Concentric vs Eccentric BFR Training: Which Builds More Muscle?

Effects of blood flow restricted low-intensity concentric or eccentric training on muscle size and strength.

Yasuda T, Loenneke JP, Thiebaud RS, Abe T.

Ever wondered whether the type of muscle contraction matters in blood flow restriction training? A revealing study in PLOS ONE compares two different approaches to building muscle with BFR.

The Big Picture: Researchers compared concentric (shortening) and eccentric (lengthening) muscle contractions during blood flow restriction training to see which produces better results for muscle growth and strength.

What They Did: Ten young men performed dumbbell curls for 6 weeks:

• 30% of maximum strength

• 4 sets, 75 total reps

• 3 sessions per week

• One arm did concentric BFR, the other eccentric BFR

Key Findings:

1. Immediate Effects:

   • Concentric BFR: 11.7% acute muscle thickness increase

   • Eccentric BFR: 3.9% acute muscle thickness increase

   • Higher muscle activation during concentric movements

2. Long-term Results (After 6 Weeks):

   • Concentric BFR: 12.5% muscle volume increase

   • Eccentric BFR: 2.9% muscle volume increase

   • Strength increased 8.6% with concentric vs 3.8% with eccentric

3. Muscle Growth Patterns:

   • Concentric BFR showed greater muscle swelling

   • More consistent growth throughout the arm

   • Better overall strength improvements

What This Means for Practice: These findings suggest:

• Concentric BFR may be more effective for muscle growth

• Muscle swelling could be a key growth signal

• Traditional BFR protocols focusing on concentric movement are supported

The Bottom Line: When it comes to BFR training, focusing on the concentric (lifting) portion appears to produce better results for both muscle growth and strength gains.

Link to original research