Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of sensorimotor training on the rate of force development and neural activation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ability to generate high muscular strength within short time periods is of functional importance not only as a basic quality in many sports disciplines but also for active stabilization of joints. The rate of force development (RFD) is generally used to describe this ability. The purpose of the present study was to examine the functional adaptations of a specific sensorimotor training on the explosive strength qualities of the leg extensor muscles during maximum isometric actions. Force and surface EMG were recorded in 17 subjects before and after a 4-week sensorimotor training period. Maximum static leg press strength did not change [608.2 (47.0) N to 627.8 (48.4) N before/after training], whereas maximum RFD (RFDmax) increased significantly from 4.95 (0.48) N/ms to 6.58 (0.76) N/ms (P<0.05). The gain in RFDmax was accompanied by an increased EMG of the M. vastus medialis. Enhancement of neuromuscular activation was only prominent in the early phases of muscular action. Neither force nor EMG parameters revealed significant improvements for time phases beyond 100 ms following the onset of isometric action. Enhanced extrafacilitatory drive from the afferent system is discussed as a potential mechanism for the improved neural activation. From a more functional point of view, this type of adaptation may be helpful in various sport performances. Moreover, with regard to injury related situations, enhanced neuromuscular activation is of distinct relevance in order to stiffen joint complexes actively within short time periods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aagaard P, Simonsen EB, Andersen JL, Magnusson P, Dyhre-Poulsen P (2002a) Increased rate of force development and neural drive of human skeletal muscle following resistance training. J Appl Physiol 93:1318–1326

    Google Scholar 

  • Aagaard P, Simonsen EB, Andersen JL, Magnusson P, Dyhre-Poulsen P (2002b) Neural adaptation to resistance training: changes in evoked V-wave and H-reflex responses. J Appl Physiol 92:2309–2318

    Google Scholar 

  • Alt W, Lohrer H, Gollhofer A (1999) Functional properties of adhesive ankle taping: neuromuscular and mechanical effects before and after exercise. Foot Ankle Int 20:238–245

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bloem BR, Allum JH, Carpenter MG, Honegger F (2000) Is lower leg proprioception essential for triggering human automatic postural responses? Exp Brain Res 130:375–391

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buller AJ, Lewis DM (1965) The rate of tension development in isometric contractions of mammalian fast and slow skeletal muscle. J Physiol (Lond) 176:337–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke RE, Rudomin P, Zajac FE III (1970) Catch property in single mammalian motor units. Science 168:122–124

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Capaday C, Stein RB (1987) Difference in the amplitude of the human soleus H reflex during walking and running. J Physiol (Lond) 392:513–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Caraffa A, Cerulli G, Projetti M, Aisa G, Rizzo A (1996) Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in soccer. A prospective controlled study of proprioceptive training. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 4:19–21

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Casabona A, Polizzi MC, Perciavalle V (1990) Differences in H-reflex between athletes trained for explosive contractions and non-trained subjects. Eur J Appl Physiol 61:26–32

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Desmedt JE, Godaux E (1977) Ballistic contractions in man: characteristic recruitment pattern of single motor units of the tibialis anterior muscle. J Physiol (Lond) 264:673–693

    Google Scholar 

  • Duchateau J, Hainaut K (2003) Mechanisms of muscle and motor unit adaptation to explosive power training. In: Komi PV (ed) Strength and power in sport. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 315–330

  • Edamura M, Yang JF, Stein RB (1991) Factors that determine the magnitude and time course of human H-reflexes in locomotion. J Neurosci 11:420–427

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garland SJ, Miles TS (1997) Control of motor units in human flexor digitorum profundus under different proprioceptive conditions. J Physiol (Lond) 502: 693–701

    Google Scholar 

  • Gollhofer A (2003) Proprioceptive training: considerations for strength and power production. In: Komi PV (ed) Strength and power in sport. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 331–342

  • Gollhofer A, Komi PV, Fujitsuka N, Miyashita M (1987) Fatigue during stretch-shortening cycle exercises. II. Changes in neuromuscular activation patterns of human skeletal muscle. Int J Sports Med 8 Suppl 1:38–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Gollhofer A, Strojnik V, Rapp W, Schweizer L (1992) Behaviour of triceps surae muscle-tendon complex in different jump conditions. Eur J Appl Physiol 64:283–291

