Effects of Saddle Height on Performance and Muscular Activity During the Wingate Test

Abstract

RESUMOO presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar o desempenho anaeróbio e a ativação muscular durante um teste de ciclismo supramáximo em três diferentes alturas do selim. Doze ciclistas competitivos completaram um teste incremental em cicloergômetro e três testes de Wingate de 30 s em diferentes alturas do selim (referência, baixa e alta), de forma randomizada, em diferentes dias. A altura do selim foi alterada para baixo e para cima a partir da posição de referência usando como parâmetro o valor referente a (± 2,5%) da distância da sínfise púbica até o solo. O sinal eletromiográfico (EMG) foi obtido dos músculos reto femoral, vasto lateral, bíceps femoral (cabeça longa) e gastrocnêmio lateral. As variáveis anaeróbias e os dados de EMG foram divididos em seis janelas consecutivas de 5 s. Os sinals EMG foram normalizados pela primeira janela da posição de referência para estipular as mudanças percentuais ao longo do teste. Os resultados sugerem que durante o teste de Wingate de 30 s pequenas alterações na altura do selim resultam em aumento da potência pico (referência=1380±241 W; baixa=1497±175 W, p=0,036; alta=1491±225 W, p=0,049) e maior período de ativação percentual para o vasto lateral (referência=33,6%, baixa=33,2%, alta=35,0%; p=0,001) em relação ao reto femoral (referência=24,5%, baixa=25,2%, alta=23.7%), bíceps femoral (referência=20,7%, baixa=20,8%, alta=19,9%) e gastrocnêmio lateral (referência=21,2%, baixa=20,8%, alta=19,9%). Os resultados sugerem que pequenos ajustes na altura do selim podem afetar a relação força-comprimento e, consequentemente, a capacidade de gerar força e o padrão de recrutamento muscular dos membros inferiores. Palavras-chave: Ciclismo. Fadiga. Potência anaeróbia. ABSTRACTThis study aimed to analyze the anaerobic performance and muscle activation during a supramaximal cycling test at three different saddle positions. Twelve competitive cyclists completed an incremental cycling test and three 30-s Wingate tests in three different saddle heights (reference, downward, and upward), in a random order, on different days. The saddle height was individually shifted downward and upward (seeing 2.5% of the distance from the pubic symphysis to ground) from the reference position. The electromyographic signal (EMG) data was obtained from the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris (long head), and gastrocnemius lateralis in order to assess muscle activation during the entire test. The anaerobic variables and the EMG data were divided into six consecutive windows of 5-s. The EMG signals were normalized by the first 5-s window of the reference position to provide the percentage changes throughout the test. The results suggest that during a 30-s Wingate test small changes in saddle height result in greater peak power output (reference=1380±241 W; downward=1497±175 W, p=0.036; upward=1491±225 W, p=0.049) and greater activation period for vastus lateralis (reference=33.6%, downward=33.2%, upward=35.0%; p=0.001) in comparision to rectus femoris (reference=24.5%, downward=25.2%, upwa...

Saddle Height and Cadence Effects on the Physiological, Perceptual, and Affective Responses of Recreational Cyclists

“…(2016) who also observed no effects from saddle height on torque generated or the asymmetry between the lower limbs during cycling. Notably, several prior studies evaluating torque and power production at different saddle heights were performed during maximum effort testing (i.e., the Wingate test; Moura et al., 2017; Peveler, Pounders, & Bishop, 2007), precluding a direct comparison of those results with this study. We did find an effect on torque production from varying pedal cadence, with a slower cadence (FCC − 20%) showing the highest torque values at all saddle heights.…”

“…All participants answered the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, which assesses readiness for physical activity through seven questions about physical activity, cardiovascular problems, medications, injuries, and diagnostic limitations (Thomas, Reading, & Schephard, 1992) in which two positive responses to the questionnaire were a criterion for exclusion. Participant sample size followed the example of 8-15 participants used in similar past research (Agrícola et al., 2016; Marsh & Martin, 1998; Moura et al., 2017; Nordden-Snyder, 1977; Rossato, Bini, Carpes, Diefenthaeler, & Moro, 2008). All participants signed an informed consent form, and all study procedures were examined and approved by the University Committee of Ethics in Research with Human (CAAE: 37090814.40000.0118).…”

“…Changes in bicycle configurations trigger human body adaptations (Diefenthaeler, Berneira, Moro, & Carpes, 2016; Diefenthaeler, Coyle, Bini, Carpes, & Vaz, 2012; Quesada et al., 2016); these include biomechanical and physiological parameters such as muscular activation (Diefenthaeler, Bini, Karolczak, & Carpes, 2008; Moura, Moro, Rossato, de Lucas, & Diefenthaeler, 2017; Peveler, Shew, Johnson, & Palmer, 2012), forces applied to pedals (Bini, Hume, & Croft, 2011; Verma, Hansen, Zee, & Madeleine, 2016), lower limb kinematics (Nordden-Snyder, 1977), and oxygen consumption (Nordden-Snyder, 1977; Peveler, 2008).…”

“…Accordingly, this study investigated how variations in vertical adjustment of saddle height and pedaling cadence influence recreational cyclists’ biomechanical, physiological, perceptual and affective responses. We hypothesized that cycling at optimal saddle height and pedaling cadence should enhance cyclists’ biomechanical, physiological (Ferrer-Rocca et al., 2014; Moura et al., 2017), and perceptual responses (Agrícola et al., 2016).…”

The Effect of Short-Term Wingate-Based High Intensity Interval Training on Anaerobic Power and Isokinetic Muscle Function in Adolescent Badminton Players

“…The Wingate test was performed using a cycle ergometer (Monark model 864 Crescent AB, Varberg, Sweden). The seat height was adjusted so that when the pedal was at the 6 o'clock position, the knee angles were 25 to 35 degrees [21,22].…”