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01-07-2006 | Original Article

Selective training-induced thigh muscles hypertrophy in professional road cyclists

Authors: François Hug, Tanguy Marqueste, Yann Le Fur, Patrick J. Cozzone, Laurent Grélot, David Bendahan

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 5/2006

Abstract

Muscular adaptations linked to a high volume and intensity of training have been scarcely reported. We aimed at documenting, using MRI, the cross-sectional area changes associated with a high volume and intensity of training in 11 thigh muscles of a population of professional road cyclists as compared with sport science students. We were also interested in determining, whether selective muscle hypertrophy in professional road cyclists, if any, was correlated to selective exercise-induced T ₂ changes during a pedaling exercise on a cycloergometer. Cross-sectional area of 11 thigh muscles was quantified in sixteen subjects (i.e. eight professional road cyclists and eight sport science students) using MRI. In addition, transverse relaxation times (T ₂) were measured before and just after a maximal standardized constant-load exercise in order to investigate exercise-related T ₂ changes in these muscles. Professional road cyclists had a significantly higher relative amount of muscle (including the whole set of thigh muscles, 90.5±3.3%) as compared to controls (81.6±7.3%). Regarding relative values expressed with respect to the total thigh muscles CSA, Vastus lateralis and Biceps femoris CSA were significantly larger in cyclists whereas CSA of the Vastus intermedius was smaller. However, this selective hypertrophy was not correlated to the exercise-induced T ₂-increase. We have reported, for the first time, a selective hypertrophy of Vastus lateralis and Biceps femoris in professional road cyclists confirming their involvement in pedaling task and suggesting a possible cause–effect relationship between muscle activation and hypertrophy, associated with a specific pedaling skill.

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Title: Selective training-induced thigh muscles hypertrophy in professional road cyclists
Authors: François Hug
Tanguy Marqueste
Yann Le Fur
Patrick J. Cozzone
Laurent Grélot
David Bendahan
Publication date: 01-07-2006
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 5/2006
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0218-5

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Selective training-induced thigh muscles hypertrophy in professional road cyclists

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