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grabiner MD (1994) Maximum rate of force development is increased by antagonist conditioning contraction. J Appl Physiol 77:807–811

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grimby L, Hannerz J, Hedman B (1981) The fatigue and voluntary discharge properties of single motor units in man. J Physiol (Lond) 316:545–554

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruber M (2001) Die neuromuskuläre Kontrolle des Kniegelenks vor und nach einem spezifischen sensomotorischen Training beim unverletzten Sportler. Dissertation, Stuttgart University

  • Gruber M, Bruhn S, Gollhofer A (2000) Training induced adaptions of functional stability of the knee joint. In: Proceedings of the 5th annual congress of the European College of Sport Science, Jyväskylä, Finland, 19–23 July 2000, p 296

  • Hakkinen K, Komi PV (1983) Electromyographic changes during strength training and detraining. Med Sci Sports Exerc 15:455–460

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hakkinen K, Komi PV (1986) Training-induced changes in neuromuscular performance under voluntary and reflex conditions. Eur J Appl Physiol 55:147–155

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hakkinen K, Komi PV, Alen M (1985) Effect of explosive type strength training on isometric force- and relaxation-time, electromyographic and muscle fibre characteristics of leg extensor muscles. Acta Physiol Scand 125:587–600

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hakkinen K, Kallinen M, Izquierdo M, Jokelainen K, Lassila H, Malkia E, Kraemer WJ, Newton RU, Alen M (1998) Changes in agonist-antagonist EMG, muscle CSA, and force during strength training in middle-aged and older people. J Appl Physiol 84:1341–1349

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi R, Tako K, Tokuda T, Yanagisawa N (1992) Comparison of amplitude of human soleus H-reflex during sitting and standing. Neurosci Res 13:227–233

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henneman E, Somjem G, Carpenter DO (1965) Functional significance of cell size in spinal motoneurons. J Neurophysiol 28:560–580

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hultborn H, Meunier S, Pierrot-Deseilligny E, Shindo M (1987) Changes in presynaptic inhibition of Ia fibres at the onset of voluntary contraction in man. J Physiol (Lond) 389:757–772

    Google Scholar 

  • Komi PV (1984) Physiological and biomechanical correlates of muscle function: effects of muscle structure and stretch-shortening cycle on force and speed. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 12:81–121

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Konradsen L, Olesen S, Hansen HM (1998) Ankle sensorimotor control and eversion strength after acute ankle inversion injuries. Am J Sports Med 26:72–77

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kukulka CG, Clamann HP (1981) Comparison of the recruitment and discharge properties of motor units in human brachial biceps and adductor pollicis during isometric contractions. Brain Res 219:45–55

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Llewellyn M, Yang JF, Prochazka A (1990) Human H-reflexes are smaller in difficult beam walking than in normal treadmill walking. Exp Brain Res 83:22–28

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacDougall JD, Elder GC, Sale DG, Moroz JR, Sutton JR (1980) Effects of strength training and immobilization on human muscle fibres. Eur J Appl Physiol 43:25–34

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Macefield VG, Gandevia SC, Bigland-Ritchie B, Gorman RB, Burke D (1993) The firing rates of human motoneurones voluntarily activated in the absence of muscle afferent feedback. J Physiol (Lond) 471:429–443

    Google Scholar 

  • Maffiuletti NA, Martin A, Babault N, Pensini M, Lucas B, Schieppati M (2001) Electrical and mechanical H(max)-to-M(max) ratio in power- and endurance-trained athletes. J Appl Physiol 90:3-9

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Metzger JM, Moss RL (1990a) Calcium-sensitive cross-bridge transitions in mammalian fast and slow skeletal muscle fibers. Science 247:1088–1090

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Metzger JM, Moss RL (1990b) pH modulation of the kinetics of a Ca2(+)-sensitive cross-bridge state transition in mammalian single skeletal muscle fibres. J Physiol (Lond) 428:751–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Meunier S, Pierrot-Deseilligny E (1989) Gating of the afferent volley of the monosynaptic stretch reflex during movement in man. J Physiol (Lond) 419:753–763

