Ce travail de thèse visait à déterminer l’influence de la durée et du niveau d’entraînement en endurance sur les mécanismes de régulation de la fatigue neuromusculaire et d’une stratégie de modulation de ces mécanismes sur la performance motrice. Ce travail de thèse consistait également à élaborer une nouvelle méthode d’entraînement permettant d’optimiser les stimuli responsables des adaptations résultantes d’un programme de conditionnement physique. Les résultats principaux issus de ces travaux sont présentés dans un résumé plus détaillé en fin de manuscrit. / The present work aimed to determine the influence of exercise duration and endurance training level on the mechanisms underlying neuromuscular fatigue regulation and the effect of a deceptive strategy on exercise performance. This thesis also aimed to elaborate a new training method that would optimize exercise-induced training stimuli that are known to trigger complementary physical abilities adaptations. The main outcomes of these works are detailed in an expanded abstract at the end of the manuscript.

This study investigated the effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric free acid (HMBFA) on the onset of neuromuscular fatigue in healthy young men and women. Thirty-seven subjects (22 men and 15 women; mean ± SD age = 22.8 ± 3.4yrs) completed an incremental cycle ergometer test (GXT) to exhaustion. During the GXT, electromyography (EMG) signals from the right vastus lateralis were recorded to determine the power output at the onset of neuromuscular fatigue (PWCFT), and peak wattage was used to assign individual training loads. After baseline testing (PRE), subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (C, n = 9), training with placebo (P, n = 14), or training with supplementation (S, n = 14). Subjects assigned to P and S completed 12 HIIT sessions over 4 weeks while subjects assigned to C were asked to maintain their normal diet and activity patterns. After 4 weeks, subjects returned for post-testing (POST). The PWCFT values (W) were determined using a DMAX method. The EMG amplitude root mean square (µVrms) values were used to generate a third-order polynomial regression (3PR) representing the increase in µVrms versus time of the GXT. The onset of fatigue (TF) was defined as the x-value (time, s) of the point on the 3PR that measured the maximal perpendicular distance from the line between the first and last data points. TF was used to estimate PWCFT according to the equation: PWCFT = PO + a · (n/N), where PO is the power output of the stage in which TF occurred, a is the increment in power output between GXT stages (25W), n is the difference (s) between TF and the beginning of the stage during which TF occurred, and N is the duration of a stage (120s). A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to identify group × time interaction for PWCFT. If a significant interaction occurred, one-way factorial ANOVAs were used. Fisher's least significant difference post hoc comparisons were performed between groups. If a significant main effect occurred, dependent samples t-tests with Bonferroni corrections (p = [0.05/3] = 0.017) were performed across time for each group. The two-way ANOVA resulted in a significant interaction (F = 6.69, p = 0.004). Follow-up analysis with one-way ANOVA resulted in no difference among groups at PRE (F = 0.87, p = 0.43), however a significant difference was shown for POST values (F = 5.46, p = 0.009). Post-hoc analysis among POST values showed significant differences between S and both P (p = 0.034) and C (p = 0.003). No differences (p = 0.226) were noted between P and C. Paired samples t-tests detected significant changes following HIIT for S (p < 0.001) and P (p = 0.016), but no change in C (p = 0.473). Results of this study indicate that HIIT was effective in delaying the onset of fatigue, but supplementation with HMBFA in conjunction with HIIT was more effective than HIIT alone. An increase in PWCFT represents an increase in the maximal power output an individual can sustain without eliciting fatigue. Therefore, HIIT can be used to improve performance in both endurance activities as well as intermittent sports. In addition, HMBFA supplementation is a simple method that can be used to maximize the benefits of HIIT. Acknowledgments: Metabolic Technologies, Inc. provided the supplement and funding for this study.

Abstract Introduction In order to evaluate aerobic, power and strength abilities coaches typically has performed all the physical tests at the same testing session. Today there is a lack of instruments tested for reliability in that kind of setting. Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate intra-session reliability for countermovement jump (CMJ) and Isometric Midthigh Pull (IMTP) after a fatiguing cycle-ergometer VO2-maxtest. Method: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study design where 25 Swedish elite athletes, 11 women (age 26.9 ± 8.3 year, weight 63.3 ± 7.4 kg, length 169.8 ± 7.4 cm and BMI 21.9 ± 1.4) and 14 men (age 23.4 ± 2.9 year, weight 77.9 ± 12.4 kg, length 179.0 ± 8.3 cm and BMI 24.2 ± 2.0), from different sports were recruited through a stratified comfort selection from the initial survey study within the project: Relative Energy Deficit in Swedish Athletes (the REI-project). The study-participants performed physical testing in one test session, the test-protocol consisted of a incremental VO2-max cycle-ergometer test to fatigue followed by 3 attempts CMJ and 3 attempts IMTP. Results The relative reliability was excellent for both CMJ and IMTP (Intraclass correlation (ICC) 0,948 and 0,983 respectively), not surprisingly due to the heterogeneous population.  The absolute reliability was excellent as well (percentage of typical Error (TE%) 5,84 and 4,02, percentage of coefficient of variation (CV%) 6,81 and 7,63 respectively). Conclusion The CMJ and IMTP are intra-session reliable in measuring jump hight and isometric strength in a state of fatigue. / Abstrakt Introduktion I syfte att utvärdera såväl aerob kapacitet, spänst och styrka utför tränare ofta dessa fysiska tester vid ett och samma testtillfälle. Idag saknas det testinstrument som reliabilitetstestats i en sådan kontext.Syfte Avsikten med denna studie var att undersöka intra-session reliabiliteten i Countermovement Jump (CMJ) och Isometriskt Mid Thigh Pull (IMTP) utförda efter ett utmattande cykelergometertest för VO2-max. Metod En kvantitativ, deskriptiv, tvärsnittsstudie valdes där 25 svenska elitidrottare, 11 kvinnor (ålder 26.9 ± 8.3 år, vikt 63.3 ± 7.4 kg, längd 169.8 ± 7.4 cm and BMI 21.9 ± 1.4) och 14 män (ålder 23.4 ± 2.9 år, vikt 77.9 ± 12.4 kg, längd 179.0 ± 8.3 cm and BMI 24.2 ± 2.0), inom olika idrotter rekryterades genom ett stratifierat bekvämlighetsurval från projektet Relativ energibrist i svensk idrott (REI-projektet) initiala enkätstudie. Forskningspersonerna utförde fysiska tester vid ett tillfälle, testprotokollet bestod av ett stegrat VO2-max cykelergometertest till utmattning följt av 3 maximala försök CMJ och 3 maximala försök IMTP. Resultat Relativ reliabilitet visades utmärkt för både CMJ och IMTP (intraclass correlation (ICC) 0,948 respektive 0,983), vilket inte var förvånande med tanke på den heterogena populationen. Absolut reliabilitet visades även den vara utmärkt (typfel uttryckt i procent (TE%) 5,84 respektive 4,02 och variationskoefficient uttryckt i procent (CV%) 6,81 respektive 7,63). Slutsats CMJ och IMTP är reliabla testinstrument, intra-session, för mätning av hopphöjd och isometrisk styrka i ett utmattat tillstånd. / Projekt: Relativ energibrist i svensk idrott (REI-projektet)