Physiological and Neuromuscular Responses of Competitive Cyclists during a Simulated Self-Paced Interval Training Session

Abstract

Responses of twelve competitive cyclists performing an interval training session, consisting of three successive 10-min self-paced exercise bouts separated by two 15-min active recovery periods, were studied. Power output (PO), heart rate, pedaling cadence, ventilatory variables, overall ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris and medial hamstrings were recorded during each exercise bout. Mean PO (p < 0.05) decreased significantly across the self-paced bouts, while RPE (p < 0.01) increased significantly. PO and EMG activity did not show significant changes between the 3rd and 9th minute of each self-paced bout. Every self-paced bout showed an oxygen uptake (V˙O₂) slow component between the 3rd and 9th minute and there was no effect of bout order on the magnitude of the V˙O₂ slow component. This study reveals that during an interval training session, moderately trained competitive cyclists are able to repeat three 10-min self-paced exercise bouts with only a slight decrease in PO (∼ 3 %) and by maintaining unchanged physiological and neuromuscular responses. Moreover, the V˙O₂ slow component during each exercise bout was not related to changes in muscle activity, as every exercise bout was performed at a muscular work steady state with a constant PO.

Key words

cycling - performance - pacing - perceived exertion - EMG - V˙O₂ slow component

References

• 1 Achten J, Jeukendrup A E. Heart rate monitoring: applications and limitations.  Sports Med. 2003;  33 517-538
• 2 Ansley L, Schabort E, St. Clair Gibson A, Lambert M I, Noakes T D. Regulation of pacing strategies during successive 4-km time trials.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;  36 1819-1825
• 3 Barstow T J, Jones A M, Nguyen P H, Casaburi R. Influence of muscle fiber type and pedal frequency on oxygen uptake kinetics of heavy exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1996;  81 1642-1650
• 4 Belcastro A N, Bonen A. Lactic acid removal rates during controlled and uncontrolled recovery exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1975;  39 932-936
• 5 Bermudez N, Evans P J, Ploutz-Snyder L, Fernhall B. Physiological contributors to the slow component of oxygen uptake kinetics during high intensity cycling exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;  36 S10
• 6 Bertucci W, Duc S, Villerius V, Grappe F. Validity and reliability of the Axiom PowerTrain cycle ergometer when compared with an SRM powermeter.  Int J Sports Med. 2005;  26 59-65
• 7 Borg G. Psychophysical bases of perceived exertion.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1982;  14 377-381
• 8 Borrani F, Candau R, Millet G Y, Perrey S, Fuchslocher J, Rouillon J D. Is the V˙O₂ slow component dependent on progressive recruitment of fast-twitch fibers in trained runners?.  J Appl Physiol. 2001;  90 2212-2220
• 9 Burnley M, Doust J H, Ball D, Jones A M. Effects of prior heavy exercise on V˙O₂ kinetics during heavy exercise are related to changes in muscle activity.  J Appl Physiol. 2002;  93 167-174
• 10 Davis J A. Anaerobic threshold: a review of the concept and directions for future research.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1985;  17 6-18
• 11 Davis J M, Bailey S P. Possible mechanisms of central nervous system fatigue during exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;  29 45-57
• 12 Duc S, Betik A C, Grappe F. EMG activity does not change during a time trial in competitive cyclists.  Int J Sports Med. 2005;  26 145-150
• 13 Farina F. Interpretation of the surface electromyogram in dynamic contractions.  Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2006;  34 121-127
• 14 Groslambert A, Grappe F, Bertucci W, Perrey S, Girard A J, Rouillon J D. A perceptive individual time trial performed by triathletes to estimate the anaerobic threshold. A preliminary study.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2004;  44 147-156
• 15 Hermansen L, Stensvold I. Production and removal of lactate during exercise in man.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1972;  86 191-201
• 16 Hettinga F J, De Koning J J, Broersen F T, Van Geffen P, Foster C. Pacing strategy and the occurrence of fatigue in 4000-m cycling time trials.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006;  38 1484-1491
• 17 Hickey M S, Costill D L, McConell G K, Widrick J J, Tanaka H. Day to day variation in time trial cycling performances.  Int J Sports Med. 1992;  13 467-470
• 18 Hug F, Bendahan D, Le Fur Y, Cozzone P J, Grélot L. Heterogeneity of muscle recruitment pattern during pedaling in professional road cyclists: a magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography study.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2004;  92 334-342
