Neural adaptations to long-term resistance training: evidence for the confounding effect of muscle size on the interpretation of surface electromyography
Jakob Škarabot, Thomas G. Balshaw, Sumiaki Maeo, Garry J. Massey, Marcel B. Lanza, Tom Maden‐Wilkinson, Jonathan P. Folland
Abstract
In a large sample of long-term resistance-trained individuals, we showed greater maximal M-wave amplitude of the elbow flexors and knee extensors compared with untrained individuals, which appears to be at least partially mediated by differences in muscle size. The lack of group differences in voluntary EMG amplitude when normalized to maximal M-wave suggests that differences in muscle morphology might impair interpretation of voluntary EMG as an index of central neural activity.
Topics & Concepts
ElectromyographyConfoundingResistance trainingPhysical medicine and rehabilitationElbowMotor unit recruitmentPhysical therapyMedicinePsychologyAnatomyInternal medicineMuscle activation and electromyography studiesMotor Control and AdaptationSports Performance and Training