The effect of different resistance training methods on the synergy pattern of selected lower limb muscles during squatting

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran.

2 Department of Motor Behavior and Sports Biomechanics, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran.

10.22080/jaep.2025.28350.2215

Abstract

Objectives: A set of functional movements is important for engaging the human body in performing sports activities and preventing injuries. The squat is considered a highly important functional movement in both athletic performance and injury prevention, and it also requires specific muscular coordination. The synergy and coordination of the squat movement can be influenced by various factors such as the type of resistance training and changes in rest intervals and exercise execution. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of four different resistance training methods on muscle synergies during squat performance.
Methods: Twelve young male athletes performed four resistance squat protocols (traditional, rest-pause, drop set, and cluster). The activity of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus muscles during squat performance with 75% of one-repetition maximum was recorded using an electromyography device. The electromyographic profiles were evaluated using the non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) method, which decomposes muscle signals into synergy components.
Results: The findings indicated that three synergies could account for muscle activity during squats across the four resistance training protocols. No differences were observed in the relative weightings of the muscles within the synergies among the different protocols. Changing the resistance training protocol did not alter the number of synergies or the relative contributions of the muscles within them.
Conclusion: It appears that the lack of change in synergies across different resistance training protocols may be due to a strategy of the central nervous system to preserve the overall structure of the synergies, which likely helps maintain optimal performance of motor tasks under various training conditions.

Highlights

##Agostini, V., De Jesus, K., & Picerno, P. (2023). Editorial: Fatigue assessment in sport. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 1–3. ##Arazi, H., et al. (2021). The effect of resistance training set configuration on strength and muscular performance adaptations in male powerlifters. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 7844. ##Brambilla, C., & Scano, A. (2022). The number and structure of muscle synergies depend on the number of recorded muscles: A pilot simulation study with OpenSim. Sensors, 22(22), 8584. ##Cifrek, M., et al. (2009). Surface EMG based muscle fatigue evaluation in biomechanics. Clinical Biomechanics, 24(4), 327–340. ##d’Avella, A., & Bizzi, E. (2005). Shared and specific muscle synergies in natural motor behaviors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(8), 3076–3081. ##d’Avella, A., Saltiel, P., & Bizzi, E. (2003). Combinations of muscle synergies in the construction of a natural motor behavior. Nature Neuroscience, 6(3), 300–308. ##Gantois, P., et al. (2020). Acute effects of muscle failure and training system (traditional vs. rest-pause) in resistance exercise on countermovement jump performance in trained adults. Isokinetics and Exercise Science, 28(3), 1–9. ## Ghouchan, F. A., et al. (2021). Neuromuscular adjustments of the quadriceps muscle after eccentric resistance and concentric resistance training. Journal of Modern Rehabilitation, 15(2), 71–80. ##Hajiloo, B., et al. (2020). The effects of fatigue on synergy of selected lower limb muscles during running. Journal of Biomechanics, 103, 109692. ##Haj-Lotfalian, M., Honarvar, M. H., & Shamsehkohan, P. (2019). The biomechanics and muscle function in various squat techniques with a rehabilitative and training approach: A narrative review. Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences, 15(5), 294–304. ##Jeong, H., et al. (2023). Muscle coordination and recruitment during squat assistance using a robotic ankle–foot exoskeleton. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1363. ##Kenville, R., Clauß, M., & Maudrich, T. (2024). Investigating the impact of external load on muscle synergies during bipedal squats. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 1–10. ##Kristiansen, M. V. (2015). Muscle synergies during bench press (Master’s thesis). Aalborg University, Denmark. ##Kristiansen, M., et al. (2016). Muscle synergies during bench press are reliable across days. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 30, 81–88. ##Roy, S. H., De Luca, C. J., & Casavant, D. A. (1989). Lumbar muscle fatigue and chronic lower back pain. Spine, 14(9), 992–1001. ## Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2015). Regional differences in muscle activation during hamstrings exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(1), 159–164. ## Smale, K. B., Shourijeh, M. S., & Benoit, D. L. (2016). Use of muscle synergies and wavelet transforms to identify fatigue during squatting. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 28, 158–166. ##Steele, K. M., Tresch, M. C., & Perreault, E. J. (2013). The number and choice of muscles impact the results of muscle synergy analyses. Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, 7, 105. ##Stegeman, D. F., et al. (2000). Surface EMG models: Properties and applications. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 10(5), 313–326. ## Tresch, M. C., & Jarc, A. (2009). The case for and against muscle synergies. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 19(6), 601–607. ##Turpin, N. A., et al. (2011). Fatigue-related adaptations in muscle coordination during a cyclic exercise in humans. Journal of Experimental Biology, 214(19), 3305–3314. ##

Keywords

References

##Agostini, V., De Jesus, K., & Picerno, P. (2023). Editorial: Fatigue assessment in sport. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 1–3. ##Arazi, H., et al. (2021). The effect of resistance training set configuration on strength and muscular performance adaptations in male powerlifters. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 7844. ##Brambilla, C., & Scano, A. (2022). The number and structure of muscle synergies depend on the number of recorded muscles: A pilot simulation study with OpenSim. Sensors, 22(22), 8584. ##Cifrek, M., et al. (2009). Surface EMG based muscle fatigue evaluation in biomechanics. Clinical Biomechanics, 24(4), 327–340. ##d’Avella, A., & Bizzi, E. (2005). Shared and specific muscle synergies in natural motor behaviors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(8), 3076–3081. ##d’Avella, A., Saltiel, P., & Bizzi, E. (2003). Combinations of muscle synergies in the construction of a natural motor behavior. Nature Neuroscience, 6(3), 300–308. ##Gantois, P., et al. (2020). Acute effects of muscle failure and training system (traditional vs. rest-pause) in resistance exercise on countermovement jump performance in trained adults. Isokinetics and Exercise Science, 28(3), 1–9. ## Ghouchan, F. A., et al. (2021). Neuromuscular adjustments of the quadriceps muscle after eccentric resistance and concentric resistance training. Journal of Modern Rehabilitation, 15(2), 71–80. ##Hajiloo, B., et al. (2020). The effects of fatigue on synergy of selected lower limb muscles during running. Journal of Biomechanics, 103, 109692. ##Haj-Lotfalian, M., Honarvar, M. H., & Shamsehkohan, P. (2019). The biomechanics and muscle function in various squat techniques with a rehabilitative and training approach: A narrative review. Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences, 15(5), 294–304. ##Jeong, H., et al. (2023). Muscle coordination and recruitment during squat assistance using a robotic ankle–foot exoskeleton. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1363. ##Kenville, R., Clauß, M., & Maudrich, T. (2024). Investigating the impact of external load on muscle synergies during bipedal squats. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 1–10. ##Kristiansen, M. V. (2015). Muscle synergies during bench press (Master’s thesis). Aalborg University, Denmark. ##Kristiansen, M., et al. (2016). Muscle synergies during bench press are reliable across days. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 30, 81–88. ##Roy, S. H., De Luca, C. J., & Casavant, D. A. (1989). Lumbar muscle fatigue and chronic lower back pain. Spine, 14(9), 992–1001. ## Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2015). Regional differences in muscle activation during hamstrings exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(1), 159–164. ## Smale, K. B., Shourijeh, M. S., & Benoit, D. L. (2016). Use of muscle synergies and wavelet transforms to identify fatigue during squatting. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 28, 158–166. ##Steele, K. M., Tresch, M. C., & Perreault, E. J. (2013). The number and choice of muscles impact the results of muscle synergy analyses. Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, 7, 105. ##Stegeman, D. F., et al. (2000). Surface EMG models: Properties and applications. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 10(5), 313–326. ## Tresch, M. C., & Jarc, A. (2009). The case for and against muscle synergies. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 19(6), 601–607. ##Turpin, N. A., et al. (2011). Fatigue-related adaptations in muscle coordination during a cyclic exercise in humans. Journal of Experimental Biology, 214(19), 3305–3314. ##
Journal of Applied Exercise Physiology
Volume 20, Issue 39
April 2024
Pages 91-102

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History

  • Receive Date: 05 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 17 January 2025
  • Accept Date: 22 January 2025

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