European Journal of Applied Physiology· 2016Q1· Review
Rate of force development: physiological and methodological considerations
- 1,357citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2016year
Short summary
Rate of force development (RFD), a key measure of explosive strength, is primarily determined by rapid voluntary activation within the first 50-75 ms of contraction, largely influenced by motor unit discharge rate.
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Key points
- RFD is largely determined by maximal voluntary activation within the first 50-75 ms of contraction.
- Increased motor unit discharge rate is a key factor in early RFD.
- Both explosive and heavy-resistance training can improve RFD by enhancing rapid muscle activation.
- Accurate and reliable evaluation of RFD is methodologically challenging.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
The evaluation of rate of force development during rapid contractions has recently become quite popular for characterising explosive strength of athletes, elderly individuals and patients. The main aims of this narrative review are to describe the neuromuscular determinants of rate of force development and to discuss various methodological considerations inherent to its evaluation for research and clinical purposes. Rate of force development (1) seems to be mainly determined by the capacity to produce maximal voluntary activation in the early phase of an explosive contraction (first 50-75 ms), particularly as a result of increased motor unit discharge rate; (2) can be improved by both explosive-type and heavy-resistance strength training in different subject populations, mainly through an improvement in rapid muscle activation; (3) is quite difficult to evaluate in a valid and reliable way. Therefore, we provide evidence-based practical recommendations for rational quantification of rate of force development in both laboratory and clinical settings.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2016 · DOI ↗
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Field: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Orthopedics and Sports MedicineMedicine