Top

European Journal of Applied Physiology

Published in:

01-07-2018 | Original Article

Neuromuscular and electromechanical properties of ultra-power athletes: the traceurs

Authors: Sidney Grosprêtre, Philippe Gimenez, Alain Martin

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 7/2018

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 H_max/M_max: 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.

Aagaard P, Simonsen EB, Andersen JL et al (2002) Neural adaptation to resistance training evidenced by changes in evoked V-wave and H reflex responses. Med Sci Sport Exerc 34:S116. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200205001-00653 CrossRef

Alkjaer T, Meyland J, Raffalt PC et al (2013) Neuromuscular adaptations to 4 weeks of intensive drop jump training in well-trained athletes. Physiol Rep. https://doi.org/10.1002/phy2.99 PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Buchthal F, Schmalbruch H (1970) Contraction times of twitches evoked by H-reflexes. Acta Physiol Scand 80:378–382. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.1970.tb04801.x CrossRefPubMed

Calancie B, Bawa P (1984) Recruitment order of motor units during the stretch reflex in man. Brain Res 292:176–178CrossRefPubMed

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 Occup Physiol 61:26–32CrossRefPubMed

Chino K, Oda T, Kurihara T et al (2008) In vivo fascicle behavior of synergistic muscles in concentric and eccentric plantar flexions in humans. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 18:79–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2006.08.009 CrossRefPubMed

Clarkson PM, Kroll W, McBride TC (1980) Plantar flexion fatigue and muscle fiber type in power and endurance athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 12:262–267CrossRefPubMed

De Luca CJ (1997) The use of surface electromyography in biomechanics. J Appl Biomech 13:135–163. https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.13.2.135 CrossRef

Drinkwater EJ, Lane T, Cannon J (2009) Effect of an acute bout of plyometric exercise on neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in recreational athletes. J Strength Cond Res 23:1181–1186. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31819b79aa CrossRefPubMed

Duchateau J, Enoka RM (2008) Neural control of shortening and lengthening contractions: influence of task constraints. J Physiol 586:5853–5864. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2008.160747 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Duclay J, Martin A, Robbe A, Pousson M (2008) Spinal reflex plasticity during maximal dynamic contractions after eccentric training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40:722–734. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31816184dc CrossRefPubMed

Earles DR, Dierking JT, Robertson CT, Koceja DM (2002) Pre- and post-synaptic control of motoneuron excitability in athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:1766–1772. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000037082.47347.A9 CrossRefPubMed

Ekblom MMN (2010) Improvements in dynamic plantar flexor strength after resistance training are associated with increased voluntary activation and V-to-M ratio. J Appl Physiol 109:19–26. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01307.2009 CrossRefPubMed

Fomin R (2009) Presynaptic inhibition of spinal alpha-motoneurons in athletes adapted to different muscle activity. J Hum Sport Exerc 4:20–28. https://doi.org/10.4100/jhse.2009.41.03 CrossRef

Garrandes F, Colson SS, Pensini M et al (2007) Neuromuscular fatigue profile in endurance-trained and power-trained athletes. Med Sci Sport Exerc 39:149–158. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000240322.00782.c9 CrossRef

Girard O, Nybo L, Mohr M, Racinais S (2015) Plantar flexor neuromuscular adjustments following match-play football in hot and cool conditions. Scand J Med Sci Sports 25:154–163. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12371 CrossRefPubMed

Granacher U, Gruber M, Gollhofer A (2009) Resistance training and neuromuscular performance in seniors. Int J Sports Med 30:652–657. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0029-1224178 CrossRefPubMed

Grospretre S, Martin A (2014) Conditioning effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation evoking motor-evoked potential on V-wave response. Physiol Rep. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12191 PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

Grosprêtre S, Lepers R (2016) Performance characteristics of Parkour practitioners: who are the traceurs? Eur J Sport Sci 16:526–535. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2015.1060263 CrossRefPubMed

Grosprêtre S, Martin A (2012) H reflex and spinal excitability: methodological considerations. J Neurophysiol 107:1649–1654. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00611.2011 CrossRefPubMed

Häkkinen K, Keskinen KL (1989) Muscle cross-sectional area and voluntary force production characteristics in elite strength- and endurance-trained athletes and sprinters. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 59:215–220CrossRefPubMed

Hermens HJ, Freriks B, Disselhorst-Klug C, Rau G (2000) Development of recommendations for SEMG sensors and sensor placement procedures. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 10:361–374CrossRefPubMed

Howatson G, Brandon R, Hunter AM (2016) The response to and recovery from maximum-strength and -power training in elite track and field athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 11:356–362. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2015-0235 CrossRefPubMed

Jankowska E (1992) Interneuronal relay in spinal pathways from proprioceptors. Prog Neurobiol 38:335–378CrossRefPubMed

Johnson MA, Polgar J, Weightman D, Appleton D (1973) Data on the distribution of fibre types in thirty-six human muscles. An autopsy study. J Neurol Sci 18:111–129CrossRefPubMed

