Abstract
Purpose
Practising a power-type activity over years can shape the neuromuscular profile of athletes. This study aimed at comparing the neuromuscular profile of a non-trained group (NT, n = 10) to power athletes practising Parkour (= traceurs, group PK, n = 11), an activity consisting of jumping obstacles mostly in an urban landscape.
Methods
Maximal isometric plantar flexion force (MVC) and rate of torque development (RTD) were evaluated, and neuromuscular function of triceps surae muscles was assessed and compared between groups through the analysis of evoked potentials from posterior tibial nerve stimulation.
Results
PK group exhibited higher MVC force (131.3 ± 8.7 Nm) than NT (110.4 ± 9.6 Nm, P = 0.03) and higher RTD (489.1 ± 93 Nm/s) than NT (296.9 ± 81 Nm/s). At a nervous level, this greater performance was related to a greater voluntary activation level (PK: 96.8 ± 3.6%; NT: 91.5 ± 7.7%; P = 0.02) and soleus V-wave amplitude (P = 0.03), and a lower antagonist co-activation (P = 0.02) and rest soleus spinal excitability (PK Hmax/Mmax: 0.32 ± 0.13; NT: 0.58 ± 0.17; P < 0.001). At a muscular level, PK group exhibited higher mechanical twitch amplitude (PK: 13.42 ± 3.52 Nm; NT: 9.86 ± 4.38 Nm; P = 0.03) and electromechanical efficiency (P = 0.04).
Conclusions
The greater maximal force production capacity of traceurs compared to untrained was underlain by nervous factors, such as greater descending command and greater ability to modulate the spinal excitability, but also by muscular factors such as greater excitation–contraction coupling efficiency. The high eccentric loads that characterize Parkour training may have led traceurs to exhibit such neuromuscular profile.
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Abbreviations
- PK:
-
Group of traceurs (= Parkour practitioners)
- NT:
-
Group of non-trained participants
- MVC:
-
Maximal voluntary contraction
- RTD:
-
Rate of torque development
- VAL:
-
Voluntary activation level
- MVCTH :
-
Theoretical maximal force with VAL at 100%
- SOL:
-
Soleus muscle
- MG:
-
Medialis gastrocnemius muscle
- H max :
-
Maximal H-reflex at rest
- H sup :
-
Maximal superimposed H-reflex (evoked during the MVC)
- \({M_{{\text{at}}{H_{{\text{max}}}}}}\) :
-
M-wave accompanying Hmax
- \({M_{{\text{at}}{H_{{\text{sup}}}}}}\) :
-
M-wave accompanying Hsup
- M max :
-
Maximal M-wave at rest
- M sup :
-
Maximal superimposed M-wave (evoked during the MVC)
- RMS:
-
Root mean square of muscle electromyographic activity (EMG)
- EME:
-
Electromechanical efficiency
- PT:
-
Peak of the single twitch
- DPT:
-
Peak of the doublet twitch
- DPTP :
-
Peak of the potentiated doublet twitch
- DPTS :
-
Peak of the sumperimposed doublet twitch (evoked during the MVC)
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Acknowledgements
The authors are particularly grateful to the French Parkour Federation (Fédération de Parkour, FPK) for its help and support.
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SG and AM conceived and designed the research. SG conducted the experiments. SG and AM analyzed the data. SG, AM and PG wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
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Communicated by Toshio Moritani.
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Grosprêtre, S., Gimenez, P. & Martin, A. Neuromuscular and electromechanical properties of ultra-power athletes: the traceurs. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 1361–1371 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3868-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3868-1