Even if you only train one way—like pushing weights up—your body still learns to handle hard eccentric movements without damage, suggesting the adaptation is whole-body, not just local.
Scientific Claim
The repeated bout effect in eccentric exercise is not limited to the trained muscle group but may reflect a systemic adaptation, as concentric training alone did not induce damage biomarkers after 10 weeks despite identical training volume.
Original Statement
“After the 10th week of training, no alterations in muscle damage biomarkers were observed after either exercise protocol.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
probability
Can suggest probability/likelihood
Assessment Explanation
The study does not measure systemic factors (e.g., neural drive, hormonal response), so claiming 'systemic adaptation' infers beyond measured data.
More Accurate Statement
“The absence of muscle damage biomarkers in the concentric-only group after 10 weeks of training suggests that systemic factors may contribute to the repeated bout effect, though the mechanism remains unclear.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Eccentric exercise per se does not affect muscle damage biomarkers: early and late phase adaptations
Even if you only did exercises that push your muscles (not stretch them), after doing them enough times, your body stopped getting sore or damaged—meaning your whole body learned to handle the stress, not just the muscles you trained.