Which Part of a Lift Delivers The Most Muscle Growth? New Research Has the Answer
We're big fans of eccentric training here at MH. In fact, we have several guides on how to focus on the eccentric phase of your lifts to increase muscle growth. So it's no surprise that a new review comparing eccentric and concentric training piqued our interest. Especially as the results challenge previous studies supporting the notion that the eccentric phase of the lift is indeed more hypertrophic compared to the concentric.
The Review
The review published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research systematically reviewed and analysed the effects of eccentric versus concentric muscle actions on muscle hypertrophy in healthy adults. When the muscle contracts and shortens, this is the concentric phase of the lift, when the muscle lengthens, this is the eccentric phase of the lift.
The Methods
The researchers analysed 26 studies involving 682 participants that compared concentric and eccentric training.
The Results
The findings showed no significant difference between eccentric and concentric muscle actions in promoting hypertrophy. The review suggests that eccentric and concentric muscle actions produce similar overall hypertrophy in healthy adults.
The Caveats and Limitations
It's important to note that eccentric training may offer advantages under specific conditions as shown in sub groups of the review. This was reflected in the studies included that had shorter training durations, which focused on upper limb muscles, and with certain assessment methods or contraction types. The way we load the eccentric phase of the lift is integral in determining the results. Therefore, further research is needed due to the very low quality evidence included and high variability between studies.
The review's suggestions conflict with previous studies favouring eccentric training for muscle growth. For example, a previous study published in Sports Medicine found that we are more capable of loading the muscle in the eccentric phase of the lift and can generate up to 40% more force than the concentric. Meaning, since we are stronger during the eccentric phase of lifts, we can create more mechanical tension which is a prime driver in muscle growth.
We should therefore still focus on controlling the portion of lifts where the muscle lengthens and technique that encourages full range of motion if our goals are muscle growth. The new review still has merit in informing our training methods, however for now until more research is conducted, we should train in line with what the majority of data has to say.
You Might Also Like
