The effects of strength training on intermuscular coordination during maximal cycling

In natural movement tasks individual muscles are seldom required to generate force in isolation and instead most functional movements arise from the cooperation of several muscles acting together – intermuscular coordination. Contemporary studies of movement coordination are often undertaken using the ecological dynamics theoretical framework and Newell’s model of constraints. Ecological dynamics examines human performance from a person-environment scale of analysis considering how people interact with a specific task and the performance environment, and the role these constraints play in the emergent coordination patterns. Pedalling is an ideal task to study intermuscular coordination since it is a natural movement task that can be accurately manipulated. Sprint cyclists often undertake gym-based strength training to increase muscle strength and size. Therefore, the aim of this programme of research was to understand how cyclists adapt their intermuscular coordination patterns during maximal cycling owing to changing organismic constraints (muscle size, strength and fatigue) caused by the gym-based strength training using the theoretical framework of ecological dynamics. In accordance with the theoretical framework of ecological dynamics and Newell’s model of constraints this programme of research highlighted the influence of the constraints acting on the cyclists’ coordination patterns that emerge. Different movement and coordination patterns were observed for maximal cycling when the task constraints were changed from sprinting on a fixed ergometer in the laboratory to a track bicycle in the velodrome. This finding implies it is important to undertake biomechanical analyses of movement organisation in elite sports practice in a representative environment. Also, following a gym-based strength training intervention the cyclists’ crank power increased, but there were no changes in joint moments, power or muscle activation which suggested that the cyclists might adopt individual coordination strategies following the change in their organismic constraints after the strength training intervention.