The lowering phase may be the most important part…A case for loving tempo squats!

Also a case to love the down phase of...

🔹Toes to bar

🔹Pull Ups

🔹Press ups

For example. If you can control and slow down the down phases (eccentric) then it will make the rest of the action stronger

You will essentially be re-wiring your nervous system by doing this...

Most people think muscle contractions are all the same, but your brain actually controls them differentlyWhen you lift a weight up, your muscle shortens (concentric contraction). When you slowly lower it down, your muscle lengthens under load (eccentric contraction).

Research shows that your brain works harder during the lowering phase

During these movements:

• The brain activates earlier

• It processes more feedback from the muscle

• It has to “dial down” certain reflexes

• It uses a slightly different control strategy

Why?

Because lengthening under load is more complex. Your body has built-in protective reflexes designed to prevent excessive strain. During eccentric movements, these protective signals increase, and your nervous system has to carefully regulate them to allow smooth, controlled movement.

Interestingly, after a period of eccentric training, the body appears to reduce some of that built-in inhibition. In simple terms:

At first, your nervous system applies the brakes to protect you. With training, it learns that the movement is safe and gradually eases off those brakes.

When that inhibition reduces:

• Muscles can activate more fully

• Maximal force can increase

• You can produce force more quickly

So eccentric training isn’t just strengthening muscle tissue...

It’s teaching your nervous system to allow greater, more efficient muscle output. That’s one reason slow, controlled lowering exercises are so powerful in both rehab and performance.

You’re not just building strength.

You’re upgrading the control system behind it.

(Hedayatpour and Falla, 2015)

Christina