Muscular Strength: Training muscles to become stronger

Question 1

What is repetition Maximum (RM) and how does it relate to exercise? How many RMs used for weight gain? Why do we do Repetitions?

Answer 1

Repetition Maximum (RM)-  the maximum weight that can be lifted at one time, using proper form
1 RM is enough for weight gain if done properly
We do repetitions to reach maximum weight gain (100% of 1 RM) Not everyone can approach this with first and second repetitions (not get proper gains)

Question 2

Describe the gender differences in muscle strength

Answer 2

-Approaches to determine a true gender difference exists in muscle strength:
-Muscle’s cross-sectional area- (key to men having more muscle strength)
-Absolute basis as a total force exerted
-Architectural characteristics
-Relative strength indexed to estimates of body composition
Gender differences:
-*Men have More muscle mass, bigger cross-sectional area, more strength

Question 3

Why is muscle strength and resistance training important as you age?

Answer 3

Muscle strength and resistance training is important as you age to keep bone density and keep muscle strength (so when you fall or trip, have muscle strength to hold themselves) .

Question 4

Differentiate between muscle strength in average men, judo men and women.

Answer 4

Those who train in judo will be stronger than average adult male
judo men and adult men are much stronger and have higher cross-sectional areas than women (men not stronger per square ft)

Question 5

What are the contributors to higher cross sectional area in men

Answer 5

TESOSTERONE

Question 6

How does body mass change between males and females?

Answer 6

lower body mass difference between females and males, you match per body mass , females get close to males.
Then it start dropping as body mass increases
if cross-sectional area is equal- females and males match

Question 7

Explain the gender differences for body mass

Answer 7

men and women matched for body mass
if below lie, females > than males
if above line, males > than females
if we match for body mass, similar values between males and females
females have stronger Lower body strength than men

Question 8

Describe the different resistance training Equipment Categories

Answer 8

Resistance Training Equipment Categories:

• Free Weights and Barbells: does NOT control for or measure speed of movement of the resistance through the range of motion (ROM)
• Isokinetic Equipment
• one type provides constant speed and variable resistance
• Another utilizing hydraulic equipment provides constant speed and variable resistance where the Individual CONTROLS movement and speed
• Cam devices and Concentric-Eccentric Apparatus:
• Movement speed varies and resistance remains constant

Question 9

What is allometric scaling? What is its purpose?

Answer 9

Allometric scaling- mathematical procedure that tries to establish a proper relationship between BODY SIZE variable and MUSCULAR STRENGTH
-provides a statistical adjustment to evaluate the relative contribution of diverse independent variables on the dependent measure of interest (muscle strength)

Question 10

describe the factors considered when training to become stronger

Answer 10

Training to become stronger:
-A muscle strengthens when trained near its current maximal-force generating capacity (RM)
muscle strength is important for quality of life, and preventing injury
-Overload intensity, not the Type of exercise that applies the overload, generally governs strength
improvements.
if you do not overload system, you will not have strength gains. (Depends on amount of overload)

Question 11

What are the different types of contractions? Explain their role in muscle movement.

Answer 11

Types of contractions

1. Dynamic: produces movement of skeletal body part such as an upper or lower limb or trunk
   - Concentric: occurs when the muscle SHORTENS and joint movement occurs as tension develops
   - Eccentric: Occurs when External resistance Exceeds muscle force and the muscle LENGTHENS while developing tension
2. Static: Muscle activation WITHOUT observable change in muscle fiber length (no shortening or contracting)
   - Isometric: occurs when muscle generates force and attempts to shorten but cannot overcome the external resistance (ex: calf raises, planking)
   - There are different force generating capacities which varies with joint Angle

Question 12

Describe the progressing resistance training variations.