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RG, Mirka A, Maxfield M (1981) Rate of tension development in isometric contractions of a human hand muscle. Exp Neurol 73:267–285

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milner-Brown HS, Stein RB, Lee RG (1975) Synchronization of human motor units: possible roles of exercise and supraspinal reflexes. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 38:245–254

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moritani T (1993) Neuromuscular adaptations during the acquisition of muscle strength, power and motor tasks. J Biomech 26 [Suppl 1]:95–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Narici MV, Hoppeler H, Kayser B, Landoni L, Claassen H, Gavardi C, Conti M, Cerretelli P (1996) Human quadriceps cross-sectional area, torque and neural activation during 6 months strength training. Acta Physiol Scand 157:175–186

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson AG (1996) Supramaximal activation increases motor unit velocity of unloaded shortening. J Appl Biomech 12:285–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen J, Crone C, Hultborn H (1993) H-reflexes are smaller in dancers from The Royal Danish Ballet than in well-trained athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol 66:116–121

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rochcongar P, Dassonville J, Le Bars R (1979) Modification of the Hoffmann reflex in function of athletic training. Eur J Appl Physiol 40:165–170

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rozzi SL, Lephart SM, Sterner R, Kuligowski L (1999) Balance training for persons with functionally unstable ankles. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 29:478–486

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sale DG, MacDougall JD, Upton AR, McComas AJ (1983) Effect of strength training upon motoneuron excitability in man. Med Sci Sports Exerc 15:57–62

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidtbleicher D, Haralambie G (1981) Changes in contractile properties of muscle after strength training in man. Eur J Appl Physiol 46:221–228

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Semmler JG (2002) Motor unit synchronization and neuromuscular performance. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 30:8–14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Semmler JG, Nordstrom MA (1998) Motor unit discharge and force tremor in skill- and strength-trained individuals. Exp Brain Res 119:27–38

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sheth P, Yu B, Laskowski ER, An KN (1997) Ankle disk training influences reaction times of selected muscles in a simulated ankle sprain. Am J Sports Med 25:538–543

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simonsen EB, Dyhre-Poulsen P (1999) Amplitude of the human soleus H reflex during walking and running. J Physiol (Lond) 515:929–939

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinkjaer T, Andersen JB, Ladouceur M, Christensen LO, Nielsen JB (2000) Major role for sensory feedback in soleus EMG activity in the stance phase of walking in man. J Physiol (Lond) 523:817–827

    Google Scholar 

  • Staron RS, Malicky ES, Leonardi MJ, Falkel JE, Hagerman FC, Dudley GA (1990) Muscle hypertrophy and fast fiber type conversions in heavy resistance-trained women. Eur J Appl Physiol 60:71–79

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Staron RS, Leonardi MJ, Karapondo DL, Malicky ES, Falkel JE, Hagerman FC, Hikida RS (1991) Strength and skeletal muscle adaptations in heavy-resistance-trained women after detraining and retraining. J Appl Physiol 70:631–640

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trimble MH, Koceja DM (1994) Modulation of the triceps surae H-reflex with training. Int J Neurosci 76:293–303

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trimble MH, Koceja DM (2001) Effect of a reduced base of support in standing and balance training on the soleus H-reflex. Int J Neurosci 106:1–20

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vallbo AB, Hagbarth KE, Torebjork HE, Wallin BG (1979) Somatosensory, proprioceptive, and sympathetic activity in human peripheral nerves. Physiol Rev 59:919–957

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Cutsem M, Duchateau J, Hainaut K (1998) Changes in single motor unit behaviour contribute to the increase in contraction speed after dynamic training in humans. J Physiol (Lond) 513:295–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Voigt M, Chelli F, Frigo C (1998) Changes in the excitability of soleus muscle short latency stretch reflexes during human hopping after 4 weeks of hopping training. Eur J Appl Physiol 78:522–532

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Schwarzwaldstrasse 175, 79117 , Freiburg, Germany

    Markus Gruber & Albert Gollhofer

Authors
  1. Markus Gruber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Albert Gollhofer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Markus Gruber.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gruber, M., Gollhofer, A. Impact of sensorimotor training on the rate of force development and neural activation. Eur J Appl Physiol 92, 98–105 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1080-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1080-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation