The aim of the study was to find whether voluntary induced high- and low-frequency peripheral fatigue exhibit specific alteration in surface EMG signal (SEMG) during evoked and maximum voluntary contractions. Ten male students of physical education performed 60 s long stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) exercise with maximal intensity and 30 s long concentric (CON) exercise with maximal intensity. To verify voluntary induced peripheral fatigue, knee torques during low- (T₂₀) and high-frequency electrical stimulation (T₁₀₀) of relaxed vastus lateralis muscle (VL) were obtained. Contractile properties of the VL were measured with passive twitch and maximal voluntary knee extension test (MVC). Changes in M-waves and SEMG during MVC test were used to evaluate the differences in myoelectrical signals. T₁₀₀/T₂₀ ratio decreased by 10.9 ± 8.4 % (p < 0.01) after the SSC exercise and increased by 35.9 ± 17.5 % (p < 0.001) after the CON exercise. Significant SEMG changes were observed only after the CON exercise where peak to peak time of the M-waves increased by 9.2 ± 13.3 % (p < 0.06), SEMG amplitude during MVC increased by 32.9 ± 21.6 % (p < 0.001) and SEMG power spectrum median frequency decreased by 11.0 ± 10.5 % (p < 0.05). It is concluded that high frequency fatigue wasn't reflected in SEMG, however the SEMG changes after the CON seemed to reflect metabolic changes due to acidosis.

• The SSC exercise induced high-frequency fatigue which was not reflected in any SEMG change.

• The CON exercise induced dominantly low-frequency fatigue where only SEMG during MVC changed

• Muscle fibre membrane excitability was not changed due to low- and high-frequency fatigue but mainly reflected metabolic changes.

• Changes in muscle compound action potential did not follow those changes seen after electrically elicited HF and LF fatigue.