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Effects of strength training with eccentric overload on muscle adaptation in male athletes

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Abstract

In classic concentric/eccentric exercise, the same absolute load is applied in concentric and eccentric actions, which infers a smaller relative eccentric load. We compared the effects of 6 weeks of classic concentric/eccentric quadriceps strength training (CON/ECC, 11 subjects) to eccentric overload training (CON/ECC+, 14 subjects) in athletes accustomed to regular strength training. The parameters determined included functional tests, quadriceps and fibre cross-sectional area (CSA), fibre type distribution by ATPase staining, localisation of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform mRNAs by situ hybridization and the steady-state levels of 48 marker mRNAs (RT-PCR) in vastus lateralis biopsies taken before and after training. Both training forms had anabolic effects with significant increases in quadriceps CSA, maximal strength, ribosomal RNA content and the levels of mRNAs involved in growth and regeneration. Only the CON/ECC+ training led to significantly increased height in a squat jump test. This was accompanied by significant increases in IIX fibre CSA, in the percentage of type IIA fibres expressing MHC IIx mRNA, in the level of mRNAs preferentially expressed in fast, glycolytic fibres, and in post-exercise capillary lactate. The enhanced eccentric load apparently led to a subtly faster gene expression pattern and induced a shift towards a faster muscle phenotype plus associated adaptations that make a muscle better suited for fast, explosive movements.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Judith Strunz for excellent assistance with RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. This investigation was supported by a Grant from the Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft, Bonn, Germany (VF: 07/05/66/2004-2005).

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Medicine, Medical Clinic, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 710, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Birgit Friedmann-Bette, Timm Bauer, Konstanze Klute, Dirk Bischoff & Peter Bärtsch

  2. Section Macroscopic Anatomy III, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Ralf Kinscherf & Silke Vorwald

  3. Olympic Training Centre, Heidelberg, Germany

    Helmut Müller

  4. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Marc-André Weber & Hans-Ulrich Kauczor

  5. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology III, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Jürgen Metz

  6. Centre for Integrated Systems Biology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

    Rudolf Billeter

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  1. Birgit Friedmann-Bette
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  2. Timm Bauer
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  3. Ralf Kinscherf
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  4. Silke Vorwald
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  10. Hans-Ulrich Kauczor
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  11. Peter Bärtsch
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  12. Rudolf Billeter
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Correspondence to Birgit Friedmann-Bette.

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Communicated by Jaap van Dieen.

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Friedmann-Bette, B., Bauer, T., Kinscherf, R. et al. Effects of strength training with eccentric overload on muscle adaptation in male athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol 108, 821–836 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1292-2

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