Answer 12

Progressive Resistance Training Variations:

• 8-12 RM or reps (Aim for repetition maximum) for Novice (new) training, 1-12 RM for intermediate training , 1-6 RM for advanced training
• Rest 3 minutes between moderate velocity exercise sets
• Increase load 2-10% when the individual performs 1 to 2 repetitions above the current workload.
• 1 set induces only slightly Less strength improvement in recreational weight lifters than 2-3 sets
• Single-set programs generally produce most of the health and fitness benefits of multiple-set programs.
• Novices (newbies) and intermediates should train 2-3x/week advanced can train 3-4 x/week.
• Training twice every second day produces overall superior results compared with Daily training
• If training includes multiple exercise, 4-5x week may produce LESS improvement than training 2-3x/week
• A fast rate of moving a given resistance generates more Strength Improvement than moving at a slower rate
• Engage LARGE before small muscle groups, Multiple-joint exercise before single-joint exercises, and Higher intensity exercise before Lower intensity exercise
• Combined resistance training concentric and eccentric muscle actions Augment effectiveness.

Question 13

Why do we reduce RMs as training gets better?

Answer 13

you use lower reps as training gets better because the trained individual gets to RM more often (since their trained). They will likely have better form.
someone who is new will have more reps.
1 RM will overload system.

Question 14

How is the rep and load for trained individual?

Answer 14

Trained individuals should have less reps and more load

Question 15

What are the roles of Overload training and Power training?.

Answer 15

• Overload training that includes eccentric muscle actions preserves strength gains better during a maintenance phase than Concentric-only training
• Power training should apply the strategy to improve muscular strength plus include lighter loads performed at fast contraction velocity.

Question 16

Explain what periodization is and its role in training

Answer 16

Periodization- a way of training throughout the season or year in a way to peak in training.

• Subdivides a macrocycle into mesocyclones, with each mesocycle separated into weekly macrocycles.
• progressively DECREASES Training Volume (less training days and less time) and INCREASES Intensity to maximize gains in muscular strength and power

Question 17

What are the 4 phases of periodization?

Answer 17

Phases of Periodization:
1. Preparation phase- High-Volume, Low- intensity
2. First Transition phase- Moderate volume- Moderate intensity
3. Competition phase- Low-volume, High-Intensity
4. Second transition phase- Active Recovery
how well you train determines muscle gain (also genetic plays a role)

Question 18

What happens when you approach competition phase of periodization? Why are there active rest periods for trained individuals?

Answer 18

As you approach competition phase, you decrease volume and increase intensity
technique should be peaking
active rest periods are built in training to make sure the individual does NOT overtrain

Question 19

What are the guidelines for resistance training?

Answer 19

Resistance training guidelines

• competitive athletes: optimize muscular strength, power and hypertrophy with high intensity (to build muscle)
• Middle-aged and Older adults: focus on Maintenance of muscle and bone mass and muscular strength and Muscular endurance to enhance overall health and physical fitness,
• Children: Supervised resistance training using concentric-only muscle actions with relatively high repetitions and low resistance.

Question 20

What happens when you break growth plate?

Answer 20

stem cells differentiate and bone stops growing

Question 21

what kind of training is Isometric training? What kind of benefits and limitations are present?

Answer 21

Isometric training
STATIC: muscle activation without observable change in muscle fiber length (ex: plank)
-Isometric- occurs when a muscle generates force and attempts to shorten but cannot overcome the external resistance.
benefits:
-Provides muscle overload (help with core)
-Improves strength
-Detects muscle weakness at a specific angle in range of motion (ROM)
Limitations:
-Limited benefits for functional sports training
-Can’t evaluate overload level or training progress (hard to measure)
-High degree of Specificity (training key muscles)
-Time consuming

Question 22

what drives increase in muscle strength?

Answer 22

OVERLOADING of muscles

Question 23

What is the specificity principle? What are the factors that influence strength improvement?

Answer 23

Specificity: training principle that describes how training specific muscles for particular sport involved in
-Newly acquired strength seldom (rarely) transfers fully to other types of strength movements, even those that activate the same trained muscles
-To improve a specific physical performance, through resistance training, one must train the muscles in moments that mimic the movement requiring force-capacity improvement
Strength improvement (strengthen muscle fiber, fatigabilty) blends adaptations in two factors:
-The muscle fiber and connective tissue harness itself
-Neural organization and excitability of motor units that power discrete patterns of voluntary movement.
(recruit more motor units for fine tuning, accessibility of motor units and gradation of force affected)

Question 24

What is the role of isokinetic resistance training?

