In plyometric training, what is the correct order of the stretch-shortening cycle phases?

• A. Eccentric, Amortisation, Concentric
• B. Concentric, Eccentric, Amortisation
• C. Amortisation, Eccentric, Concentric
• D. Eccentric, Concentric, Amortisation

Answer: (A)

In plyometric training, the stretch-shortening cycle starts with an eccentric phase where the muscle lengthens as you dip or land, storing elastic energy in the muscle-tendon unit. This stored energy primes the movement for a powerful rebound, but it needs a quick transition—the amortisation phase—to be ready for the next push. If that transition is too long, energy leaks away and the subsequent force production suffers. The final phase is concentric, where the muscle shortens and releases the stored energy to produce a strong, explosive movement. So the best sequence is eccentric, then the brief amortisation, then concentric. This order makes sense because you must first load the muscle, then quickly switch to the forceful shortening that generates power. Other orders would fail to utilize the stored elastic energy or would place the transition after the movement has already begun, which isn’t how the stretch-shortening cycle operates.