Eccentric training: theory, application and periodization
Jan Cacek, FSpS MU, Brno, Czech republic
jan.cacek@gmail.com

Something about me
•Jan Cacek
•
•my sports career:
•runner 800 a 1500 m, soccer player, ice hockey player
•3 children (17 – 14 – 11 years old)
•
•Vice dean for research and science FSpS MU
•Chairman of the National Association of Strength and Conditioning Trainers of the Czech Republic
•Head of division of Track and Field FSpS MU
•Study program guarantor „Personal and Strength and Conditioning Trainer“
•Chief editor of the Journal Studia Sportiva
•Member of the Methodological Committee of the Czech Athletic Federation and Rowing federation
•Track and Field and Strength and Conditioning trainer
•Coach of many elite athletes from different sports disciplines

Lecture structure
•
•Theory:
•
•History of eccentric training
•Possibilities of using eccentric training
•Benefits of eccentric training
•Risks of eccentric training in preparation

History of eccentric training
•1882 -  Fick found that the eccentric contraction muscle could produce more strength than
concentric muscle contraction.
• A.V. Hill - The body has a lower energy consumption in eccentric muscle activity compared to
concentric muscle work
•1953 - Asmussen introduced the concept of eccentric exercise
•The term "eccentric", with "ex" meaning „away from“ and "centric" = exercise away from the center
of the muscle
•
•Lindstedt et al. -  In eccentric contraction, we talk about negative work.
• function is creating braking force
•Mechanical Work in Muscle Activity E = F (-∆L)
•F = force
•∆L = change in muscle length
•  Concentric work - the muscle shortens - ∆L is therefore negative and the final work is positive
•Eccentric activity - muscle extends, ∆L is positive and resultant work negative (negative)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P_UuFJat-Oc/VV-ZSsVgVfI/AAAAAAAABdk/N5u0P0Gfidc/s1600/FV%2Bcurve_web.jpg

Eccentric contraction
•Muscle is prolonged when the muscle load is greater than the force produced (Hamill, Knutzen,
2006).
•The reason for the load may be:
•gravitation,
•supramaximal loads with values exceeding 1RM
•antagonist activity
•Eccentric contraction load moves downward (in the direction of gravity)
•Muscles brake and control movement down, not initiating movement (deceleration)
•The eccentric load requires only about 1/6 - 1/7 of the amount of O2 than in concentric mode with
the same load (Bigland-Ritchie & Woods in Lastayo et al, 1999)
•Eccentric exercise requires a lower level of control
Contentric and Eccentric Bicep Curl
Brady, D., 2012)

Eccentric contraction
•prolonged muscle absorbs mechanical energy which:
•
•it can be dispensed in the form of heat
•it is temporarily stored as a back energy potential of the so-called deformation (elastic) energy
and subsequently used
•
• strech-shortening cycle improves muscle work economy by up to 50% (Hamill, Knutzen, 1995, p.
87-89)
Výsledek obrázku pro enoka 1996 jump
Enoka, 1996)

•Polach, D.
•http://davidpotach.com/stretch-shortening-cycle/
http://davidpotach.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/SSC1-1024x702.jpg
„

•Electromyography: Characteristics of Produced Strength of Lower Leg Extrensors in Elite
Weightlifters During Isometric, Concentric and Variable SSC Cycle
•
•Häkkinen K; Komi P V; Kauhanen H., 1989. International journal of sports medicine 1986;7(3):144-51
In: https://www.david.fi/technology/design/effectiveness/
•
https://www.david.fi/assets/uploads/2017/01/ssc.png
Stretching phase longer than 0.9s - concentric phase = lower power production
SSC
Only concentric movement

Mechanisms associated with force
 increase in eccentric contraction
•Exist three theories but they are not explored enough.
•
•Proprioceptive afferentation (transfer of information to the Brain) the threshold of alpha
motoneuron irritation decreases and therefore eccentric contraction is sometimes referred to as the
contraction with the most powerful recruitment of motor units
•
•irritation of both Muscle spindles (muscle lengthens) and Golgi muscle tendon (muscle develops
tension and therefore increases tension at the transition of muscle and tendon)
•Concentration contraction does not maintain increased afferentation from both receptor types
•
•
•motor unit recruitment is in reverse order to concentric contraction - clearly not proven

