Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 15-week partial range of motion (ROM) resistance training program on the vastus lateralis (VL) architecture and mechanical properties, when the time under tension (TUT) was equalized.
Methods
Nineteen untrained male subjects were randomly assigned to a control (Control; n = 8) or training (TG; n = 11) group. In the TG, the dominant and nondominant legs were randomly selected to be trained with a full ROM (FULL) or a partial ROM (PART) in an isokinetic dynamometer. Training volume was equalized based on the TUT by manipulating sets and repetitions. The VL muscle architecture was assessed by B-mode ultrasonography at rest and during maximal isometric knee extension contractions (MVCs) at ten knee angles. The VL fascicle force and specific tension were calculated from the MVCs with superimposed stimuli, accounting for the moment arm length, muscle architecture, and antagonist coactivation.
Results
The FULL training induced changes in fascicle length (FL) (4.9 ± 2.0%, P < 0.001) and specific tension (25.8 ± 18.7%, P < 0.001). There was a moderate effect of PART training on the physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) (7.8 ± 4.0%, P < 0.001, dav = 0.6) and torque–angle adaptations (average increase 17.7 ± 3.9%, P < 0.05).
Conclusions
These results provide evidence that crucial architectural and mechanical muscle adaptations are dependent on the ROM used in strength training. It seems that muscle FL and specific tension can be increased by pure concentric training if greater ROM is used. Conversely, restricting the ROM to shorter muscle lengths promotes a greater PCSA and angle-specific strength adaptations.
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Abbreviations
- 1-RM:
-
One repetition maximum
- ACSA:
-
Anatomical cross-sectional area
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- BF:
-
Biceps femoris
- CIs:
-
Confidence intervals
- ⅆPT :
-
Patellar tendon moment arm
- FL:
-
Fascicle length
- FULL:
-
Full range of motion
- ICCs:
-
Intra-class correlation coefficients
- MDC:
-
Minimal detectable change
- MRI:
-
Magnetic resonance imaging
- MVC:
-
Maximal isometric knee extension contraction
- MVCs:
-
Maximal isometric knee extension contractions
- PA:
-
Pennation angle
- PART:
-
Partial range of motion
- PCSA:
-
Physiological cross-sectional area
- RJMT:
-
Relative joint maximal torque
- ROM:
-
Range of motion
- SEM:
-
Standard error of the mean
- SENIAM:
-
Surface EMG for non-invasive assessment of muscles
- SD:
-
Standard deviation
- TUT:
-
Time under tension
- VL:
-
Vastus lateralis
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Acknowledgements
The first author gratefully acknowledges the “Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal” (“The Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal”). The authors also gratefully acknowledge all students who participated in this study, especially those who always trained as hard as possible.
Funding
This study was partially funded by the “Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal” (“The Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal”) (Grant Number SFRH/BD/60882/2009).
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MJV, APV and PM-H conceived and designed research. MJV, FT and RMS conducted experiments. MJV and PM-H analyzed data. MJV wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Communicated by Olivier Seynnes.
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Valamatos, M.J., Tavares, F., Santos, R.M. et al. Influence of full range of motion vs. equalized partial range of motion training on muscle architecture and mechanical properties. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 1969–1983 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3932-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3932-x