Studio - 22/05/2025
At All for One, we’re not just here to help you move—we’re here to help you move better. Whether you’re in a Pilates class, strength circuit, or recovering from injury with your physio, there’s one concept that shows up everywhere: the difference between eccentric and concentric movement.
Understanding this difference can transform the way you train—and help you get more from every session.
In simple terms:
Concentric movement happens when a muscle shortens to create movement. Think about pressing up from a squat or curling a dumbbell—this is the “effort” phase most people focus on.
Eccentric movement is when a muscle lengthens while under tension. Lowering back into that squat or gently controlling the release of a weight—that’s eccentric control.
Most people naturally focus on the concentric phase: pushing, pulling, lifting. It’s the part of the movement that feels active and strong. But it’s the eccentric phase—the lowering, controlling, and decelerating—that builds long-term strength, joint stability, and resilience.
In real life, most injuries happen during eccentric load. Whether it’s catching yourself from a fall, absorbing the impact of a run, or simply lowering onto the floor—your muscles need to be strong when they’re lengthening, not just when they’re contracting.
Improving eccentric control can:
Reduce injury risk (especially knees, hips and shoulders)
Improve tendon health and recovery
Enhance coordination and movement quality
Support smoother, more efficient daily movement
Build strength without as much joint strain
It’s also essential for athletic performance, recovery from injury, and navigating changes in life stage—especially during postpartum rehab or perimenopausal strength work.
At All for One, our programming is intentionally built to train both concentric and eccentric strength. But to get the most out of it, it helps to know what to pay attention to:
Tempo matters. When your physio or instructor asks you to slow down, it’s not to make it harder for the sake of it—it’s to target control through the full movement.
The springs aren’t just resistance—they’re feedback. Use them to control both phases of each rep, especially during work on the reformer.
Think of “return to start” as part of the rep. Don’t let springs pull you back. Own that part of the movement.
Lower with purpose. In lunges, squats, rows—don’t drop. Lower slowly and evenly, keeping control the whole way.
Pause at the bottom. Adding a small hold before the concentric lift helps build strength where your body needs it most.
Work with load that challenges control—not just effort. Eccentric-focused work is often less about how heavy and more about how controlled.
Transitions are training. The way you move into and out of postures trains eccentric control—focus on moving with stability, not just reaching the final shape.
Strength is more than what you can lift—it’s how well you can control your body through every phase of movement. At All for One, we design every class and treatment plan with this in mind. It’s not about pushing harder—it’s about moving with awareness, intention and understanding.
So next time you’re in class, pay attention to the parts of the movement that usually fly under the radar. Slow down. Control the return. And trust that the results are building—not just for your muscles, but for your long-term movement health.
Studio - 22/05/2025