Acute Effect of Eccentric Exercise = Structural Damage to Muscle and Reduction of Functionality
•At functional level the effect results in:
•Reducing muscle strength
•change the optimal muscle length
•increase in passive muscle tension
•
•delayed onset of muscular serenses (DOMS)
•increasing serum muscle protein,
•muscle edema
•
•chronology of muscle damage - different, may take several days = reduces performance and increases
the risk of movement injury

Benefits of eccentric training for athletes
•Increase in muscle strength
•
•Injury prevention - hamstrings
•
•Positive effect on tendons and bone tissue
•
•Minimizing symptoms of delayed onset of muscle pain (DOMS)
•

Increase in muscle strength Baroni, B. M. et al (2014)

•Eccentric Training - Progress of Eccentric Strength 10-60% (0.5% to 3.5% / Training Unit)
•Significant better than by concentric training (only half-intervention studies)
•
•The increase in strength depended on:
•
•Intervention design
•Frequency - there is no difference between 4 training session / week and 2 - 3 session / week
•duration of intervention program (4-8 weeks = 2.16% / TS; 9-12 weeks = 1.49% / TS; greater than 12
weeks = 0.78% / TS).
•volume, intensity - 3 - 5 series, 6 - 10 reps, 2 - 4 times a week
•The angular velocity
•Exercise type - isotonic exercise showing higher progression of strength than isokinetic
•Mobility of joints
•Muscle groups
•
•Entry level of strength
•Gender (men more than women)
•Ages (young men higher than older men)

Neuromuscular adaptation
•increased ability to activation agonist muscles
•improving inter-muscle coordination
•reduction of antagonist muscle activation - inconsistent conclusions (Stability Of Joints versus
Peak torque)
•higher capacity for activation of motor units in eccentric contraction (NO for concentric) =
specificity for type of contraction

Structural adaptation
•First theory
•the muscle adapts by changing its resting length
•the number of sarcomers increases in series and the muscle is more prolonged (Brockett et al.,
2001).
•
•Second theory:
•after the first intensive stage of eccentric exercise, the weak fibers are reduced
•stronger and more resilient fibers remain and have a protective effect (Armstrong et al. In.
LaStayo et al., 2003).
•Chronic eccentric load causes more muscle fiber strength. This strength is important in stretching
the muscle, where it protects the muscle from excessive damage
•
•Exc. training increases the amount of muscle mass - leads to an increase in muscle fiber
cross-section - associated with the growth of both the number and cross-section of myofibrils - the
role of satellite cells
•It is not yet known what volume of work, exercise intensity and rest intervals are optimal for
hypertrophy

•Baroni, B. M. et al (2014)
•


•
•Baroni, B. M. et al (2014)
•

Effect of eccentric training on speed and explosive power
•Cook et al. 2013: Comparison of 4 training programs, (3 weeks, 20 rugby, squats, bench):
eccentric, concentric, eccentric + overspeed, concentric + overspeed
•
•the biggest effect on speed and explosive power = Exc. + overspeed
•Only the eccentric training improved onlythe maximum power
•CONCLUSION: a combination of resistive eccentric training with training in which there are
incentives for explosive strength and speed is recommended
•
•Wirth et al. (2015) examined the effects of eccentric training on maximum and explosive strength
in untrained (6 weeks, unilateral legpress in eccentric phase)
•
•31.1% maximum strength improvement
•the improvement in explosive power (jump with counter-motion) was nonsignificant
•
•The Wirth study supports Cook's results
•
•eccentric training with resistances alone will not cause positive changes in speed and explosive
force indicators
•Exc. training with specific exercises in terms of mechanics (speed, angles…)

Injury prevention and performance - hamstrings
•The most frequent injuries of hamstrings arise at the initial contact with ground (Guex et al,
2016)
•
•
•The ratio of flexors to knee extensors
•Problem = mostly hamstrings
•especially for sprinters
•Lysholma and Wiklander (1987) report injured hamstrings = 11% of running injuries
•except for muscle injuries, the tendon hamstring is also overloaded
Výsledek obrázku pro terminal swing phase
https://www.google.cz/search?q=terminal+swing+phase&client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1540&bih=822&source=lnm
s&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwizh7mLsMLQAhUHBsAKHaxMAEwQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=scF5srkGLW1dGM%3A

