The ABCs of Strength Training

There are numerous ways to train your muscles. But what do the different terms mean? How do isometric and concentric training differ, and what is HIT all about?

Today we’re giving you an overview of the most important types of muscle training. In future issues of the Fitnessletter, we’ll explain each term in more detail. How exactly does each method work, and who is it suitable for?

Eccentric contraction is a stretching, yielding muscle movement in which the muscle lengthens. When you slowly lower yourself back down after a pull-up, your biceps contract to slow the movement down.

High-Intensity Training (HIT) is a specialised training method in bodybuilding that aims to build muscle quickly and intensively. It follows the principle: hard, short and infrequent. With HIT, you push the muscle to its absolute limit in every exercise, until rapid exhaustion sets in. To compensate, the recovery periods between training sessions are long – you should not train more than two or three times a week.

In isometric or static training, you tense the muscle without changing its length. This happens, for example, when you hold a particular position whilst doing a pull-up. Fitness experts value this type of training as it takes very little time. However, there are also some criticisms, which we will address in one of our upcoming issues. Incidentally, sitting upright at a desk for long periods is also a form of isometric contraction!

Concentric training refers to the classic movement in which the muscle is contracted and shortened. This is what happens when you pull yourself up during a pull-up. The muscle cross-section increases, causing the shape and size of the muscle to change.

The aim of pyramid training is to increase both maximum strength and muscle growth at the same time. You start with a high number of repetitions using a light weight and reduce the number of repetitions in the following sets whilst increasing the weight.

Volume training is the opposite of HIT. Instead of short, intense exercises, you work your muscles at a lower intensity but with more sets and more frequent repetitions. The aim is also to achieve significant muscle growth. The term “volume” could be misleading, as it is really about the overall workload. Arnold Schwarzenegger trained using this method.