Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2012; 33(12): 975-980
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1312626
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Time of Day Effects on Repeated Sprint Ability

N. Zarrouk
1   Unité de Recherche: Neurophysiologie de la Vigilance, de l’Attention et des Performances; 99/UR/08-23 Service d’Explorations Fonctionnelles du Système Nerveux, CHU Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisie
,
H. Chtourou
2   Research Laboratory: Sports Performance Optimization; National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
,
H. Rebai
3   Unité de Recherche: Adaptations Cardio-circulatoires, Respiratoires, Métaboliques et Hormonales; Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Tunisie
,
O. Hammouda
2   Research Laboratory: Sports Performance Optimization; National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
,
N. Souissi
2   Research Laboratory: Sports Performance Optimization; National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
,
M. Dogui
1   Unité de Recherche: Neurophysiologie de la Vigilance, de l’Attention et des Performances; 99/UR/08-23 Service d’Explorations Fonctionnelles du Système Nerveux, CHU Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisie
,
F. Hug
4   Laboratory EA 4334, UFR STAPS, University of Nantes, France
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 13 April 2012

Publication Date:
10 July 2012 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating the effects of time-of-day on muscle power and associated electromyographic (EMG) activity level of 4 thigh muscles during a repeated pedalling sprint exercise. After a familiarization session, 12 male subjects were asked to perform the repeated sprint ability test during 2 experimental sessions (randomized order), which were set up either at 06:00 or 18:00 h. For each sprint, peak power output, percentage of peak power decrement and total work were calculated. EMG activity of vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, vastus medialis and biceps femoris muscles was recorded throughout the test and analyzed for each sprint. Total work and percentage of peak power decrement were higher in the evening than in the morning (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Likewise, peak power was significantly higher at 18:00 than 06:00 h during the first 3 sprints (p<0.01 for sprint 1 and p<0.05 for sprint 2 and 3). There was no time-of-day effect for EMG activity level. The neuromuscular efficiency decreased significantly over the repeated sprint ability test at the 2 times of testing (p<0.01). Despite diurnal fluctuation in muscular power and neuromuscular fatigue during the repeated sprint ability test, EMG activity of major thigh muscles was not time-of-day dependent.

