Cardiovascular responses induced during high-intensity eccentric and concentric isokinetic muscle contraction in healthy young adults.

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in cardiovascular response between high-intensity eccentric (ECC) and concentric (CON) contractions, and to obtain the basic data applicable to resistance training in middle-aged and elderly individuals. The subjects who participated in this study were nine healthy men (age 24.1 +/- 1.3 years). ECC and CON were randomly selected, as each test consisted of a high-intensity (80% of peak torque) bout of 60 s of ECC and CON isokinetic contractions of the flexor carpi radialis. Systolic pressure (SBP), diastolic pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) during ECC and CON were measured using a Finometer. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was calculated by SBP and DBP. Rate-pressure product (RPP) was calculated by SBP and HR. SBP, DBP, MAP and RPP during ECC were significantly smaller compared with CON. It is clear that cardiovascular response by high-intensity contraction is smaller in ECC than in CON. High-intensity ECC has been suggested to exert only small stress to the cardiovascular system. Thus, being a contraction mode it may be applicable to resistance training.