A still little-known training method could well appeal to those over 40. Its asset? It helps strengthen muscles without spending hours suffering on a treadmill.
With age, the body becomes a little less accommodating. The muscles gradually melt if we don’t use them and the metabolism runs a little slower. Thus, impromptu sports sessions at 25 can be more expensive a few decades later. It is precisely for this reason that researchers are interested in forms of training capable of developing muscular strength without imposing excessive constraints on the body. Among them, one approach stands out.
Its interest is simple: muscles do not only work when they push or lift a load. They also intervene when they control a movement and prevent the body from going too fast. This is a phase that is often forgotten even though it plays an essential role. Studies conducted in recent years show that muscles are able to support more load during this part of the movement. Result: they are heavily used even when the effort seems less intense.
There is, however, one point of caution. This way of training is known to cause more soreness, especially in the beginning. Many have already experienced it without knowing it after a long hike in the mountains or a day wandering the streets of a city. The next day, the legs are a nice reminder that something happened. These muscle pains do not necessarily indicate an injury. They generally correspond to a normal reaction of the body to an unusual effort. Specialists therefore recommend taking it gradually, even if it means having the impression of not doing enough in the first weeks.
The method in question is called eccentric training. Its principle consists of deliberately slowing down the descending phase of a movement. Instead of just sitting in a chair, you control the descent. Instead of going down a staircase normally, we slow down each step for a few seconds. Same thing during a squat or a push-up. It is precisely this control work that puts a lot of strain on the muscles.
In practice, a few minutes, two or three times a week, are enough to get started. Slowly going down the stairs of your building, slowing down the descending phase during certain exercises or controlling your movements more are already ways to implement this method. After the age of 40, when muscle loss naturally accelerates, this approach offers an interesting way to work on your figure while taking care of your joints.