Hamstrings and Performance
•
288/5000
•As the speed increases, the importance of the ratio between hamstrings and quadriceps increases
• H/Q ratio is associated with a good/bad running economy (Sundby and Gorelick, 2014)
•it is therefore recommended, in particular for sprinters, to include eccentric hamstring exercises
to improve their H/Q ratio
•
Výsledek obrázku pro hamstring activation in running
Schache et al, 2013

Hamstring injury and eccentric training
•Askling, Karlsson and Thorstensson (2002) investigate the effect of an eccentric strength program
on the incidence and severity of hamstring injury (n = 30)
•The experimental group realized eccentric hamstring training (1-2 times per week, 10 weeks) using
a special devices
•
•Diagnosed
•isokinetic strength of hamstrings before and after the intervention program
•all hamstring injuries 10 months after the end of the intervention.
•Results:
•the incidence of hamstring injury was clearly lower in the training group (3/15) vs. the control
group (10/15)
•there was a significant increase in strength and speed in the training group

Positive effect on tendons
•Eccentric exercise = there is action of large forces on muscle-tendon transition
•When the acting force is greater than the muscle itself can create, there is a risk of damage to
muscle, tendon, insertion
•Eccentric training has a positive effect on muscle and tendon status = treatment of tendopathies
•Adaptation to eccentric training
•stimulation by eccentric exercise leads to collagen formation and increased fibroblastic activity
- tendon hypertrophy (better muscle-tendon transfer)
•tendon becomes stronger in tension - normalization of glycosaminoglycan levels
•increasing the energy absorbing capacity of the muscle - reducing the risk of excessive stretching
•

Chronic tendinopathy of Achilles tendon
• Painful tendon thickening
•
•Especially for runners due to tendon overload = degenerative process
•
•Symptoms:
•increased level of glycosaminoglycans,
•irregular structure and arrangement of fibers, no inflammation
•morning stiffness
•pain limiting movement - the greatest after exercise
•new formation of blood vessels
Achilles Tendon Injury
Mumbleau, 2013
Recommendation:
  Alfredson's exercise protocol
•  12 weeks, 3 x 15 reps, 2 times a day
•with straight and bent knee
•exercise is slow,
•we increase intensity when exercise is pain free (Habets et al, 2015)
http://www.anatomy-physiotherapy.com/images/articles/p3/f446/Publication1.png
Cuff, 2014

•Langsberg et al. - 12 soccer players (6 healthy controls, 6 with Achilles tendon, 12 weeks
eccentric exercise)
•
•confirmed the effectiveness of this type of treatment - eccentric exercise stimulates the
synthesis of type I collagen in the area of ​​the damaged tendon.
•as a result of the improvement of the tendon structure, pain increase and tendon adaptation to the
load also occur
•
•Fahlström et al. (2003) combination of eccentric exercise and stretching - application of 12 weeks
to patients with pain:
•
•middle part of the Achilles tendon (78 patients, 101 affected tendons)
•with tendon pain of this tendon (30 patients, 31 affected tendons)
•in the group of middle tendon pain, 89% of them experienced pain relief after treatment, and
returned to an earlier stage of activity
•the remaining 11% = women, higher BMI
•In patients with tendon tendon pain - 32% tendons improved
•
•the difference in the results of this group may be due to the different source of pain (bursa,
bone) and not the tendon (Fahlström et al., 2003).

•Bahr, et al. (2006) compared the effects of surgical treatment with eccentric training of patellar
tendinopathy
•35 patients, divided into two groups
•1. gr. surgical treatment with subsequent rehabilitation
•2. gr. eccentric strength training - squats on 25 ° inclined plate (3x15 - 2x daily, 12 weeks)
•The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) - (range 0 - 100), based on questionnaire
responses
•specially developed for patellar tendinopathy. three, six and twelve months of follow-up
•
•both improvement groups (p <0.001)
•the mean VISA score for both groups increased from 30 to 49 (95% CI, 42 to 55) at three months, 58
(95% CI, 51 to 65) at six months, and 70 (95% CI, 62-78) for twelve months
•there was no superior efficacy of surgical treatment compared to eccentric strength training

