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Isometric and Eccentric Force Generation Assessment of Skeletal Muscles Isolated from Murine Models of Muscular Dystrophies
Published on: January 31, 2013
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Eccentric Muscle Actions Add Complexity to an Already Inconsistent Resistance Exercise Nomenclature.
James L Nuzzo1, Kazunori Nosaka2
1Centre for Human Performance, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia. j.nuzzo@ecu.edu.au.
Sports Medicine - Open
|December 19, 2023
Summary
Eccentric resistance exercise, involving muscle lengthening against resistance, is growing in popularity. Current exercise naming conventions, biased towards muscle shortening, hinder clear communication about these beneficial eccentric muscle actions.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanics
- Sports Science
Background:
- Eccentric muscle action (lengthening under load) improves strength and health.
- New technologies enable eccentric resistance exercise outside labs, increasing its use.
- Existing exercise nomenclature is inconsistent and does not adequately address eccentric actions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the complexity eccentric resistance exercise adds to exercise naming conventions.
- To explain the bias in current exercise names favoring the concentric (shortening) phase.
- To advocate for clearer and more consistent naming of resistance exercises.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of common resistance exercise terminology.
- Examination of the historical bias in exercise naming conventions.
- Discussion of the implications of naming conventions for communication.
Main Results:
- Exercise names predominantly use action words describing the concentric phase (e.g., "press", "curl").
- This naming bias originates from traditional equipment emphasizing concentric strength.
- The bias complicates communication about eccentric resistance exercise.
Conclusions:
- Current resistance exercise naming is inconsistent and biased towards the concentric phase.
- This bias hinders effective communication regarding eccentric resistance exercise.
- Clearer, more consistent naming is needed for researchers and practitioners.
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