Motor unit adaptations contribute to the repeated bout effect following damaging resistance exercise

Journal of Applied Physiology 2026 Open access

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Authors: Oliver Hayman, Paul Ansdell, Luca Angius, Kevin Thomas, Glyn Howatson, D. Kidgell, Jakob Škarabot, Eduardo Martinez‐Valdes, Stuart Goodall
DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00752.2025
Cited by: 1
References: 106

Abstract

Unfamiliar eccentric exercise causes muscle damage, but repeating the same exercise later substantially reduces symptoms-an adaptive phenomenon known as the repeated bout effect (RBE). We investigated the neural contributions to this response. We observed lower motor unit discharge variability and smaller increases in firing rate after the repeated bout. These findings provide evidence that motor unit-level neural adjustments are a critical component of the RBE, offering a new perspective on this protective adaptation.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Exercise and Physiological Responses Sports Performance and Training Cardiovascular and exercise physiology

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Applied Physiology
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Volume
140
Issue
2
Pages
525–539
Publication date
19 January 2026
Language
EN