In extreme environments the brain has a very protective role and is the limiting factor for performance, it doesn't allow you to move at a certain speed or pedal at certain power. It's not traditional fatigue because your muscles tired -- they are fine, it's your brain saying no.

Emma Ross

Categorized in : Health News

We adapted the central nervous system to be OK with not stopping exercise at those( normal) levels, to be more tolerant of high intensity, in an untrained person the system is quite conservative but shifts as you train.

It was never thought to be a limiting factor in performance -- we tended to think that was running out of energy -- but now we understand more about the role neuromuscular function plays in exercise tolerance.