Chronic Adaptations to Eccentric Cycling Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study aimed to investigate the effects of eccentric cycling (ECC(CYC)) training on performance, physiological, and morphological parameters in comparison to concentric cycling (CON(CYC)) training. Searches were conducted using PubMed, Embase, and ScienceDirect. Studies comparing the effect of ECC(CYC) and CON(CYC) training regimens on performance, physiological, and/or morphological parameters were included. Bayesian multilevel meta-analysis models were used to estimate the population’s mean difference between chronic responses from ECC(CYC) and CON(CYC) training protocols. Group levels and meta-regression were used to evaluate the specific effects of subjects and study characteristics. Fourteen studies were included in this review. The meta-analyses showed that ECC(CYC) training was more effective in increasing knee extensor strength, vastus lateralis fiber cross-sectional area, and six-minute walking distance compared to CON(CYC). Moreover, ECC(CYC) was as effective as CON(CYC) in decreasing body fat percentage. CON(CYC) was more effective in increasing [Formula: see text] and peak power output attained during concentric incremental tests. However, group-level analyses revealed that ECC(CYC) was more effective than CON(CYC) in improving [Formula: see text] in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases. ECC(CYC) is a viable modality for exercise interventions aiming to improve parameters of muscle strength, hypertrophy, functional capacity, aerobic power, and body composition, with more advantages than CON(CYC) training in improving neuromuscular variables.