['The present study was designed to test the effects of the reversal of antagonists on the peak rate of tension development (dF/dt(max)) of the elbow extensors.', 'Experimental, with matched controls.', 'A biomechanics research laboratory.', 'Twenty-six healthy women without a history of upper extremity injury or neurologic disorder, randomly assigned to experimental (n = 13) or control (n = 13) groups.', 'Two groups of healthy subjects followed identical exercise protocols, except that the control group performed maximal isometric contractions of the elbow extensors and the experimental group executed a maximal isometric elbow flexion contraction immediately before a maximal elbow extension contraction. Both groups performed 5 cycles of a 2-second contraction with 22-second rest periods between agonist muscle contractions and were evaluated at 4 test sessions spaced 2 weeks apart.', 'All measurements were done with the shoulder and elbow at 90 degrees of flexion in the sagittal plane to ensure reproducibility. A load cell was used to measure elbow extension moment and to calculate the peak rate of tension development (dF/dt(max)). Biceps and triceps brachii surface electromyographic activity was monitored concurrently. The electromyographic measures were mean spike (peak-to-peak) amplitude and mean spike frequency of the biceps and triceps brachii activity.', 'Intraclass dF/dt(max) and electromyographic reliability was good (r > or = .72) in both groups. Because biceps electromyographic measures were considerably less reliable (r < or = .53), they were not included in our analysis. While dF/dt(max) increased quadratically in both groups (p <.05), the experimental group was on average 36.1Nm. s(-1) (63%) greater across sessions 2 to 4 (p <.05). In contrast, triceps electromyographic activity did not differ significantly between groups (p >.05). The means averaged across groups exhibited a quadratic increase from session 1 to session 4: 91microV or 48% for mean spike amplitude (p <.05) and 7Hz or 16% for mean spike frequency (p <.05).'] Does the reversal of antagonists facilitate the peak rate of tension development?