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Prepubescent males are less susceptible to neuromuscular fatigue following resistance exercise

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Abstract

Purpose

To determine if prepubescent and adult males have similar fatigue profiles following high and lower intensity knee extensions.

Methods

Ten male children and ten adults completed two sessions of three sets of high repetition (17 typical muscle endurance training) high repetition (High RM) or low repetition (seven typical strength training) maximum (Low RM) dynamic knee extensions. Voluntary and evoked contractile properties, heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were assessed before and after each knee extension RM.

Results

Knee extension RM measures revealed that boys performed more (children set 2, 6.7 ± 0.5; set 3, 5.7 ± 0.5 vs. adult set 2, 5.2 ± 0.4; set 3, 3.5 ± 0.5; P < 0.001) repetitions, had a faster (children 39.9 ± 8.6 vs. adult 9.4 ± 3.7 bpm; P < 0.001) HR recovery and lower (6.4 ± 0.43; P < 0.001) RPE compared to adults (8.0 ± 0.4). Post-knee extension measures also revealed a smaller MVC force decrement (P < 0.001) with boys (94.3 % ±6.1 vs. 76.3 % ±4.1). Unlike adults, there were no significant decrements to children’s evoked contractile properties or EMG. The greater boys’ antagonist activation (children 125.7 % ±9.2 vs. adult: 103.5 % ±6.7; P < 0.001) post-knee extension would suggest muscle coordination changes as a primary mechanism for MVC force decrements. The lower RPE and similar agonist EMG activity may also indicate an inability of boys to perceive or produce a maximal effort.

Conclusion

Independent of High or Low RM knee extensions, boys had greater neuromuscular fatigue resistance and recovered faster than adults.

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Acknowledgments

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada partially funded this research.

Conflict of interest

There were no conflicts of interest for any authors involved with this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s Newfoundland, A1C 5S7, Canada

    Justin R. Murphy, Duane C. Button & David G. Behm

  2. National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia

    Anis Chaouachi

Authors
  1. Justin R. Murphy
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  2. Duane C. Button
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  3. Anis Chaouachi
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  4. David G. Behm
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David G. Behm.

Additional information

Communicated by William J. Kraemer.

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Murphy, J.R., Button, D.C., Chaouachi, A. et al. Prepubescent males are less susceptible to neuromuscular fatigue following resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 825–835 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2809-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2809-2

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