<![CDATA[This study aimed to examine the effect of an eccentric training program on hamstring muscle strength in badminton athletes. An experimental method with a pretest–posttest control group design was employed. Twelve badminton players (age: 20.00 ± 0.60 years; body mass: 67.56 ± 8.68 kg; height: 170.16 ± 9.75 cm) from the Badminton Student Activity Unit (UKM) of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia participated in the study. Six athletes were assigned to the experimental group (ECC), which received an eccentric training intervention, while the remaining six athletes were assigned to the control group (CON), which continued with conventional training. Participants were selected using purposive sampling based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) active students competing in the UPI badminton UKM competitive category and (2) regular attendance in badminton training sessions. Athletes were excluded if they experienced lower-extremity pain, had a current injury, or were undergoing rehabilitation following a lower-body injury. Hamstring muscle strength was assessed using the Unilateral 90° Isometric Hamstring Test performed on a force plate. The eccentric training program was administered for six weeks, consisting of 12 training sessions. The results revealed a significant increase in hamstring muscle strength in the ECC group following the intervention (p = 0.001). Furthermore, the mean gain score was significantly greater in the ECC group compared with the CON group. These findings suggest that eccentric training is an effective method for improving hamstring muscle strength in badminton athletes.]]>