Jumpers knee - Patellar tendinopathy
•Typical of jumpers and sprinters - high demands on knee extensors
•Occurrence can be up to 50%
•Symptoms
•pain under the paw - especially after exercise (walking up stairs, jumps, squats)
•In the advanced stage of pain, the workload is disabled
•changes in tendon structure and vessel formation,
•inflammatory origin not proven
•
•Cause
•excessive tendon stress (high intensity exercise)
•
•Jonsson and Alfredson (2005) looked at the different efficacy of eccentric and concentric training
in 15 patients with long-term ligamentum patelae involvement. Training unit twice a day for 12
weeks)
•Eccentric and concentric training, one exercise, three series, 15 reps
•after 6 weeks the work of the concentric group was interrupted - without positive results
•eccentric training -l relieving pain and allowing a return to previous (pre-trauma) training
activity in 90% of patients.
•long-term effect after less than 3 years
Patellar tendinitis refers to pain and inflammation of the patellar tendon in the kneecap
http://www.aidmyachilles.com/tendon-muscle-injuries-in-the-leg/tendinitis-of-the-patellar-tendon.ph
p

Minimizing symptoms of Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
•Appears when the intensity or volume of an eccentric exercise suddenly increases, or an unusual
high intensity movement is performed (Nosaka, Newton, 2002)
•
•In athletics typically - downhill running, overspeed, endurance runs in the field
•Plyometric training
•Eccentric training for beginners
•Cause
•disrupting the sarcomere structure and damaging the excitation-contraction coupling mechanism
(Warren et al. in Proske, Morgan, 2001, p. 333)
•
•Typical symptoms
•decreased muscle strength
•increase in serum creatine kinase,
•damage to the muscle fiber structure,
•Inflammation,
•increasing the activity of proteolytic enzymes and pains (Stupka et al., 2001).
•
•minimization = eccentric exercise performed according to the principles of adequacy and sequence
(low intensity at the start of stimulation)
•symptoms of pain = result of poorly controlled training
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XvaPVCZM460/VLi9i4kI6oI/AAAAAAAAAgE/UfCLPxaM4vg/s1600/DOMS.png
http://rbhfitness.blogspot.cz/2015/01/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-doms.html

RISKS OF ECCENTRIC TRAINING
•Acute injury
•Exercise technique = 2/1, jumps
•If the muscle produces the same torque at both concentric and eccentric contractions, fewer motor
units are involved in eccentric contraction.
•greater risk of muscle and other connective tissue damage - fewer muscle units produce a given
strength, overload and easier injury to muscle (McHugh, 2003).
•
•More frequent damage = fast muscle fibers (Fridén et al. In McHugh, 2003).
•
•Chronic injuries
•Spine
•Joints
•Overload
•DOMS,
•Non-respect of training principles
•Overtraining

Trends and possibilities of using eccentric training
•Types of eccentric training according to Mike, Kerksick a Kravitz In: Horák, (2016)
• The recovery time between training sessions should be at least 24-48 hours (Nosaka, Newton,
2002).

•The Most Effective Eccentric Exercise For Progress For Athletes =
•Isotonic,
•Less Effective Isokinetic,
•Least Effective Isometric
•
•Bridgeman et al. recommends using SSC exercises for athletes whose performance has SSC character -
drop jump
•the length of contact with the pad should correspond optimally with the length of contact in the
competition conditions during the exercises

Conclusion
•
•significant physiological adaptations due to eccentric loading are manifested in both concentric
and eccentric muscle activities
•
•for sprinters to combine with training speed or supramaximal speed
•
•Specific performance requires specific adaptation and that specific stimulus = mechanics, energy,
coordination
•
•Eccentric training increases tendon strength and positively stimulates skeletal minerals
•
•Exc. Training acts as a prevention of hamstring injury, reduction of DOMS manifestations,
therapeutic effects on patellar tendinopathy and tendonopathy of Achilles tendon.
•
•Eccentric Exercises are recommended to include - the prerequisite for the application of eccentric
training is excellent strength preparation (concentric 1RM training), technical level and part of
the RTC