Maeo, S., Balshaw, T.G., Nin, D.Z. et al. (7 more authors) (2024) Hamstrings Hypertrophy Is Specific to the Training Exercise: Nordic Hamstring versus Lengthened State Eccentric Training. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 56 (10). pp. 1893-1905. ISSN 0195-9131
Abstract
Introduction The hamstring muscles play a crucial role in sprint running but are also highly susceptible to strain injuries, particularly within the biceps femoris long head (BFlh). This study compared the adaptations in muscle size and strength of the knee flexors, as well as BFlh muscle and aponeurosis size, after two eccentrically focused knee flexion training regimes: Nordic hamstring training (NHT) vs lengthened state eccentric training (LSET, isoinertial weight stack resistance in an accentuated hip-flexed position) vs habitual activity (no training controls: CON).
Methods Forty-two healthy young males completed 34 sessions of NHT or LSET over 12 wk or served as CON (n = 14/group). Magnetic resonance imaging-measured muscle volume of seven individual knee flexors and BFlh aponeurosis area, and maximum knee flexion torque during eccentric, concentric, and isometric contractions were assessed pre- and post-training.
Results LSET induced greater increases in hamstrings (+18% vs +11%) and BFlh (+19% vs +5%) muscle volumes and BFlh aponeurosis area (+9% vs +3%) than NHT (all P ≤ 0.001), with no changes after CON. There were distinctly different patterns of hypertrophy between the two training regimes, largely due to the functional role of the muscles; LSET was more effective for increasing the size of knee flexors that also extend the hip (2.2-fold vs NHT), whereas NHT increased the size of knee flexors that do not extend the hip (1.9-fold vs LSET; both P ≤ 0.001). Changes in maximum eccentric torque differed only between LSET and CON (+17% vs +4%; P = 0.009), with NHT (+11%) inbetween.
Conclusions These results suggest that LSET is superior to NHT in inducing overall hamstrings and BFlh hypertrophy, potentially contributing to better sprint performance improvements and protection against hamstring strain injuries than NHT.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Sports Medicine. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non CommercialNo Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. |
Keywords: | muscle volume; aponeurosis size; eccentric strength |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 21 May 2025 14:21 |
Last Modified: | 21 May 2025 14:21 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wolters Kluwer |
Identification Number: | 10.1249/mss.0000000000003490 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:226448 |
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