Mechanomyography, electromyography, heart rate, and ratings of perceived exertion during incremental cycle ergometry.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationships of mchanomyography (MMG), electromyography (EMG), heart rate (HR), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) versus power output during incremental cycle ergometry.


METHODS
Nine adult males [mean (+/-SD) age 23 (+/-3) years] volunteered to perform an incremental test to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer. The MMG, EMG, HR, and RPE values were recorded at the end of each power output.


RESULTS
The normalized (expressed as a percentage of maximal values) relationships for MMG, HR, and RPE versus power output were linear, while the EMG versus power output relationship was quadratic. Furthermore, there were no significant (p > 0.10) differences between slope coefficients for the relationships among MMG, HR, and RPE versus power output.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this investigation indicated that there were close associations among the mechanical (MMG), cardiac (HR), and perception of effort (RPE) aspects of cycle ergometry. In addition, there was a dissociation between the linear MMG pattern and quadratic EMG pattern with increasing power outputs.
Perry
S R
SR
Center for Youth Fitness and Sports Research, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588-0229, USA.
Housh
T J
TJ
Johnson
G O
GO
Ebersole
K T
KT
Bull
A J
AJ
Evetovich
T K
TK
Smith
D B
DB
D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D005080:Exercise Test; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009213:Myography; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*