Answer 24

Isokinetic Resistance training:

• Provides muscle overload at a preset constant speed, while the muscle mobilizes its force-generating capacity throughout the full ROM (range of motion) ; speed is controlled.
• Any effort during the exercise movement encounters an opposing force to that applied to mechanical device
• Maintaining a constant movement speed is negative aspect because functional exercises rarely approximate a fixed speed of movement.

Question 25

What occurs in pylometrics?

Answer 25

Plyometrics:
Requires various JUMPS in place or rebound jumping to mobilize the inherent stretch-recoil characteristics of skeletal muscle and its modulation via the stretch or myotatic reflex
-helps increase REACTION TIME and Reaction speed during muscle moving
Involves RAPID stretching followed by Shortening of muscle group during a dynamic movement
-When combined with a vigorous muscle contraction, plyometric actions should greatly increase the force that overloads the muscles, thereby facilitating increases in STRENGTH and POWER
ex: Burpees

Question 26

What are the main stages of plyometrics?

Answer 26

Stage 1: starting position
-feet shoulder width apart
-flex ankles, knees and hips and thrust vigorously forward and upward to land with both feet on box,
stage 2: Jump onto box: after landing, explode upward as high and far forward as possible (help maintain explosive power)
-Stage 3: Jump from the box: upon landing, explode upward again onto another box, or as high and far forward before rebound jumping again

Question 27

What are the five major factors that contribute to explosive power development?

Answer 27

5 factors that contribute to Explosive Power development:
1. Slow velocity strength
2. High Velocity strength
3. Rate of force development
4. stretch shortening cycle
5. Inter-muscular coordination and skill (neural recruitment)
tiny window where if you have this all optimally you have reached ideal power
You need to develop each factor equally to get to explosive power point (imbalance of one of these points will hold you back from reaching maximal power)

Question 28

What occurs in body weight-loaded or closed-kinetic chain training?

Answer 28

Body weight-loaded or closed-kinetic chain training:
-The distal segment bears the body weight part of the body weight
(body weight generate force on muscles )
-activates both agonists and antagonists muscles about a joint, including other muscle groups along kinetic chain
-Often considered more functional than with exercises, where distal segment is non-weight bearing as in conventional weight lifting

Question 29

What composes of kinetic chain?

Answer 29

Kinetic chain made of: 
-cervical spine 
thoracic spine 
lumbar spine 
hip joint
knee joints
ankle joints

Question 30

Describe the components of the “core’ in core training and its major role and functions

Answer 30

• The “Core” is a Four-sided muscular frame with:
• abdominal muscles in front
• Paraspinals and gluteals in back
• the diaphragm at the top
• the pelvic floor and hip girdle musculature framing the bottom
• The core includes 29 pairs of muscles that hold the trunk steady, and balance and stabilize the bony structures

Question 31

What are the other important functions of the core?

Answer 31

A properly functioning core provides:
-Appropriate distribution of forces
-optimal control and efficiency of movements (ability to change direction)
-adequate absorption of ground-impact forces (when walking)
-an absence of excessive, compressive, translation ands shearing forces on kinetic-chain joints ( strong core muscles help protect kinetic chain joints
1 core per person.

Question 32

What is the major role and function of circuit resistance training? How does circuit resistance training work?

Answer 32

Circuit resistance training:
-DEEMPHASIZES the brief intervals of heavy, local-muscle overload in standard resistance training
-Provides more-general CONDITIONING that improves body composition, muscular strength and endurance and cardiovascular fitness
-A person lifts a weight between 40-55% of 1-RM as many times as possible with good form for 30 seconds
-After a 15-second rest, the participant moves to the next resistance exercise station and so on to complete the circuit, usually composed of 8 to 15 different exercises.
circular-resistance training- NOT high weight 1-RM, you are not building muscle, or having muscle overload; more of conditioning exercise. You work out different muscle groups

Question 33

what happens if you do not have good form in resistance training?

Answer 33

If you do NOT have good form in resistance training

you are not training muscle groups properly and you will most likely get injured.

Question 34

What are the neural adaptations that occur with resistance training and why are they important?

