Written by Erin Yeh
Muscle soreness is commonly thought to be part of building muscle size, strength and performance, but new research says otherwise. Alternatively, “eccentric exercise” may yield better results compared to strenuous training that causes muscle damage and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
“You can gain strength without feeling fatigued,” said Ken Nosaka, a professor in the School of Medical and Health Sciences and director of exercise and sports sciences at Edith Cowan University in Australia. “So you get more benefit for less effort.” In a press release. In a study published in Journal of Sports and Health Sciences (DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2026.101126), Nosaka examined the benefits of eccentric exercise and urged more research into how it contributes to overall health.
What exactly is an eccentric exercise?
Muscle contractions fall into three categories: isometric, concentric, and eccentric. Eccentric muscle contractions occur when muscles are lengthened, usually during the reduction phase of a movement, such as lowering dumbbells and walking downstairs. In eccentric muscle contractions, the muscle produces less force than the load it is resisting, and thus lengthens under tension. Conversely, during concentric contractions, the muscle generates a greater force from the load, which causes it to shorten. In isometric contractions, the muscle produces a force equal to the load, so the length does not change. The difference between an eccentric exercise and a standard exercise is the emphasis on the extension (eccentric) phase of the movement, giving that part of the movement a longer duration. Unlike concentric and isometric exercises, eccentric exercise allows greater mechanical loading with less effort, making it ideal for strength development and rehabilitation. These movements also tend to cause less fatigue, enabling people to perform more repetitions at the same relative intensity and experience smaller decreases in strength during repeated maximal efforts. In addition, eccentric exercises can be used by a wide range of people, regardless of age, health conditions and activity levels.
“These movements reflect what we actually do in our daily lives,” Nosaka said. “This makes it practical, realistic and easy to adhere to.”
However, eccentric exercises require more focus and control, which places a higher cognitive load on the person performing them. However, the benefits of eccentric exercise are promising. Nosaka writes that eccentric exercise should be standard practice, common, accessible, and widely accepted as the “new normal” of exercise for improved life performance and high (athletic) performance.
Eccentric exercises for everyone
For the elderly, sick and sedentary people, eccentric exercises are suitable for most of their physical activity needs due to their low intensity and ease of access. Nosaka wrote that a study conducted by a team of researchers from National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei University, and Edith Kuan University had obese elderly women walk downstairs twice a week for 12 weeks (Medicine and science in sports and exerciseDigital ID: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001267). Participants were divided into two groups: descending stairs walking (DSW) and ascending stairs walking (ASW). For the DSW group, they used the elevator to avoid taking the stairs while the ASW group took the stairs.
The results of that study revealed improved cardiovascular function, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels, as well as increased isometric contraction strength, in the DSW group. Nosaka stressed that the study showed that it is possible to introduce stair walking without muscle damage by gradually increasing the exercise load. Future research is recommended to explore the mechanisms of the effects of eccentric exercise compared to other types of exercise.
For athletes, eccentric exercise training plays an important role in improving strength, power, speed, and change-of-direction performance while also reducing the risk of injury. It results in specific adaptations in both muscles and connective tissue that are particularly beneficial for movements that involve slowing down and absorbing force common in many sports. Furthermore, eccentric strength training produced similar improvements in concentric and isometric strength. This suggests that eccentricity-focused training can broadly enhance neuromuscular function, which is critical for athletic performance. However, it is still unclear whether eccentric training alone is sufficient to fully improve sport-specific performance, as athletes also need to train movements unique to their sport. More research is needed to better understand how eccentric training leads to these neuromuscular adaptations.
Nosaka also cited a study from European Journal of Applied Physiology (DOI: 10.1007/s00421-025-05989-7), in which a team of researchers from Edith Cowan University had participants engage in a five-minute eccentric exercise routine over an eight-week period. The routine included chair squats, wall push-ups, reclining in a chair, and heel dips, exercises that did not require special equipment. The results not only showed improvements in muscle strength, flexibility and mental health, but also showed 90% of participants were motivated to continue exercising regularly after the study. This promotes a smoother transition from sedentary to active for people who are just starting to exercise and reduces the chances of decreased motivation. “When exercise feels doable, people keep doing it,” Nosaka commented.
With its low intensity, easy accessibility, and improvements in muscle strength and performance, eccentric exercise is a convenient form of physical activity that has significant benefits and promising long-term effects. Nosaka described the eccentric exercises as “the perfect intervention” for everyone.
