Abstract
An interesting finding from eccentric exercise training interventions is the presence
of muscle hypertrophy without changes in maximum concentric strength and/or power.
The lack of improvements in concentric strength and/or power could be due to long
lasting suppressive effects on muscle force production following eccentric training.
Thus, improvements in concentric strength and/or power might not be detected until
muscle tissue has recovered (e. g., several weeks post-training). We evaluated alterations
in muscular structure (rectus-femoris, RF, and vastus lateralis, VL, thickness and
pennation angles) and maximum concentric cycling power (Pmax) 1-week following 8-weeks of eccentric cycling training (2×/week; 5–10.5 min; 20–55%
of Pmax). Pmax was assessed again at 8-weeks post-training. At 1 week post-training, RF and VL thickness
increased by 24±4% and 13±2%, respectively, and RF and VL pennation angles increased
by 31±4% and 13±1%, respectively (all P<0.05). Compared to pre-training values, Pmax increased by 5±1% and 9±2% at 1 and 8 weeks post-training, respectively (both P<0.05). These results demonstrate that short-duration high-intensity eccentric cycling
can be a time-effective intervention for improving muscular structure and function
in the lower body of healthy individuals. The larger Pmax increase detected at 8-weeks post-training implies that sufficient recovery might
be necessary to fully detect changes in muscular power after eccentric cycling training.
Key words
eccentric muscle contraction - strength training - force suppression - quadriceps
hypertrophy - muscular power
