High-Intensity Cycling Training Necessitates Increased Neuromuscular Demand of the Vastus Lateralis During a Fatiguing Contraction.

Purpose: To examine the effects of a 5-week continuous cycling training intervention on electromyographic amplitude (EMGRMS)- and mechanomyographic amplitude (MMGRMS)-torque relationships of the vastus lateralis (VL) during a prolonged contraction. Methods: Twenty-four sedentary, young adults performed maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) and a prolonged isometric trapezoidal contraction at the same absolute 40% MVC for the knee extensors before (PRE) and after training (POSTABS). Individual b- (slopes) and a-terms (y-intercepts) were calculated from the log-transformed electromyographic amplitude (EMGRMS)- and mechanomyographic amplitude (MMGRMS)-torque relationships during the increasing and decreasing segments of the trapezoid. EMGRMS and MMGRMS was normalized for the 45-s steady torque segment. Results: At PRE, b-terms for the EMGRMS-torque relationships during the linearly decreasing segment were greater than the increasing segment (p < .001), and decreased from PRE to POSTABS (p = .027). a-terms were greater during the linearly increasing than decreasing segment at PRE, while the a-terms for the linearly decreasing segment increased from PRE to POSTABS (p = .027). For the MMGRMS-torque relationships, b-terms during the linearly decreasing segment decreased from PRE to POSTABS (p = .013), while a-terms increased from PRE to POSTABS when collapsed across segments (p = .022). Steady torque EMGRMS increased for POSTABS (p < .001). Conclusion: Although cycling training increased aerobic endurance, incorporating resistance training may benefit athletes/individuals as the alterations in neuromuscular parameters post-training suggest a greater neural cost (EMGRMS) and mechanical output (MMGRMS) to complete the same pre-training fatiguing contraction.