Figure 1.

Experimental protocol. Schematic diagram of the experimental protocol undertaken by participants in the morning (07:30 h) and evening (17:30 h) interspersed by a 72-h wash-out period. Temperature data were collected from the rectum, muscle, and skin after a 30 min acclimatization period (baseline), after a cycle ergometry warm up (5 min at 150 W) and after periods of data collection, including the measurement of quadriceps maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) force and peak rate of force development (RFD). Participants performed 5 blocks of MVIC (dark bars) consisting of 1 unstimulated and 3 stimulated contractions, which were interspersed by rest periods (light bars). The peak RFD of the quadriceps muscle was assessed by 10 attempts (dark bars) interspersed by 30 s recovery periods. Samples of vastus lateralis muscle were taken by percutaneous needle biopsy immediately after RFD measurements.