Answer 34

Neural adaptions with resistance training
1. Greater efficiency in neural recruitment patterns
2. Increased motor neuron excitability
3. increased central nervous system activation
4. improved motor unit synchronization and increased firing rates
5. Lowering of neural inhibitory reflexes
neural adaptations INCREASE Muscular Strength (also lead to greater force, gradation of force; body learns how to respond better to exercise

Question 35

What is DOMS (Delayed onset muscle soreness) and what are the seven factors that produce DOMS?

Answer 35

DOMS (Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness)- the muscle pain or soreness that arises after a workout (exercise)
Seven factors that may produce DOMS:
-minute tears in muscle tissue or damage to its contractile components
-osmotic pressure changes
-muscle spasms (due to electrolyte imbalances and dehydration)
-overstretching and tearing of portions of the muscle’s connective tissue harness (muscle and ligament tears)
-Acute inflammation
-Alteration in cell’s calcium regulation (can cause muscle spasm)
-Combination of the above factors

Question 36

Describe the sequence for DOMS:

Answer 36

Sequence for DOMS:

1. Unaccustomed exercise using eccentric (lengthening) muscle actions (downhill running, slowly lowering weights)
2. high muscle forces damage sarcolemma causing release of cytosolic enzymes and myoglobin
3. Damage to muscle contractile myofibrils and noncontractile structures
4. Metabolites (ex: calcium) accumulate to abnormal levels in the muscle cell to produce more cell damage and reduced force capacity
   - you get increases in calcium due to Alterations in sarcoplasmic reticulum structure and function- depression of Calcium uptake and release (increase in free calcium concentration)
5. Delayed-onset muscle soreness, considered to result from inflammation, tenderness, pain
6. the inflammation process begins; the muscle heals; the adaptive process makes the muscle more resistant to damage from subsequent exercise.

Question 37

What kind of muscle action induces DOMS more? also what can protect against DOMS?

Answer 37

DELAYED ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS (DOMS)

• Eccentric (lengthens) muscle actions induce GREATER DOMS than concentric-only or isometric actions
• A single exercise bout protects against DOMS and muscle damage from subsequent exercise
• -The body initiates a series of adaptive cellular events that produces DOMS

Question 38

Differentiate between concentric hypertrophy and eccentric hypertrophy and how it affects

Answer 38

concentric hypertrophy -add in PARALLEL. No changes or adaptations to sarcomere
eccentric hypertrophy- series; changes and adaptations to sarcomere

Question 39

How do majority of muscles grow or get bigger in size?

Answer 39

HYPERTROPHY

Question 40

Describe the hypertrophy that occurs during training

Answer 40

Hypertrophy:

• An increase in muscular tension with exercise training provides the primary stimulus to initiate the process of skeletal muscle growth
• Changes in muscle size become detectable after only 3 weeks of training
• Remodeling of muscle architecture precedes gains in muscle cross-sectional area
• A single resistance exercise does NOT create uniform strength improvement or the hypertrophic response in muscles activated.

Question 41

Describe the hypertrophy that occurs during training

Answer 41

Hypertrophy:

• An increase in muscular tension with exercise training provides the primary stimulus to initiate the process of skeletal muscle growth
• overload causes the muscle tension
• Changes in muscle size become detectable after only 3 weeks of training
• Remodeling of muscle architecture precedes (before) gains in muscle cross-sectional area
• A single resistance exercise does NOT create uniform strength improvement or the hypertrophic response in muscles activated.

Question 42

Describe what occurs in muscle cell remodeling.

Answer 42

muscle cell remodeling
-skeletal muscles represent dynamic tissues whose cells do NOT remain as fixed populations throughout life
-Muscle fibers undergo regeneration and remodeling to diverse functional demands to alter their phenotypic profile (fast twitch or slow twitch depending on muscle action)
fast twitch- muscle fibers expand
-Activation of muscle via specific types and intensities of long-term use stimulates otherwise dormant myogenic stem cells situated under a muscle fiber’s basement membrane to proliferate and differentiate to form new fibers.
it takes action to activate muscle fibers.

