5 - Muscular Strength Flashcards
def: the greatest amount of force that a muscle or muscle group can produce in a single maximal effort
muscular strength
def: ability of a muscle group to perform repeated contractions against a light load for an extended period of time
muscular endurance
def: ability to produce force quickly
muscular power
what are 4 benefits of strength training?
- stronger muscles better protect the joints that they cross
- better tone of the muscles of the trunk helps prevent common postural problems
- stronger muscles are less likely to be strained and injured
- improvements in self esteem
what are the three main types of muscular contraction?
- isotonic contraction
- isometric contraction
- isokinetic contraction
def: the muscle shortens with varying tension as it lifts a constant load
concentric contraction
def: the muscle lengthens while developing force as the external resistance exceeds the muscle force, usually used in resisting gravity
eccentric contraction
def: tension is developed but there is no change in the angle of the joint or the length of the muscle
isometric contraction
def: the muscle is shortened at a constant velocity determined by computer instrumentation which allows a person to exert maximal force throughout the full range of motion
isokinetic contraction
what are the purposes of strength assessments?
- asses muscular fitness
- identify specific areas of weakness
- monitor progress in rehab
- measure effectiveness of a resistance training program
- motivation for training
def: max amount of weight lifted once with use of free weights or machines that allow dynamic muscle contractions
one repetition maximum
def: estimation of one repetition maximum from repetitions to failure with free weights or machines
variable repetition maximum
def: a spring of some type which is deformed a certain amount when a specific force is applied to it
dynamometer techniques
what kind of strength does a dynamometer measure?
isometric strength
def: an increase in size of a cell such a muscle fiber
hypertrophy
def: an increase in number of cells such as muscle fibers
hyperplasia
what factors affect strength?
- muscle cross sectional area
- body size
- muscle fiber composition
- mechanical factors
- sex
- age
muscles increase in strength by increasing their _____ and enhancing the recruitment and firing rates of their _______ ______
size, motor units
what is the correlation between body size and absolute strength?
positive correlation
what is the correlation between body mass and the strength/mass ratio?
negative correlation
smaller athletes are _____ pound for pound than larger athletes
stronger
what is the correlation between percentage of fast twitch fibers and strength?
positive correlation
what factors affect the force exerted by a muscle?
- the initial length of the muscle fibers
- the angle of pull of the muscle on the bony skeleton
- the speed of shortening
after 16, the average female is about ____ as strong as the average male when the measure of strength is the absolute amount of force exerted
2/3
prior to puberty, how does the strength in boys and girls compare?
strength of boys is only slightly greater than the strength in girls
on average, how much stronger is the male upper body?
50-60% stronger
on average, how much stronger is the male lower body?
70-80%
for what reasons are males stronger?
- the average male is physically larger than the average female
- male has more muscle and less fat due to the male sex hormone, testosterone, which stimulates muscle growth
- body proportion differences
- cultural factors
in what way are females equally as strong as males?
when strength is expressed per unit cross sectional area of muscle
T or F: you can distinguish between male and female muscle
false, they are the same
after strength training on the same routine, men have ______ absolute increases in both strength and muscle hypertrophy
greater
why do women experience less muscle hypertrophy?
because they lack testosterone
during puberty, what is the name of the process in which muscle mass is developed?
hypertrophy
do you consider biological age or chronological age when it comes to designing individualized weight training programs for children?
chronological age
during peak height velocity ages, what is at risk?
increased risk for injury
when is maximum strength of men and women generally achieved?
between the ages of 20 - 30, when cross sectional area is usually the greatest
in what kind of muscle are changes(decrease) more pronounced?
fast twitch
training able to reduce impacts of ________ in older people
sarcopenia
