Effect of manipulation of plasma lactate on integrated EMG during cycling

This investigation was undertaken to record electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis muscle during incremental cycling exercise and to determine whether it would be sensitive to altered dynamics of plasma lactate increases seen with intense exercise. Trained cyclists (N = 6) performed two progressive, stepwise exercise tests (23.5 W.min-1) to fatigue on a cycle ergometer at 90 rpm. One of the exercise tests was preceded by arm ergometer exercise in an attempt to elevate the circulating plasma lactate levels prior to starting the criterion exercise test. The starting mean plasma lactate values were 4.59 and 26.69 mmol lactate.-1 for the two exercise sessions. Cardiorespiratory values did not differ significantly between exercise sessions completed in the absence and presence of increased circulating plasma lactate. The no-arm trial (i.e., nonelevated plasma lactate condition) was associated with a plasma lactate inflection point (Tlac) at 72.6% VO2max. Previous arm exercise elevated the lactate such that during the criterion exercise plasma lactate values were decreasing with increasing power output at lower exercise intensities. As exercise intensity increased lactate values also increased beginning at a power output of about 76% VO2 max. Mean per cycle integrated EMG (CIEMG) increased linearly with increased power output in both exercise sessions. The slopes of the EMG-power output curve were not significantly different (P less than 0.05). There were no inflection points in these curves. The absence of an inflection point show that surface EMG does not provide an indication of Tlac.