises are Nordic hamstring curls, tempo squats, and the Nordic Hamstring exercise.
Lengthening muscles can be done through stretching, which helps improve flexibility and range of motion. It is recommended to stretch for at least 10 minutes daily, focusing on major muscle groups. Dynamic stretches are usually done before physical activity to warm up the muscles, while static stretches are done after exercise when the muscles are warm.
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