Key words

diurnal variation - muscle - electromyography - power - neuromuscular fatigue
 

  • References

  • 1 Arabadzhiev TI, Dimitrov VG, Dimitrova NA, Dimitrov GV. Interpretation of EMG integral or RMS and estimates of “neuromuscular efficiency” can be misleading in fatiguing contraction. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2010; 20: 223-232
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Balsom PD, Seger JY, Sjsdin B, Ekblom B. Maximal intensity intermittent exercise: effect of recovery duration. Int J Sports Med 1992; 13: 528-533
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Balsom PD, Seger JY, Sjsdin B, Ekblom B. Physiological responses to maximal intensity intermittent exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 1992; 65: 144-149
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Bernard T, Giacomoni M, Gavarry O, Seymat M, Falgairette G. Time-of-day effects in maximal anaerobic leg exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 1998; 77: 133-138
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Bigland-Ritchie B, Furbush F, Woods JJ. Fatigue of intermittent submaximal voluntary contractions: central and peripheral factors. J Appl Physiol 1986; 61: 421-429
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Bigland-Ritchie B, Jones DA, Hosking GP, Edwards RHT. Central and peripheral fatigue in sustained maximum voluntary contractions of human quadriceps muscle. Clin Sci Mol Med 1978; 54: 609-614
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Bishop D, Girard O. RSA: indices, limiting factors and the effects of training. In: Connes P, Hue O, Perrey S. (eds.). Exercise Physiology: From a Cellular to an Integrative Approach. Kerala, India: Research Sign Post Edition; 2010
    Google Scholar
  • 8 Bishop D, Spencer M, Duffield R, Lawrence S. The validity of a repeated sprint ability test. J Sci Med Sport 2001; 4: 19-29
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Bougard C, Bessot N, Moussay S, Sesboue B, Gauthier A. Effects of waking time and breakfast intake prior to evaluation of physical performance in the early morning. Chronobiol Int 2009; 26: 307-323
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Callard D, Davenne D, Gauthier A, Lagarde D, Van Hoecke J. Circadian rhythms in human muscular efficiency: continuous physical exercise versus continuous rest. A crossover study. Chronobiol Int 2000; 17: 693-704
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Castaingts V, Martin A, Van Hoecke J, Perot C. Neuromuscular efficiency of the triceps surae in induced and voluntary contractions: morning and evening evaluations. Chronobiol Int 2004; 21: 631-643
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Chtourou H, Zarrouk N, Chaouachi A, Dogui M, Behm DG, Chamari K, Hug F, Souissi N. Diurnal variation in Wingate-test performance and associated electromyographic parameters. Chronobiol Int 2011; 28: 706-713
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Colliander EB, Dudley GA, Tesch PA. Skeletal muscle fiber type composition and performance during repeated bouts of maximal, concentric contractions. Eur J Appl Physiol 1988; 58: 81-86
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Doré E, Bedu M, França NM, Diallo O, Duché P, Van Praagh E. Testing peak cycling performance: effects of braking force during growth. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32: 493-498
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Dorel S, Drouet JM, Couturier A, Champoux Y, Hug F. Changes of pedaling technique and muscle coordination during an exhaustive exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 1277-1286
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Falgairette G, Billaut F, Ramdani S. Effects of recovery duration and time of day on sprint performance. Can J Appl Physiol 2003; 28: 213-224
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Fimland MS, Helgerud J, Gruber M, Leivseth G, Hoff J. Enhanced neural drive after maximal strength training in multiple sclerosis patients. Eur J Appl Physiol 2010; 110: 435-443
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Gauthier A, Davenne D, Martin A, Cometti G, Van Hoecke J. Diurnal rhythm of the muscular performance of elbow flexors during isometric contractions. Chronobiol Int 1996; 13: 135-146
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Giacomoni M, Billaut F, Falgairette G. Effects of the time of day on repeated all-out cycle performance and short-term recovery patterns. Int J Sports Med 2006; 27: 468-474
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Guette M, Gondin J, Martin A. Time-of-day effect on the torque and neuromuscular properties of dominant and non-dominant quadriceps femoris. Chronobiol Int 2005; 22: 541-558
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Hamouda O, Chtourou H, Farjallah MA, Davenne D, Souissi N. The effect of Ramadan fasting on the diurnal variations in aerobic and anaerobic performances in Tunisian youth soccer players. Biol Rhythms Res 2012; 43: 177-190
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Update – ethical standards in sport and exercise science research. Int J Sports Med 2011; 32: 819-821
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Hautier CA, Arsac LM, Deghdegh K, Souquet J, Belli A, Lacour JR. Influence of fatigue on EMG/force ratio and cocontraction in cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32: 839-843
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Hermens HJ, Feriks B, Disselhorst-Klug C, Rau G. Development of recommendations for SEMG sensors and sensor placement procedures. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2000; 10: 361-374
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Horne JA, Östberg O. A self-assessment questionnaire to determine morningness-eveningness in human circadian rhythms. Int J Chronobiol 1976; 4: 97-110
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Horita T, Komi PV, Hämäläinen I, Avela J. Exhausting stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) exercise causes greater impairment in SSC performance than in pure concentric performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 2003; 88: 527-534
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Hug F. Can muscle coordination be precisely studied by surface electromyography?. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2011; 21: 1-12
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Hug F, Turpin NA, Couturier A, Dorel S. Consistency of muscle synergies during pedaling across different mechanical constraints. J Neurophysiol 2011; 106: 91-103
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Hug F, Dorel S. Electromyographic analysis of pedalling: A review. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2009; 19: 182-198
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Hunter AM, Gibson AC, Lambert MI, Nobbs L, Noakes TD. Effects of supramaximal exercise on the electromyographic signal. Br J Sports Med 2003; 37: 296-299
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Kuitunen S, Avela J, Kyröläinen H, Komi PV. Voluntary activation and mechanical performance of human triceps surae muscle after exhaustive stretch-shortening cycle jumping exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004; 91: 538-544
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Laplaud D, Hug F, Grélot L. Reproducibility of eight lower limb muscles activity level in the course of an incremental pedaling exercise. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2006; 16: 158-166
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Larsson B, Karlsson S, Eriksson M, Gerdle B. Test-retest reliability of EMG and peak torque during repetitive maximum concentric knee extensions. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2003; 13: 281-287
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Lericollais R, Gauthier A, Bessot N, Sesboüé B, Davenne D. Time-of-day effects on fatigue during a standard anaerobic test in well-trained cyclists. Chronobiol Int 2009; 26: 1622-1635
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Martin A, Carpentier A, Guissard N, Van Hoecke J, Duchateau J. Effect of time of day on force variation in a human muscle. Muscle Nerve 1999; 22: 1380-1387
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Martin JC, Brown NA. Joint-specific power production and fatigue during maximal cycling. J Biomech 2009; 42: 474-479
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Moritani T, Muro M, Nagata A. Intramuscular and surface electromyogram changes during muscle fatigue. J Appl Physiol 1986; 60: 1179-1185
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Nicolas A, Gauthier A, Bessot N, Moussay S, Davenne D. Time-of-day effects on myoelectric and mechanical properties of muscle during maximal and prolonged isokinetic exercise. Chronobiol Int 2005; 22: 997-1011
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Nicolas A, Gauthier A, Michaut A, Davenne D. Effect of circadian rhythm of neuromuscular properties on muscle fatigue during concentric and eccentric isokinetic actions. Isokin Exer Sci 2007; 15: 117-129
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 40 Racinais S, Bishop D, Denis R, Lattier G, Mendez-Villaneuva A, Perrey S. Muscle deoxygenation and neural drive to the muscle during repeated sprint cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007; 39: 268-274
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 Racinais S, Blonc S, Jonville S, Hue O. Time-of-day influences the environmental effects on muscle force and contractility. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2005; 37: 256-261
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 42 Racinais S, Connes P, Bishop D, Blonc S, Hue O. Morning versus evening power output and repeated-sprint ability. Chronobiol Int 2005; 22: 1029-1039
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Racinais S, Perrey S, Denis R, Bishop D. Maximal power, but not fatigability, is greater during repeated sprints performed in the afternoon. Chronobiol Int 2010; 27: 855-864
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Racinais S. Different effects of heat exposure upon exercise performance in the morning and afternoon. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2010; 20: 80-89
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 45 Sanderson DJ, Black A. The effect of prolonged cycling on pedal forces. J Sports Sci 2003; 21: 191-199
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 46 Souissi N, Gauthier A, Sesboüé B, Larue J, Davenne D. Circadian rhythms in two types of anaerobic cycle leg exercise: force-velocity and 30-s Wingate tests. Int J Sports Med 2004; 25: 14-19
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar