Re: Eccentrics

[Guest guest]

In writing " Plyometric Bench Press Training for More Strength and Power " a few

years ago, I did a phone interview with Jay Schroeder to gather more

information.

One of the topics we got off on was Schroeder's use of " altitiude drops " (depth

landings). What Schroeder said has echoed in my head for years now, " You have

to be able to absorb force before you can repel it. "

In Schroeder's training tape of Adam Archuleta, you'll find a lot of eccentric

training. " In our (Schroeder's) system of training, learning how to absorb

force is paramount. It is the most important thing. "

In researching the use of eccentrics, one of the articles I found was

Kerin's " What is the most direct means to achieve strength gains specific to the

demands of jumping events? " [http://coachesinfo.com/category/athletics/46/]

Schroeder thought on being able to exert more concentric force by being able to

absorb eccentric force is expressed in Kerin's article.

Dr Tom McLaughlin notes the importance of eccentric training in his book " Bench

Press More Now " as well as his article " Speed Kills " (PLUSA/April 1989).

Dr Yessis' research on Soviet training indicated that 10-15% of their

yearly training was devoted to eccentric movements.

(Secretes of Soviet Sports Fitness and Trainng)

Eccentric training has a place in one's training and should be utilized to

maximize one's strength, power and speed.

Kenny Croxdale

Orange, CA

It was written:

<<<Optimal Eccentrics by Louie

The full article can be found on the following website:

http://www.westside-barbell.com/articles.htm

" " What do we really know about eccentric (lowering) work? The

eccentric phase causes most muscular soreness. This causes much of

the burn that bodybuilders talk about. The eccentric phase, when

performed slowly, greatly contributes to muscle hypertrophy (growth).

We also know that in an attempt to raise absolute strength, eccentric

training alone fails miserably. In the late 1970s, Mike Bridges

experimented with eccentric bench pressing. He told me that the only

result he got from eccentrics was a pec injury. This is confirmed by

research that shows that most injuries occur during the yielding, or

eccentric, phase. Vince Anello also experimented with eccentric work,

doing eccentric deadlifts with as much as 880. When he returned to

conventional deadlifts, to his dismay his deadlift had decreased.

Vince told me that anything will make your deadlift go up--except

eccentrics. What does this mean? Are eccentrics a waste? Well, yes

and no.

Eccentric training alone is a waste.

However, a strength-shortening cycle, eccentric training followed by

a concentric phase, can be very beneficial when done correctly, i.e.,

with optimal speed. When doing pure plyometrics--dropping from a

prescribed height-- the speed of descent is about 9.8 meters/second,

or the speed of gravity... " " >>>>