Diurnal evolution of cycling biomechanical parameters during a 60-s Wingate test

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. e106 - e114
• Main Authors: Lericollais, R., Gauthier, A., Bessot, N., Davenne, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2011
• Subjects: anaerobic; Bicycling; Biomechanical Phenomena - physiology; biomechanics; Body Temperature; chronobiology; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Exercise Test; Fatigue; Humans; Kinematics; Kinetics; Male; Muscle Fatigue - physiology; power output; Wingate test; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0905-7188; 1600-0838
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01172.x

The purpose of this study was to assess the evolution of pedaling kinetics and kinematics during a short‐term fatigue cycling exercise at two times of day. Twenty active male subjects were asked to perform a 60‐s Wingate test against a constant braking resistance during two experimental sessions at 06:00 and 18:00 hours, i.e., very close to the hours of core temperature values, which are, respectively, the lowest and the highest. The results showed that the fatigue index was higher (P<0.05) at 18:00 hours (71.4%) than at 06:00 hours (69.2%) and power output was higher (P<0.05) in the evening than in the morning during the first 20 s of the test, after which no difference was observed. Taken together, these results showed a greater progression of fatigue in the evening than in the morning. The diurnal variations in performance and fatigue were associated (P<0.001) with diurnal changes in cycling kinematic parameters, characterized by a reduction in the range of motion of the ankle angle in the evening. These findings show that a time‐of‐day effect on movement patterns occurs during an anaerobic cycling exercise and that this phenomenon has a direct influence on performance and fatigue.