Relationship between Strength Level and Pedal Rate

François Bieuzen (1) , Fabrice Vercruyssen (1) , Christophe Hausswirth (2) , Jeanick Brisswalter (3)

1 UTLN - Université de Toulon
2 INSEP - Institut national du sport et de l'éducation physique
3 UNS UFR Sciences - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis - Faculté des Sciences

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between strength capacity and preferred and optimal cadence in well trained cyclists. Eighteen cyclists participated in this study. Each subject completed three sessions. The initial session was to evaluate the maximal isokinetic voluntary contraction level of lower limb. The second session was an incremental test to exhaustion. During the third session subjects performed a constant cycling exercise (20min) conducted at five randomly cadences (50, 70, 90, 110 rpm) and at the preferred cadence (FCC) at the power reached at ventilatory threshold. Cardiorespiratory and EMG values were recorded. A metabolic optimum (EOC) was observed at 63.5 ± 7.8 rpm different from preferred cadence (FCC, 90.6 ± 9.1 rpm). No difference was found between FCC and the neuromuscular optimal cadence (NOC, 93.5 ± 4). Significant relationships were found between EOC, NOC and strength capacities (r = – 0.75 and – 0. 63), whereas FCC was only related with V˙ O2max (r = 0.59). The main finding of this study was that during submaximal cycling energetically optimal cadence or neuromuscular optimum in trained cyclists was significantly related with strength capacity and whereas preferred cadence seems to be related with endurance training status of cyclists.

Mots clés: strength capacity; energetical optimum; neuromuscular optimum; freely chosen cadence; cyclists

Domaines: Physiologie du sport

François Bieuzen, Fabrice Vercruyssen, Christophe Hausswirth, Jeanick Brisswalter. Relationship between Strength Level and Pedal Rate. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007, 28 (7), pp.585-589. ⟨10.1055/s-2007-964859⟩. ⟨hal-01708157⟩