A STRENGTH-POWER TRAINING PROGRAM IMPROVES CENTRAL ACTIVATION OF THE QUADRICEPS MUSCLE 1407

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate improvements in central activation (CA) of the quadriceps muscle during a 16 week strength-power training program. The subjects were 14 collegiate field event athletes and eight college-aged control subjects. The 16 week strength-power program consisted of four mesocycles. Each training mesocycle consisted of four one-week microcycles. Training volume and intensity were systematically varied across the four mesocycles. The control subjects maintained their normal pattern of physical activity. After each of the four training mesocycles, CA of the quadriceps muscle was measured using the interpolated twitch technique. Isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force was also recorded. Based upon a Pearson correlation analysis between MVC force and CA, the athletes were subdivided into a neural group (n=9, r >.60) and a muscular group(n=5, negative and low positive coefficients). There were significant group by testing session interaction effects for CA and MVC force. The neural group showed a progressive increase in MVC force, whereas the muscular group only showed an increase in MVC force between testing session one and testing session four (p<.05). CA increased progressively for the neural group with a concomitant decrease in CA between testing session one and testing session four for the muscular group (p <.05). There were no changes in MVC force and CA for the control group. These data substantiate the hypotheses that strength-power training programs may induce improvements in CA of muscles, i.e. neural group data, and/or improvements in muscle potentiation effects, i.e. muscular group data.