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Effects of 4-weeks of elastic variable resistance training on the electrochemical and mechanical components of voluntary electromechanical delay durations

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Literature is conflicted on whether electromechanical delay durations decrease following resistance training programs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the contributions and durations of the electrochemical (EMDE-M) and mechanical (EMDM-F) components to the overall electromechanical delay (EMDE-F) during step isometric muscle actions following 4-weeks of structured, multi-joint, lower-body variable resistance training (VRT) program.

Methods

Twelve men performed 4-weeks of VRT leg press training utilizing combination of steel plates (80% total load) and elastic bands (20% total load). Training consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions at a 10 repetition maximum load, 3 day week−1 for 4-weeks. EMDE-M, EMDM-F, and EMDE-F was measured at Baseline, Week-2, and Week-4 during voluntary step isometric muscle actions (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction) from the vastus lateralis using electromyographic, mechanomyographic, and force signals.

Results

The EMDE-M, EMDM-F, and EMDE-F exhibited decreases in duration following 4-weeks of VRT. In addition, EMDE-M contributed significantly less (42–47%) than EMDM-F (53–58%) to the total duration of EMDE-F across the 4-weeks of VRT.

Conclusions

These findings indicated that a structured, VRT program utilizing multi-joint exercise was sufficient to induce decreases in the electrochemical and mechanical processes associated with step isometric muscle contractions. In addition, the utilization of the electromyographic, mechanomyographic, and force signals were capable of quantifying electrochemical and mechanical component changes associated with voluntary muscle contraction. Thus, EMDE-M, EMDM-F, and EMDE-F can be useful in quantifying physiological changes in athletic, clinical, and applied research interventions.

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Data availability

Contact the PI with a request for access to the data and material presented within this manuscript.

Abbreviations

1-RM:

One repetition maximum

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

DCER:

Dynamic constant external resistance

EMD:

Electromechanical delay

EMDE-F :

Onset of the electromyographic signal to the onset of the force signal

EMDE-M :

Onset of the electromyographic signal to the onset of the mechanomyographic signal

EMDM-F :

Onset of the mechanomyographic signal to the onset of the force signal

EMG:

Electromyography

Hz:

Hertz

MMG:

Mechanomyography

MVIC:

Maximal voluntary isometric contraction

RF:

Rectus femoris

VM:

Vastus medialis

VL:

Vastus lateralis

VRT:

Variable resistance training

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants for their time and dedication to the study.

Funding

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human & Environmental Physiology Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX, 79968, USA

    Cory M. Smith

  2. University of NE-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA

    Terry J. Housh, John Paul V. Anders, Glen O. Johnson & Richard J. Schmidt

  3. University of Southern Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA

    Joshua L. Keller

  4. University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Ethan C. Hill

  5. Florida Space Institute, Orlando, FL, USA

    Ethan C. Hill

Authors
  1. Cory M. Smith
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  2. Terry J. Housh
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  3. John Paul V. Anders
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  4. Joshua L. Keller
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  5. Ethan C. Hill
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  6. Glen O. Johnson
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  7. Richard J. Schmidt
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Contributions

CS, TH, and RS conceived and designed the study. CS, JA, and JK conducted the data collection. CS and TH analyzed the data and performed the statistical analyses. CS wrote the study. CS,TH, JA, EH, GC, and RS reviewed and edited the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cory M. Smith.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and complied with standards set in the Declaration of Helsinki.

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All subjects provided their written consent prior to participation in the study.

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Consent was obtained to provide unidentifiable information for the purpose of publication.

Additional information

Communicated by Nicolas Place .

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Smith, C.M., Housh, T.J., Anders, J.P.V. et al. Effects of 4-weeks of elastic variable resistance training on the electrochemical and mechanical components of voluntary electromechanical delay durations. Eur J Appl Physiol 121, 3313–3321 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04791-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04791-5

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