Koceja DM, Davison E, Robertson CT (2004) Neuromuscular characteristics of endurance- and power-trained athletes. Res Q Exerc Sport 75:23–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2004.10609130 CrossRefPubMed

Lattier G, Millet GY, Maffiuletti NA et al (2003) Neuromuscular differences between endurance-trained, power-trained, and sedentary subjects. J Strength Cond Res 17:514–521PubMed

Maffiuletti NA, Martin A, Babault N et al (2001) Electrical and mechanical H(max)-to-M(max) ratio in power- and endurance-trained athletes. J Appl Physiol 90:3–9CrossRefPubMed

Maffiuletti NA, Aagaard P, Blazevich AJ et al (2016) Rate of force development: physiological and methodological considerations. Eur J Appl Physiol 116:1091–1116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3346-6 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Monda V, Valenzano A, Moscatelli F et al (2017) Primary motor cortex excitability in karate athletes: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Front Physiol 8:695. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00695 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Nardone A, Schieppati M (1998) Medium-latency response to muscle stretch in human lower limb: estimation of conduction velocity of group II fibres and central delay. Neurosci Lett 249:29–32CrossRefPubMed

Osternig LR, James CR, Bercades DT (1996) Eccentric knee flexor torque following anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Med Sci Sports Exerc 28:1229–1234CrossRefPubMed

Pääsuke M, Ereline J, Gapeyeva H (1999) Twitch contractile properties of plantar flexor muscles in power and endurance trained athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 80:448–451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004210050616 CrossRefPubMed

Pierrot-Deseilligny E, Burke D (2005) The circuitry of the human spinal cord: its role in motor control and movement disorders. Cambridge University Press, CambridgeCrossRef

Pinniger GJ, Steele JR, Thorstensson A, Cresswell AG (2000) Tension regulation during lengthening and shortening actions of the human soleus muscle. Eur J Appl Physiol 81:375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004210050057 CrossRefPubMed

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

Ross A, Leveritt M (2001) Long-term metabolic and skeletal muscle adaptations to short-sprint training: implications for sprint training and tapering. Sports Med 31:1063–1082CrossRefPubMed

Schieppati M (1987) The Hoffmann reflex: a means of assessing spinal reflex excitability and its descending control in man. Prog Neurobiol 28:345–376CrossRefPubMed

Sleivert GG, Backus RD, Wenger HA (1995) Neuromuscular differences between volleyball players, middle distance runners and untrained controls. Int J Sports Med 16:390–398. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-973026 CrossRefPubMed

Staron RS, Hikida RS, Hagerman FC et al (1984) Human skeletal muscle fiber type adaptability to various workloads. J Histochem Cytochem 32:146–152CrossRefPubMed

Tillin NA, Jimenez-Reyes P, Pain MTG, Folland JP (2010) Neuromuscular performance of explosive power athletes versus untrained individuals. Med Sci Sport Exerc 42:781–790. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181be9c7e CrossRef

Tucker KJ, Tuncer M, Türker KS (2005) A review of the H-reflex and M-wave in the human triceps surae. Hum Mov Sci 24:667–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2005.09.010 CrossRefPubMed

Un C-P, Lin K-H, Shiang T-Y et al (2013) Comparative and reliability studies of neuromechanical leg muscle performances of volleyball athletes in different divisions. Eur J Appl Physiol 113:457–466. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2454-1 CrossRefPubMed

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 513(Pt 1):295–305CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Voss H (1971) Tabulation of the absolute and relative muscular spindle numbers in human skeletal musculature. Anat Anz 129:562–572PubMed

Wang H-K, Lin K-H, Wu Y-K et al (2011) Evoked spinal reflexes and force development in elite athletes with middle-portion achilles tendinopathy. J Orthop Sport Phys Ther 41:785–794. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2011.3564 CrossRef

Yao W, Fuglevand RJ, Enoka RM (2000) Motor-unit synchronization increases EMG amplitude and decreases force steadiness of simulated contractions. J Neurophysiol 83:441–452CrossRefPubMed

Title: Neuromuscular and electromechanical properties of ultra-power athletes: the traceurs
Authors: Sidney Grosprêtre
Philippe Gimenez
Alain Martin
Publication date: 01-07-2018
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 7/2018
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3868-1

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Neuromuscular and electromechanical properties of ultra-power athletes: the traceurs

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 7/2018

Aerobic fitness alters the capacity of mononuclear cells to produce pentraxin 3 following maximal exercise

Lactate kinetics in handcycling under various exercise modalities and their relationship to performance measures in able-bodied participants

Biomechanical properties of the patellar tendon in children with heritable connective tissue disorders

Impact of acute dynamic exercise on radial artery low-flow mediated constriction in humans

Association of activity status and patterns with salivary cortisol: the population-based CoLaus study

The effects of different durations of static stretching within a comprehensive warm-up on voluntary and evoked contractile properties