Co-contraction training, muscle explosive force and associated electromyography activity

Zbidi, Sana; Zinoubi, Badrane; Vandewalle, Henry; Serrau,; Driss, Tarak

doi:10.23736/s0022-4707.16.06363-5

Cited by 6 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…This corroborates Maeo et al 15 who found EMG increments up to 31% after four weeks of training in the same paradigm. This general increment in EMG activity supports the employability of the paradigm: independent of initial experience, continuous practice would lead to increased muscle recruitment and, potentially, strength adaptations 6,9,10 .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…It is characterized by voluntary simultaneous contraction of agonist and antagonist muscle groups around a given joint [6][7][8] providing enough mechanical resistance to conduct a strength training session without external load. Studies have demonstrated the usefulness of the paradigm for strength improvement: up to 22% and 13% for elbow flexors and extensors, respectively, following four to twelve weeks of training 6,7,9,10 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Individual Control Strategies in Training: Myoelectric activity and recruitment strategies in the co-contraction training

R. S. Silva,

Pacheco,

Fujita

et al. 2023

BJMB

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BACKGROUND: The literature in motor control has abundant evidence on within-/between-person variability when it comes to control strategies in several behaviors - which largely influences intervention outcomes. Despite being an intervention itself, strength training paradigms are yet to be analyzed beyond the average behavior. Based on myoelectric activity (EMG) analyses, this study emerges as a descriptive analysis on how the co-contraction training paradigm provides stimuli for strength training of knee extensors and flexors. AIM: Considering the potential large interindividual variability in muscle activation patterns during resistance training, we explored the co-contraction paradigm considering the individual characteristics. METHOD: Ten active male adults participated in two days of co-contraction training paradigm with their EMG activity collected (sartorius, biceps femoris long and short heads, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis and medialis and tensor fascia-latae). RESULTS: On average, participants recruit 36% of their maximum EMG amplitude, decay 0.41% per repetition but increase 7.45% between sessions. The training stimulated similarly the knee flexors and extensors EMG ratio of all participants. However, participants demonstrated different average muscle recruitment patterns with few individuals modifying, largely, their recruitment over repetitions/days. Between and within-variability in recruitment pattern was maintained throughout repetitions and days. CONCLUSION: Thus, the co-contraction training demonstrated sufficient muscle activation to be employed and evoked similar muscular recruitment between agonists and antagonists. To the best of our knowledge, this is a pioneer study encompassing the complexity of movement control in evaluating a strength training protocol.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual Control Strategies in Training: Myoelectric activity and recruitment strategies in the co-contraction training

R. S. Silva,

Pacheco,

Fujita

et al. 2023

BJMB

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“…After review, reviewers agreed to include seven articles for data extraction (Figure 1). Data from five studies [9][10][11]13,21 were estimated from the figures using ImageJ software 15 when possible and inserted in the quantitative analysis.…”

Section: Study Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, co-contraction training could be a convenient method, considering its efficiency in improving and maintaining strength and muscle mass 2,5,6,9,13 . Furthermore, co-contraction seems to be a reliable, low-cost solution in situations such as social isolation (as in quarantine, during pandemic periods of COVID-…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Co-Contraction Training on Neuromuscular Outcomes of Elbow Flexors and Extensors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Villalba,

Fujita,

Stoelben

et al. 2024

Int'l Journal of Strength & Conditioning

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Co-contraction training has been proposed to improve muscle strength in the absence of external equipment, yet it is needed to elucidate the effects of co-contraction training and its applicability. Thus, we synthesized the effects of co-contraction training on elbow muscle strength, myoelectric activity, and muscle thickness. We searched papers from MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase databases. The inclusion criteria were studies comprising adults between 18-64 years old; investigating chronic effects of co-contraction training on elbow muscles; comparing pre- and post-intervention or control values; presenting any of the outcomes; randomized, quasi-experimental, pre- and post-design; in English. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA recommendations. We used the revised RoB 2, ROBINS-I to verify the level of evidence. We also included a questionnaire for biomechanical studies and GRADE analysis. We extracted data independently by two investigators, considering the characteristics of study, participants and training, outcomes, and results. We calculated the effect sizes for each outcome. The analysis was carried out by combining and dividing flexors and extensors in a subgroup analysis. Comparing the experimental vs. control group, our results showed that cocontraction training increased isometric strength (SMD=0.51 [0.19, 0.83]) and agonist myoelectric activity (SMD=0.54 [0.25, 0.83]). Comparing pre- vs. post-training, co-contraction training also improved isometric strength (SMD=1.28 [0.75, 1.81]); concentric elbow extensor strength (SMD=0.64 [0.01, 1.26]); and myoelectric activity (SMD=0.46 [0.18, 0.73]). No effect was observed for muscle thickness. The co-contraction training improves muscle performance without morphological changes.

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“…In the last decade, voluntary co-contraction has been proposed as a method of strength training. To do this, a person perform sets of voluntary simultaneous contraction (i.e., co- contraction) of antagonistic pairs (e. g. elbow flexors and extensors) with no external apparatuses for loading (Mackenzie et al ., 2010; Zbidi et al ., 2017; Fujita et al ., 2021). Previous studies have indicated that co-contraction training promotes strength gain (Mackenzie et al ., 2010; Villalba et al ., 2024) and hypertrophy (Counts et al ., 2016), similar to conventional resistance training, which makes this method very promising with potential application in microgravity and rehabilitation backgrounds.…”

Section: Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voluntary co-contraction of ankle muscles alters motor unit discharge characteristics and reduces estimates of persistent inward currents

Gomes,

Jenz,

Beauchamp

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Motoneuronal persistent inward currents (PICs) are both facilitated by neuromodulatory inputs and highly sensitive to local inhibitory circuits (e.g., Ia reciprocal inhibition). Methods aimed to increase group Ia reciprocal inhibition from the antagonistic muscle have been successful in decreasing PICs, and the diffuse actions of neuromodulators released during activation of remote muscles have increased PICs. However, it remains unknown how motoneurons function in the presence of simultaneous excitatory and inhibitory commands. To probe this topic, we investigated motor unit (MU) discharge patterns and estimated PICs during voluntary co-contraction of ankle muscles, which simultaneously demands the contraction of agonist-antagonist pairs. Twenty young adults randomly performed triangular ramps (10s up and down) of both co-contraction (simultaneous dorsiflexion and plantarflexion) and isometric dorsiflexion to a peak of 30% of their maximum muscle activity from a maximal voluntary contraction. Motor unit spike trains were decomposed from high-density surface electromyography recorded over the tibialis anterior (TA) using blind source separation algorithms. Voluntary co-contraction altered motor unit discharge rate characteristics, decreasing estimates of PICs by 20% (4.47 pulses per second (pps) vs 5.57 pps during isometric dorsiflexion). These findings suggest that, during voluntary co-contraction, the inhibitory input from the antagonist muscle overcomes the additional excitatory and neuromodulatory drive that may occur due to the co-contraction of the antagonist muscle, which constrains PIC behavior.

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Co-contraction training, muscle explosive force and associated electromyography activity

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Individual Control Strategies in Training: Myoelectric activity and recruitment strategies in the co-contraction training

Individual Control Strategies in Training: Myoelectric activity and recruitment strategies in the co-contraction training

Effects of Co-Contraction Training on Neuromuscular Outcomes of Elbow Flexors and Extensors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Voluntary co-contraction of ankle muscles alters motor unit discharge characteristics and reduces estimates of persistent inward currents

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