Repeated stretch–shortening cycles enhance force and work despite brief deactivation between cycles
6 affiliations
- 1Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- 2Human Movement Science, Faculty of Sports Science, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
- 3School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia
- 4Human Movement Science, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany
- 5Biomechanics in Sports, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 80809 Munich, Germany
- 6Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Abstract
Stretch–shortening cycles (SSCs) enhance force and mechanical work compared with pure shortening contractions and are fundamental to locomotion. Although SSC mechanics are well studied, it remains unclear whether mechanical cycle-to-cycle carryover effects persist across repeated SSCs despite brief deactivation or inhibition of cross-bridge (XB) force production. To address this, single-skinned fibres from rat extensor digitorum longus muscles (n=21) underwent three consecutive SSCs at a slow velocity (1% maximal shortening velocity). Fibres were activated isometrically for 20 s before SSC1, whereas SSC2 and SSC3 were each preceded by 4 s of deactivation followed by 20 s of isometric activation. Experiments were performed under control conditions and with blebbistatin to inhibit XB force production. Repeated SSCs produced progressive performance enhancements under both conditions despite brief deactivation. From SSC1 to SSC3, peak force (Fpeak) increased by 14.6% and total SSC work (WorkSSC) by 50.1% under control conditions, and by 37.5% and 67.6%, respectively, with blebbistatin. Increased short-range stiffness under control conditions suggests XB-mediated stretch resistance, whereas persistent increases during XB inhibition indicate contributions from non-XB structures, particularly titin. These findings support a sarcomeric memory effect that enhances stretch resistance and work during repeated SSCs.
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BibTeX
@article{elst2026repeated,
title = {{Repeated stretch–shortening cycles enhance force and work despite brief deactivation between cycles}},
author = {Tobias Elst and Sven Weidner and André Tomalka and Daniel Hahn and Wolfgang Seiberl and Florian K. Paternoster and Tobias Siebert},
journal = {The Journal of Experimental Biology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1242/jeb.252866},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.252866},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Repeated stretch–shortening cycles enhance force and work despite brief deactivation between cycles
AU - Tobias Elst
AU - Sven Weidner
AU - André Tomalka
AU - Daniel Hahn
AU - Wolfgang Seiberl
AU - Florian K. Paternoster
AU - Tobias Siebert
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - The Journal of Experimental Biology
DO - 10.1242/jeb.252866
UR - https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.252866
AB - Stretch–shortening cycles (SSCs) enhance force and mechanical work compared with pure shortening contractions and are fundamental to locomotion. Although SSC mechanics are well studied, it remains unclear whether mechanical cycle-to-cycle carryover effects persist across repeated SSCs despite brief deactivation or inhibition of cross-bridge (XB) force production. To address this, single-skinned fibres from rat extensor digitorum longus muscles (n=21) underwent three consecutive SSCs at a slow velocity (1% maximal shortening velocity). Fibres were activated isometrically for 20 s before SSC1, whereas SSC2 and SSC3 were each preceded by 4 s of deactivation followed by 20 s of isometric activation. Experiments were performed under control conditions and with blebbistatin to inhibit XB force production. Repeated SSCs produced progressive performance enhancements under both conditions despite brief deactivation. From SSC1 to SSC3, peak force (Fpeak) increased by 14.6% and total SSC work (WorkSSC) by 50.1% under control conditions, and by 37.5% and 67.6%, respectively, with blebbistatin. Increased short-range stiffness under control conditions suggests XB-mediated stretch resistance, whereas persistent increases during XB inhibition indicate contributions from non-XB structures, particularly titin. These findings support a sarcomeric memory effect that enhances stretch resistance and work during repeated SSCs.
SN - 0022-0949
SN - 1477-9145
ER -