Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Kinesiology (MKin)

Department

Kinesiology and Physical Education

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Dr. Jayne Kalmar

Advisor Role

Supervisor

Abstract

Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the acute (a single sprint interval training or SIT exercise session) and chronic (3 weeks of SIT) neural adaptations that may occur with the SIT (30 second sprint and 4 minutes of rest).

Methods. 28 recreationally active participants were pseudo-randomized into either a control group (CTRL) or training group (TR) and tested at 4 time points after baseline VO2max testing. Participants were tested, pre-training/pre-fatigue, pre-training/post-fatigue, post-training/pre-fatigue, post-training/post-fatigue. The fatigue protocol was a SIT session (4 x 30-s sprints). The TR completed a 3-week running SIT protocol (3x/wk) progressing from four to six, 30-s “all-out” sprints (HiTrainer, QC), the CTRL did not. Voluntary activation (VA), Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and Contractile characteristics of the knee extensors were assessed. Motor unit firing rates (MUFRs) during sub-maximal, isometric contractions were assessed.

Results. Prior to training, a single bout of SIT induced neuromuscular fatigue, 79.4 N decline in MVC in the CTRL, and a 164.9 N decline in the TR (p0.2).

Conclusions. SIT induced central and peripheral fatigue in both groups before and after three weeks. Training attenuated fatigability but did not alter MUFRs. SIT is an effective fatigue protocol, that can improve (decrease) muscle fatigability with adherence to the protocol for as little as 3 weeks.

Convocation Year

2019

Convocation Season

Spring

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