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Muscle activation and heart rate responses to a side‐step interval exercise
Author(s) -
Thiebaud Robert S.,
Abe Takashi,
Bravo Jonathan C.,
Giovannitti Nicolas,
Sullivan Avery P.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
clinical physiology and functional imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.608
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-097X
pISSN - 1475-0961
DOI - 10.1111/cpf.12413
Subject(s) - vastus medialis , cardiorespiratory fitness , medicine , heart rate , cardiology , vastus lateralis muscle , physical therapy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , skeletal muscle , blood pressure , electromyography
Summary Background The side‐step test is commonly used to assess agility. Side‐step interval exercise may also be a potential way to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. However, the acute heart rate and muscle activation response to this type of exercise is not well established. In addition, different tempos can influence these responses. The purpose of this study was to determine the acute heart rate and muscle activation responses of a side‐step interval exercise to different exercise tempos. Methods Ten participants completed aV ˙ O 2max test and performed a side‐step interval exercise for 4 × 1 min intervals separated by 1‐min rest intervals at a slow (84 bpm) and fast (112 bpm) tempo. Muscle activation of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and heart rate were measured during exercise. Results During the slow tempo, vastus lateralis muscle activation varied from 45% to 48% of maximum muscle activation (EMG max ) while vastus medialis muscle activation varied from 51% to 54% EMG max . During the fast tempo, vastus lateralis muscle activation varied from 53% to 65% EMG max while vastus medialis muscle activation varied from 64% to 76% EMG max . Heart rates varied from 80–84% HR max from set 1 to set 4 for the fast tempo and varied from 67% to 72% HR max from set 1 to set 4 for the slow speeds. Conclusion Exercise intensity of a side‐step interval exercise reached adequate levels to suggest that it may be possible to use this type of exercise to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.