Research
Mixed
Eccentric exercise induces greater muscle damage than concentric or isometric exercise, but this damage does not necessarily translate to greater hypertrophy compared to equated volume concentric training.
Include eccentric phases in your training, but do not overemphasize them at the expense of overall volume and intensity. Both concentric and eccentric actions contribute to hypertrophy, and you do not need to prioritize eccentrics exclusively to see results.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
Although concentric and isometric actions contribute to EIMD, the greatest damage to muscle tissue is seen with eccentric exercise... However, several studies have failed to show any hypertrophic benefit associated with eccentric actions... and there is even some research indicating that concentric training may in fact promote greater muscle growth.
Why this rating
The paper cites conflicting studies, with some showing eccentric superiority and others showing no difference or concentric superiority.
Source
Does Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage Play a Role in Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy?
Brad J. Schöenfeld · The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · 2012
DOI 10.1519/jsc.0b013e31824f207e
narrative_reviewCited 237×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is not a necessary condition for skeletal muscle hypertrophy, as hypertrophy occurs in the relative absence of muscle damage and is driven by mechanical tension and metabolic stress.Good
- Inflammation and muscle damage may play a role in satellite cell activation and hypertrophy, but mechanical stimuli alone can also initiate satellite cell proliferation without damage.Moderate
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This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →