All Glossary Terms
Training

Concentric

The muscle-shortening phase of an exercise (lifting the weight).

The concentric phase is when a muscle contracts and shortens to produce force and move a load. This is the "lifting" phase of an exercise - pressing the barbell up in a bench press, standing up in a squat, or curling the dumbbell up. While the concentric phase is important, the eccentric phase often receives more attention for muscle building due to its role in muscle damage and growth.

Examples

  • Pressing the barbell up in bench press
  • Standing up from a squat
  • Pulling yourself up in a pull-up

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