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Isoacceleration: a new concept of resistive exercise
S H Westing1, J Y Seger, A Thorstensson
1Department of Physiology III, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|May 1, 1991
Summary
Constant accelerative and decelerative exercise yielded similar torque outputs to isokinetic exercise. Muscle force is primarily determined by movement speed, not the type of motion, suggesting controlled acceleration offers training advantages.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
Background:
- Isokinetic dynamometry is a standard for assessing muscle strength.
- Understanding torque production during varied movement types is crucial for optimizing training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate constant accelerative and decelerative exercise.
- To compare torque output during isoaccelerative/isodecelerative and isokinetic movements.
- To determine the primary determinant of muscle force during dynamic contractions.
Main Methods:
- Twelve healthy men performed maximal voluntary concentric and eccentric knee extensions.
- Testing included isokinetic, isoaccelerative, and isodecelerative conditions at specified velocities and accelerations.
- Torque was measured across a range of knee angles.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in torque were observed between isoaccelerative, isodecelerative, and isokinetic conditions for both concentric and eccentric contractions.
- Movement velocity, rather than acceleration or deceleration, was the key factor influencing muscle force.
Conclusions:
- Muscle force is predominantly dictated by movement speed, irrespective of whether the motion is accelerative, decelerative, or constant velocity.
- Controlled acceleration techniques, especially eccentric deceleration and concentric acceleration, may offer superior training benefits by mimicking natural movements.