de Hoyo M, Pozzo M, Sañudo B, Carrasco L, Gonzalo-Skok O, Domínguez-Cobo S, Morán-Camacho E. Effects of a 10-week in-season eccentric-overload training program on muscle-injury prevention and performance in junior elite soccer players. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2015 Jan;10(1):46-52.
36 young players (U-17 to U-19) divided into 2 groups. One group conducted an additional eccentric overload training program with 1 or 2 sessions/week with 3-6 sets with 6 repetitions for 10 weeks while the other group followed the traditional trainings plan.
The eccentric overload training group had a lower injuries per 1000 hour match play and lower numbers of absence days per injury. The eccentric overload training group had better 10m flying sprint time and 20m sprint times. Countermovement jumps performance increased too in the eccentric overload training group.
Overall a full point win for eccentric overload training for muscle injury prevention as well as for increasing linear sprinting speed and jumping performance of junior elite soccer players.