Muscle preservation in long duration space missions: The eccentric factor

In our quest to understand, and eventually prevent, the loss of muscle strength and mass that occurs during prolonged periods in microgravity, we have organized our research approach by systems and useful terrestrial analogs. Our hypothesis was that: The eccentric movement, or lengthening component, of dynamic, resistive exercise, is required for the production of the greatest gains in strength and muscle hypertrophy in the most metabolically efficient, and time effective manner. The exercises selected were leg presses, leg (knee) extensions, and hamstring curls. In this 30 week study, 38 male subjects, between the ages of 25 and 50, were divided into four groups. One group performed 5 sets of 8-12 repetitions per set of conventional concentric/eccentric (CON/ECC) exercises. Another group performed only the concentric (CON) movement on the same schedule. The third group performed twice the number of sets in the concentric only mode (CON/CON), and the last group served as controls. We interpret these data as convincing evidence that the eccentric component of heavy resistance training is required along with the concentric for the most effective increase in strength and muscle fiber size in the least time. We also conclude that such heavy exercise of any such muscle group need not consume inordinately long periods of time, and is quite satisfactorily effective when performed on 72 hour centers.