Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine the fatigue-related patterns of responses for electromyography (EMG), mechanomyography (MMG), and force during a sustained isometric muscle action anchored to RPE = 5. Ten men (22.9 ± 2.0 year) performed maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) prior to and following an isometric leg extension muscle action, which was sustained for a maximal time-limit of 5 min or until it could not be maintained at RPE = 5 (actual time-limit). EMG amplitude (AMP), EMG mean power–frequency (MPF), MMG AMP, MMG MPF, and force values were determined every 5% of the actual time-limit. Regression analyses were used to examine the neuromuscular parameters and force responses, and a t test was used to examine MVIC. The pretest MVIC (62.4 ± 14.3 kg) was significantly (p < 0.001; d = 1.07) greater than posttest (47.9 ± 12.8 kg). The percent decline in force during the sustained isometric muscle action was 47.5 ± 19.6%, and there was a significant, negative force versus time relationship (p < 0.001; R = − 0.980). There was a significant, negative EMG AMP versus time relationship (p < 0.001; R = -0.789), but no significant (p > 0.05) relationships for EMG MPF, MMG AMP, or MMG MPF versus time. The findings indicated that it was necessary to reduce force and EMG AMP to maintain RPE = 5. We hypothesize that the maintenance of RPE = 5 was initially accomplished by an anticipatory feedforward mechanism and then continuous integrations of afferent feedback, which resulted in reductions of EMG AMP and force, due to reductions in neural drive, to attenuate the impact of metabolic byproducts.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Basmajian, J., & De Luca, C. (1985). Muscles alive: Their functions revealed by electromyography (5th ed.). Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.
Beck, T. W., Housh, T. J., Johnson, G. O., Weir, J. P., Cramer, J. T., Coburn, J. W., et al. (2004). Mechanomyographic amplitude and mean power frequency versus torque relationships during isokinetic and isometric muscle actions of the biceps brachii. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology,14(5), 555–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2004.03.001.
Bigland-Ritchie, B., & Woods, J. J. (1984). Changes in muscle contractile properties and neural control during human muscular fatigue. Muscle and Nerve,7(9), 691–699. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.880070902.
Billaut, F., Kerris, J. P., Rodriguez, R. F., Martin, D. T., Gore, C. J., & Bishop, D. J. (2013). Interaction of central and peripheral factors during repeated sprints at different levels of arterial O2 saturation. PLoS ONE,8(10), e77297. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0077297.
Blangsted, A. K., Vedsted, P., Sjøgaard, G., & Søgaard, K. (2005). Intramuscular pressure and tissue oxygenation during low-force static contraction do not underlie muscle fatigue. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica,183(4), 379–388. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-201X.2005.01411.x.
Borg, G. (1990). Psychophysical scaling with applications in physical work and the perception of exertion. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health,16(Suppl 1), 55–58.
Broxterman, R. M., Hureau, T. J., Layec, G., Morgan, D. E., Bledsoe, A. D., Jessop, J. E., et al. (2018). Influence of group III/IV muscle afferents on small muscle mass exercise performance: A bioenergetics perspective. The Journal of Physiology,596(12), 2301–2314. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP275817.
Cochrane, K., Housh, T., Bergstrom, H., Jenkins, N., Johnson, G., Schmidt, R., et al. (2015). Physiological responses during cycle ergometry at a constant perception of effort. International Journal of Sports Medicine,36(06), 466–473. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1396826.
Cochrane-Snyman, K. C., Housh, T. J., Smith, C. M., Hill, E. C., Jenkins, N. D. M., Schmidt, R. J., et al. (2016). Inter-individual variability in the patterns of responses for electromyography and mechanomyography during cycle ergometry using an RPE-clamp model. European Journal of Applied Physiology,116(9), 1639–1649. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3394-y.
de Smirmaul, B. P. C. (2012). Sense of effort and other unpleasant sensations during exercise: Clarifying concepts and mechanisms. British Journal of Sports Medicine,46(5), 308–311. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2010.071407.
Dideriksen, J. L., Enoka, R. M., & Farina, D. (2011). Neuromuscular adjustments that constrain submaximal EMG amplitude at task failure of sustained isometric contractions. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985),111(2), 485–494. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00186.2011.
Ebenbichler, G., Kollmitzer, J., Quittan, M., Uhl, F., Kirtley, C., & Fialka, V. (1998). EMG fatigue patterns accompanying isometric fatiguing knee-extensions are different in mono- and bi-articular muscles. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology/Electromyography and Motor Control,109(3), 256–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0924-980x(98)00015-0.
Enoka, R. M., & Duchateau, J. (2016). Translating fatigue to human performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,48(11), 2228–2238. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000929.
Farina, D., & Merletti, R. (2000). Comparison of algorithms for estimation of EMG variables during voluntary isometric contractions. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology,10(5), 337–349. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1050-6411(00)00025-0.
Farina, D., Merletti, R., & Enoka, R. M. (2014). The extraction of neural strategies from the surface EMG: An update. Journal of Applied Physiology,117(11), 1215–1230. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00162.2014.
Flood, T. R., Waldron, M., & Jeffries, O. (2017). Oral menthol reduces thermal sensation, increases work-rate and extends time to exhaustion, in the heat at a fixed rating of perceived exertion. European Journal of Applied Physiology,117(7), 1501–1512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3645-6.
Gibson, A. S. C., Swart, J., & Tucker, R. (2018). The interaction of psychological and physiological homeostatic drives and role of general control principles in the regulation of physiological systems, exercise and the fatigue process—The Integrative Governor theory. European Journal of Sport Science,18(1), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2017.1321688.