Question 43

differentiate between atrophy and hypertrophy

Answer 43

Atrophy- you lose muscle mass, but muscle fiber will still look the same. (ex: lose bone mass). people atrophy quickly (if you don’t use muscle, you lose it)
you will either have bigger or smaller muscle based on muscle action.
hypertrophy- muscle mass gets bigger, (larger muscle )

Question 44

What occurs during muscle injury?

Answer 44

With muscle injury ; muscle tears induce the satellite cell activation and proliferation
satellite cells then migrate to injured fiber
-fuse to damaged microfiber(hypertrophy) and then regenerate myofiber.

Question 45

Differentiate between muscle hypertrophy in men vs women

Answer 45

Muscle hypertrophy in Men vs Women
-the absolute amount of muscle hypertrophy with resistance training represents a primary gender difference
-Men experience a GREATER absolute change in muscle size because of their LARGER Initial muscle mass, but muscular Enlargement on a Percentage basis remains similar between genders
-Gender-related differences in Hormonal response to exercise may determine any ultimate gender differences in muscle size and strength adaptations with prolonged training
men and women respond same in resistance training (but men have larger cross-sectional area)

Question 46

What are the main factors that contribute to muscle mass?

Answer 46

Factors that contribute to muscle mass
1. Genetics (different levels of starting enzymes, better repair, immune system)
2.physical activity (
3.nervous system activation
4.Environmental factors
5. nutritional status (having proper nutrition for repairing muscles)
6endocrine influences (growth hormone and tesosteron responses)

Question 47

explain the changes in levels of muscle strength, hypertrophy and neural activation with training duration

Answer 47

With training duration, strength increases but plateaus due to physical limitation (muscles can become only so big)
outliers: steroid preference by men?
-Neural activation peaks early
-Hypertrophy- when hypertrophy peaks it matches muscle strength. Also, when hypertrophy plateaus, muscle strength also plates.
Because hypertrophy Is the major mechanism which muscle fibers get bigger.

Question 48

What causes strength gains in first 2 weeks of exercise training? what happens to neural and muscle fiber contributions overtime? when does muscle fiber adaptation seen ?

Answer 48

NEURAL FACTORS account for strength gained over first 2 weeks
-% contribution from muscle fiber adaptations INCREASE overtime and neural factor contribution DECREASES.
muscle fiber adaptation (increase in size) seen in 3 to 4 weeks.

Question 49

Explain the experiment made for models of hypertrophy and use of trained mice.

Answer 49

Models of hypertrophy
experiment of control mouse and trained mouse, where biopsies were reviewed and analyzed of mouse muscle fibers.
-in control- muscle fibers are normal size
trained mouse; bigger muscle fibers ; demonstrating hypertrophy
you see an INCREASE in muscle size, but NOT a change in number of muscle fibers.

Question 50

what is Hyperplasia? which evidence about hyperplasia is clear?

Answer 50

Hyperplasia- increased NUMBER of muscle cells
-some animals demonstrate longitudinal spitting -large muscle fiber split into two or more smaller, individual- functions better than one larger (ex: felines)
-SOME evidence in humans but not clear
What is clear: greatest contribution to Increased muscle size from overload training in humans is from Enlargement of individual muscle fibers.
ex: cats increase muscle fiber by hyperplasia (longitudinal splitting)
*hypertrophy- number 1 mechanism by which muscle fibers increase in size (main mechanism)

Question 51

Differentiate between hypertrophy and hyperplasia

Answer 51

Hypertrophy- cells get bigger (number of fibers stays the same)
-Hyperplasia- cells increase in number of fibers.

Question 52

what are the positive effects of resistance training on bone density?

Answer 52

Resistance training- positive effects on Bone density
- bone growth occurs
- in puberty male bone mass increase more than females
as we age (40-50 years old) , you lose bone mass (decrease in fat free mass, that bone is part of)
-women have accelerated bone mass due to menopause

Question 53

compare and contrast what occurs in women with low bone mass density and normal bone mass density.

Answer 53

Women with Normal bone mass density -
Women with LOW bone mass density - have LOWER muscle strength
maintaining bone mass is important in maintaining muscle strength