• 19 Jeukendrup A E, Van Diemen A. Heart rate monitoring during training and competition in cyclists.  J Sports Sci. 1998;  16 S91-S99
• 20 Jeukendrup A E, Martin J. Improving cycling performance: how should we spend our time and money?.  Sports Med. 2001;  31 559-569
• 21 Jones S M, Passfield L. The dynamic calibration of bicycle power measuring cranks. Haake SJ The Engineering of Sport. Oxford, GB; Blackwell Science 1998: 265-274
• 22 Kay D, Marino F E, Cannon J, St. Clair Gibson A, Lambert M I, Noakes T D. Evidence for neuromuscular fatigue during high-intensity cycling in warm, humid conditions.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001;  84 115-121
• 23 Koppo K, Bouckaert J. In humans the oxygen uptake slow component is reduced by prior exercise of high as well as low intensity.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000;  83 559-565
• 24 Koppo K, Jones A M, Bouckaert J. Effect of prior heavy arm and leg exercise on V˙O₂ kinetics during heavy leg exercise.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003;  88 593-600
• 25 Krustrup P, Soderlund K, Mohr M, Bangsbo J. The slow component of oxygen uptake during intense, sub-maximal exercise in man is associated with additional fibre recruitment.  Pflugers Arch. 2004;  447 855-866
• 26 Kuipers H, Verstappen F TJ, Keizer H A, Geurten P, Van Kranenburg G. Variability of aerobic performance in the laboratory and its physiologic correlates.  Int J Sports Med. 1985;  6 197-201
• 27 Laursen P B, Jenkins D G. The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training. Optimising training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes.  Sports Med. 2002;  32 53-73
• 28 Lucía A, Hoyos J, Chicharro J L. The slow component of V˙O₂ in professional cyclists.  Br J Sports Med. 2000;  34 367-374
• 29 Martin J C, Milliken D L, Cobb J E, McFadden K L, Coggan A R. Validation of a mathematical model for road cycling power.  J Appl Biomech. 1998;  14 276-291
• 30 Mattern C O, Kenefick R W, Kertzer R, Quinn T J. Impact of starting strategy on cycling performance.  Int J Sports Med. 2001;  22 350-355
• 31 Perrey S, Betik A, Candau R, Rouillon J D, Hughson R L. Comparison of oxygen uptake kinetics during concentric and eccentric cycle exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 2001;  91 2135-2142
• 32 Perrey S, Grappe F, Girard A, Bringard A, Groslambert A, Bertucci W, Rouillon J D. Physiological and metabolic responses of triathletes to a simulated 30-min time-trial in cycling at self-selected intensity.  Int J Sports Med. 2003;  24 138-143
• 33 Prilutsky B I, Gregory R J. Analysis of muscle coordination strategies in cycling.  Trans Rehabil Eng. 2000;  8 362-370
• 34 Saunders M J, Evans E M, Arngrimsson S A, Allison J D, Warren G L, Cureton K J. Muscle activation and the slow component rise in oxygen uptake during cycling.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 2040-2045
• 35 Scheuermann B W, Hoetling B D, Noble M L, Barstow T J. The slow component of O₂ uptake is not accompanied by changes in muscle EMG during repeated bouts of heavy exercise in humans.  J Physiol. 2001;  531 245-256
• 36 Shinohara M, Moritani T. Increase in neuromuscular activity and oxygen uptake during heavy exercise.  Ann Physiol Anthropol. 1992;  11 257-262
• 37 St. Clair Gibson A, Lambert M I, Noakes T D. Neural control of force output during maximal and submaximal exercise.  Sports Med. 2001;  31 637-650
• 38 St. Clair Gibson A, Schabort E J, Noakes T D. Reduced neuromuscular activity and force generation during prolonged cycling.  Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol. 2001;  281 R187-R196
• 39 St. Clair Gibson A, Lambert E V, Rauch L HG, Tucker R, Baden D A, Foster C, Noakes T D. The role of information processing between the brain and peripheral physiological systems in pacing and perception of effort.  Sports Med. 2006;  36 705-722
• 40 Taylor A D, Brooks R, Smith P, Humphries B B. Myo-electric evidence of peripheral muscle fatigue during exercise in severe hypoxia: some references to m. vastus lateralis myosin heavy chain composition.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1997;  75 151-159
• 41 Tordi N, Perrey S, Harvey A, Hughson R L. Oxygen uptake kinetics during two bouts of heavy cycling separated by fatiguing sprint exercise in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2003;  94 533-541
• 42 Ulmer H V. Concept of an extracellular regulation of muscular metabolic rate during heavy exercise in humans by psycho-physiological feedback.  Experientia. 1996;  52 416-420
• 43 Vincent (ed) W J. Blackwell Science. Champaign, IL; Human Kinetics 1999: 163-164
• 44 Weir J P, Beck T W, Cramer J T, Housh T J. Is fatigue all in your head? A critical review of the central governor model.  Br J Sports Med. 2006;  40 573-586
• 45 Whipp B J. The slow component of O₂ uptake kinetics during heavy exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  26 1319-1326