Adaptations to eccentric training

Eccentric exercise training, whereby muscles generate significant tension whilst lengthening, evoke broad ranging adaptations in the musculotendinous system that differ from training where predominately isometric or concentric actions are performed. This provides the opportunity for prioritising eccentric training in order to evoke specific adaptations in both healthy and clinical populations, when needed. However, whilst some understanding of changes in contractile and non-contractile constituents has been developed, debate surrounds the precise adaptations at both sarcomere and whole muscle levels (including regulation of sarcomere number and thus fibre length change), and how these influence the process of muscle function (including aspects of muscle gearing and history dependent effects such as residual force enhancement). The purpose of this presentation is to detail our current understanding of the musculotendinous adaptations to eccentric training, with a specific aim of highlighting gaps in our knowledge and considering the relationship between structural and functional changes.