Search results for " contract."
showing 10 items of 1345 documents
Kinetic and electromyographic analysis of single repetition constant and variable resistance leg press actions
2010
During a multi-joint leg press action, maximal force capabilities increase with increasing knee angle. In typical resistance exercises, constant resistance is used, which does not stress the neuromuscular system at large knee angles. The purpose of this study was to compare constant and variable resistance settings using a range of contraction loads and velocities. Nine healthy, untrained males performed single contractions using four different resistance settings (constant resistance, two settings that increased resistance at large knee angles and one setting that reduced resistance at large knee angles). Single contractions using 40%, 60%, and 80% of one repetition maximum with both stead…
Medial gastrocnemius muscle behavior during human running and walking.
2007
Utilization of elastic energy in the tendinous tissues (TT) of the human skeletal muscle may be task dependent. The present study was designed to investigate this problem by comparing the fascicle-TT interaction of the medial gastrocnemius muscle (MG) during ground contact of running and walking. Seven subjects ran and walked with a natural cadence. Ankle and knee joint angular data were recorded by electrogoniometers for estimating the entire MG muscle-tendon unit (MTU) length, together with the ground reaction forces. The MG fascicle length was measured by using the high-speed ultrasound image scanning during movements. The results showed that in running, after the rapid early fascicle st…
Neuromuscular responses to different resistance loading protocols using pneumatic and weight stack devices
2013
The purpose of this study was to examine single repetition characteristics and acute neuromuscular responses to typical hypertrophic (HL), maximal strength (MSL), and power (PL) loadings performed with two of the most common resistance modes; pneumatic and weight stack. Acute responses were assessed by measuring maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), corresponding quadriceps-EMG and resting and superimposed twitch torques. Activation level was calculated from the twitch torques. Decreases in MVC were greater during HL and MSL than during PL. During HL, resting twitch force decreased 8% (P < 0.05) more on the weight stack than on the pneumatic device. Furthermore, loading using the weight stac…
Prestretch potentiation of human skeletal muscle during ballistic movement
1981
The conditions associated prior to and during the transition from prestretch to shortening may have considerable influence on the final performance of muscle. In the present study male subjects of good physical condition performed vertical jumps on the force-platform with and without preliminary counter movement. In the counter movement jump (CMJ) the amplitude of the knee bending, velocity of the prestretch and the force attained at end of prestretch were the primary parameters of interest. In addition the coupling time indicating the transition from the eccentric (prestretch) phase to the concentric phase was recorded from the angular displacement and reaction force curves. In the final c…
Interaction between fascicle and tendinous tissues in short-contact stretch-shortening cycle exercise with varying eccentric intensities
2005
The interaction between fascicle and tendinous tissues (TT) in short-contact drop jumps (DJ) with three different drop heights [low (Low), optimal (OP), and high (High)] was examined with 11 subjects. The ground reaction force (F z) and ankle and knee joint angles were measured together with real-time ultrasonography (fascicle length) and electromyographic activities of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles during the movement. With increasing drop height, the braking force and flight time increased from Low to OP ( P < 0.05). In High, the braking force increased but the flight time decreased compared with OP ( P < 0.05). During contact of Low and OP conditi…
Alterations of mechanical characteristics of human skeletal muscle during strength training
1983
To investigate the influence of strength training on the mechanical characteristics of human skeletal muscle, 14 male subjects went through training of combined heavy concentric and eccentric contractions three times a week for 16 weeks. The strength training program consisted mainly of dynamic exercises for leg extensors with loads of 80 to 120% of one maximum repetition. The force-time curves produced during various vertical jumps were the basis for calculation of various mechanical parameters. In addition to a great increase (p less than 0.001) in maximal isometric force, heavy resistance strength training also caused significant (p less than 0.05-0.01) increases in heights and in variou…
Influence of stretch-shortening cycle on mechanical behaviour of triceps surae during hopping.
1992
Six subjects performed a first series of vertical plantar flexions and a second series of vertical rebounds, both involving muscle triceps surae exclusively. Vertical displacements, vertical forces and ankle angles were recorded during the entire work period of 60 seconds per series. In addition, expired gases were collected during the test and recovery for determination of the energy expenditure. Triceps surae was mechanically modelled with a contractile component and with an elastic component. Mechanical behaviour and work of the different muscle components were determined in both series. The net muscular efficiency calculated from the work performed by the centre of gravity was 17.5 +/- …
Variability in Lateral Positioning of Surface EMG Electrodes
2009
The positions of EMG electrodes over the knee extensor muscles were examined in 19 healthy men using MR images; electrodes were placed according to the SENIAM (surface electromyography for non-invasive assessment of muscles) guidelines. From axial images, the medial and lateral borders of the muscles were identified, and the arc length of the muscle surface was measured. The electrode location was expressed as a percentage value from the muscle’s medial border. EMGs were recorded during isometric maximal contraction, squat jumps, and countermovement jumps and analyzed for cross-correlation. The results showed that variations in lateral positioning were greatest in vastus medialis (47% SD 11…
Store and recoil of elastic energy in slow and fast types of human skeletal muscles.
1982
Stretch-shortening cycle refers to the mechanical condition in which store and recoil of elastic energy occur in the skeletal muscle. This leads to a greater work output when compared to a simple shortening contraction. The subjects performed vertical jumps with and without preliminary counter-movement and with small and large knee angular displacement. The results indicated that those subjects who had more fast twitch (FT) fibers benefited more from the stretching phase performed with high speed and short angular displacement. The amounts of elastic energy stored in this phase were 30 and 26 N X kgBW-1, respectively, for FT and slow twitch (ST) type subjects. The recoil of elastic energy w…
Effect of innervation zones in estimating biceps brachii force-EMG relationship during isometric contraction
2012
Measuring muscle forces in vivo is invasive and consequently indirect methods e.g., electromyography (EMG) are used in estimating muscular force production. The aim of the present paper was to examine what kind of effect the disruption of the physiological signal caused by the innervation zone has in predicting the force/torque output from surface EMG. Twelve men (age 26 (SD ±3)years; height 179 (±6)cm; body mass 73 (±6)kg) volunteered as subjects. They were asked to perform maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) in elbow flexion, and submaximal contractions at 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and 75% of the recorded MVC. EMG was measured from biceps brachii muscle with an electrode grid of 5…