NEUROMUSCULAR ADAPTATIONS IN ISOKINETIC, ISOTONIC, AND AGILITY TRAINING-PROGRAMS

Weight training is an integral part of most athletic conditioning prog rams; yet, the effect of these programs on neuromuscular function rema ins unclear. To examine the neuromuscular effects of training and cond itioning at the knee joint, 32 volunteers (16 men and 16 women; averag e age, 25.4 years) were placed into one of four groups': isokinetic, i sotonic, agility, or control. Each group trained 3 days per week for 6 weeks. The knee function of all participants was evaluated just befor e and after the 6-week training period. The agility-trained group sign ificantly improved the spinal reflex times of the lateral and medial q uadriceps muscles in response to anterior tibial translation. The cort ical response time of the agility group also significantly improved in the gastrocnemius, medial hamstring, and the lateral quadriceps muscl es. interestingly, the cortical response time of the medial hamstring and the medial quadriceps muscles in the isokinetic group slowed signi ficantly, by 39.1 and 32.4 msec, respectively, after 6 weeks of traini ng. Isotonic and isokinetic strength training of the lower extremities do not appear to improve muscle reaction time to anterior tibial tran slation, whereas agility exercises potentially improve this parameter.