Gillies, M. J., Huang, Y., Hyam, J. A., Aziz, T. Z., & Green, A. L. (2019). Direct neurophysiological evidence for a role of the human anterior cingulate cortex in central command. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical,216, 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2018.09.004.
Girard, O., Billaut, F., Christian, R. J., Bradley, P. S., & Bishop, D. J. (2017). Exercise-related sensations contribute to decrease power during repeated cycle sprints with limited influence on neural drive. European Journal of Applied Physiology,117(11), 2171–2179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3705-y.
Häkkinen, K. (1993). Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in male and female athletes during heavy resistance exercise. International Journal of Sports Medicine,14(2), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-1021146.
Harbo, T., Brincks, J., & Andersen, H. (2012). Maximal isokinetic and isometric muscle strength of major muscle groups related to age, body mass, height, and sex in 178 healthy subjects. European Journal of Applied Physiology,112(1), 267–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1975-3.
Hicks, A. L., Kent-Braun, J., & Ditor, D. S. (2001). Sex differences in human skeletal muscle fatigue. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews,29(3), 109–112. https://doi.org/10.1097/00003677-200107000-00004.
Hill, A. V. (1948). The pressure developed in muscle during contraction. The Journal of Physiology,107(4), 518–526.
Hunter, Sandra K. (2016). The relevance of sex differences in performance fatigability. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,48(11), 2247–2256. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000928.
Hunter, S. K., & Enoka, R. M. (2001). Sex differences in the fatigability of arm muscles depends on absolute force during isometric contractions. Journal of Applied Physiology,91(6), 2686–2694. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.6.2686.
Keller, J. L., Housh, T. J., Hill, E. C., Smith, C. M., Schmidt, R. J., & Johnson, G. O. (2018a). Neuromuscular responses of recreationally active women during a sustained, submaximal isometric leg extension muscle action at a constant perception of effort. European Journal of Applied Physiology,118(12), 2499–2508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3976-y.
Keller, J. L., Housh, T. J., Smith, C. M., Hill, E. C., Schmidt, R. J., & Johnson, G. O. (2018b). Sex-related differences in the accuracy of estimating target force using percentages of maximal voluntary isometric contractions vs. ratings of perceived exertion during isometric muscle actions. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research,32(11), 3294–3300.
Lindstrom, L. (1970). Muscular fatigue and action potential conduction velocity changes studied with frequency analysis of EMG signals. Electromyography,10(4), 341–356.
Marcora, S. (2009). Perception of effort during exercise is independent of afferent feedback from skeletal muscles, heart, and lungs. Journal of Applied Physiology,106(6), 2060–2062. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.90378.2008.
Martin, P. G., Weerakkody, N., Gandevia, S. C., & Taylor, J. L. (2008). Group III and IV muscle afferents differentially affect the motor cortex and motoneurones in humans. The Journal of Physiology,586(Pt 5), 1277–1289. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2007.140426.
Martinez-Valdes, E., Negro, F., Falla, D., De Nunzio, A. M., & Farina, D. (2018). Surface electromyographic amplitude does not identify differences in neural drive to synergistic muscles. Journal of Applied Physiology,124(4), 1071–1079. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01115.2017.
Maughan, R. J., Harmon, M., Leiper, J. B., Sale, D., & Delman, A. (1986). Endurance capacity of untrained males and females in isometric and dynamic muscular contractions. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology,55(4), 395–400. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422739.
McMorris, T., Barwood, M., & Corbett, J. (2018). Central fatigue theory and endurance exercise: Toward an interoceptive model. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews,93, 93–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.03.024.
Morrin, N. M., Stone, M. R., Swaine, I. L., & Henderson, K. J. (2018). The use of the CR-10 scale to allow self-regulation of isometric exercise intensity in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive participants. European Journal of Applied Physiology,118(2), 339–347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3774-y.
Noble, B., & Robertson, R. (1996). The Borg scale: Development, administration, and experimental use. Champaign: Human Kinetics.
Ormsbee, M. J., Carzoli, J. P., Klemp, A., Allman, B. R., Zourdos, M. C., Kim, J.-S., et al. (2019). Efficacy of the repetitions in reserve-based rating of perceived exertion for the bench press in experienced and novice benchers. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research,33(2), 337. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001901.
Robertson, R. J. (2004). Perceived exertion for practitioners: Rating effort with the OMNI picture system. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Russ, D. W., & Kent-Braun, J. A. (2003). Sex differences in human skeletal muscle fatigue are eliminated under ischemic conditions. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985),94(6), 2414–2422. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01145.2002.
Tucker, R. (2009). The anticipatory regulation of performance: The physiological basis for pacing strategies and the development of a perception-based model for exercise performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine,43, 392–400.
Tucker, R., Marle, T., Lambert, E. V., & Noakes, T. D. (2006). The rate of heat storage mediates an anticipatory reduction in exercise intensity during cycling at a fixed rating of perceived exertion. The Journal of Physiology,574(Pt 3), 905–915. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2005.101733.
Zourdos, M. C., Klemp, A., Dolan, C., Quiles, J. M., Schau, K. A., Jo, E., et al. (2016). Novel resistance training-specific rating of perceived exertion scale measuring repetitions in reserve. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research,30(1), 267. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001049.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Keller, J.L., Housh, T.J., Hill, E.C. et al. Self-Regulated Force and Neuromuscular Responses During Fatiguing Isometric Leg Extensions Anchored to a Rating of Perceived Exertion. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 44, 343–350 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-019-09450-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-019-09450-2