Eccentric loading

KeithReilly

What exactly is eccentric loading? I always presumed, maybe wrongly, that is was where you resisted force. An example I would have given would ave been in the hamstrings when going downwards during a squat, in the biceps when lowering the bench press, in the triceps when lowering a dumbbell during a curl. Am I wrong thinking that??
Another thing I've read a good few places is that the prowler is good on recovery days because there's no eccentric loading, but if I push it and then pull it aren't all the muscles getting worked!!
It'd be great if someone could explain this to me.

Hanley

How do you resist the prowler when you're pushing or pulling it?

You don't pull it back and THEN push it, you push, and push, and push, and push. Or pull, and pull, and pull, and pull...

At no time does the prowler try to reverse your movement, or push/pull you backwards.

KeithReilly

That may be where I'm misunderstanding things. So eccentric loading is where where there's something trying to reverse the movement your doing then that's eccentric loadIng?
Are there other examples of it other than prowler, pushin or pulling a car or sled and the Olympic lifts?

Hanley

KeithReilly wrote: »

That may be where I'm misunderstanding things. So eccentric loading is where where there's something trying to reverse the movement your doing then that's eccentric loadIng?
Are there other examples of it other than prowler, pushin or pulling a car or sled and the Olympic lifts?

Think of eccentric as "controlled lowering"

You drop oly lifts - no "control"
You don't lower or resist a sled - it moves and stops, same with prowler

Make sense?

KeithReilly

It does now, thanks.

Mellor

In concentric contraction = Muscle fibres shorten under, force is greater than the load

In eccentric contraction = Muscles lengthen under load, force is less than the load

In isometric contraction = Muscles stays the same length, no movement

KeithReilly

Don't think this deserves a new thread.

Correct me if I'm wrong but ..
The prowler pulled works: Hamstrings, hip flexors
The hamstring pushed works: Quads, Glutes

The sled pulled forwards works: Hamstrings, hip flexors
The sled pulled backwards works: Quads, glutes

Hanley

KeithReilly wrote: »

Don't think this deserves a new thread.

Correct me if I'm wrong but ..
The prowler pulled works: Hamstrings, hip flexors
The hamstring pushed works: Quads, Glutes

The sled pulled forwards works: Hamstrings, hip flexors
The sled pulled backwards works: Quads, glutes

The answer to all four is "your entire lower body, and upper body to an extent". Nothing works in isolation on compound movements.

That being said, backward drags tend to make my VMO burn more and hard prowler pushes tend to hurt my glutes, the upper portion of my hamstrings and quads.

But yeah you'd probably make the case that forward drags are mostly hip extension are are therefore more hamstring and glute dominant, and the hip flexors to an extent too.

SanoVitae

Hanley wrote: »

At no time does the prowler try to reverse your movement, or push/pull you backwards.

What if you're pushing or pulling it uphill?

Hanley

SanoVitae wrote: »

What if you're pushing or pulling it uphill?

Such a newb question. It’s OBVIOUSLY conditional based on hill gradient, surface abrasiveness, general atmospheric conditions (high precipitation levels lead to a more dynamic, unstable surface), sled construction and other factors such as historic sled/prowler usage and the effects thereon ground contact points.

The Guvnor

I read the thread title and thought this was some OCD about having to load the plates in a certain way!

Don't worry - I'll get me coat.:)