RESISTANCE Flashcards
Contraction Types - Isometric
- activation of muscle when the joints spanned by the muscle are held in fixed positions
- entails some stretching of tendinous connection and stabilise joint complexes during locomotion and maintenance of posture
Contraction Types - Concentric
- the muscle is activated and shortens, power is generated and work is done
Contraction Types - Eccentric
- the muscle is activated and lengthens due to an external force which exceeds that generated by the degree of activation
- occurs during daily activities (e.g. walking down stairs) as work is done on the muscle and energy is absorbed, muscle acts as a brake
Contraction Types - Stretch-Shortening and Other Pre-Activation Contractions
- combination of different types of contraction occur
- ‘stretch shortening cycle’ = eccentric contraction of the muscle immediately prior to a concentric, power generating phase in running
- leg extensor muscles generate power by concentric contractions but also act as a brake or shock absorber on landing, absorbing some of the Ep and Ek generated in the previous push off by the opposite leg
Sargeant, 1999 - Human Muscle Fibre Types
- muscles meet demands for different mechanical output by variations in the contractile and metabolic properties of fibres
- human fibres divided into 3 main types, Type I, Type IIa, and Type IIb
- more of a continuum than 3 discrete types they currently are
Sargeant, 1999 - Fundamental Muscle Properties
- maximum velocity of shortening of muscle fibres = Vmax
- continuum of Vmax values between various types, and also within each type of isoform there is a considerable variability
Fundamental Muscle Properties - Length-Tensioning Relationship
- isometric tension a muscle can generate depends on its length
- tension is due to the interaction actin and myosin myofilaments within each sarcomere
- as muscle lengthens to its limit, there is an increasing level of passive tension due to stretching
- passive stretch tension is subtracted form active tension
Sargeant, 1991 - Muscle Length and Active & Passive Tension
Amount of actin-myosin overlap is indicated by:
- short length where A-filaments from opposite ends of sarcomere overlap and force is reduced
- optimum length where the greatest active force is generated due to maximum number of cross bridges
- at long length where there is no overlap and no cross bridges are formed
Sargeant, 1991 - Force-Velocity and Power-Velocity Relationships
- force varies with the velocity of shortening or lengthening
- as velocity of shortening increases, the force generated falls in hyperbolic fashion, eventually reaching zero at max muscle velocity
- during lengthening, force increases above that attained at zero velocity (isometric) before plateauing
- max power is generated at optimum velocity (Vopt), ~30% of Vmax when force is zero
Determinants of Maximal Strength and Power
- muscle activation
- muscle size and isometric strength
- muscle size and maximal power
- body dimensions and muscle function
- muscle fibre type and power output
Muscle Activation
- pre-requisite in determining max force is if the muscle is fully activated
- muscle can be tested for MVC by applying electrical stimulation to muscle or nerve
- can achieve almost-maximal VC’s in isometric exercise
Muscle Strength is Determined by Sarcomeres in Parallel NOT in Series
- cross bridges act as force generators but are arranged in sarcomere units with opposing forces
- no matter how many sarcomeres are arranged in series the net force will be equivalent to only one sarcomere
- if the muscle is arranged with same number of sarcomeres arranged side by side all contribute to force production
Muscle Power and Muscle Size
- Power = force x velocity
- total distance will be 4x that of sarcomeres in parallel
- muscular power should be normalised by number of sarcomeres in series and in parallel
- reflected in measurements of muscle volume
Muscle Function, Body Dimensions and Performance
- sometimes useful to express muscle function in terms of body dimensions (J/kg-1 BM)
- important when body mass must be overcome by the exercising muscle
- this method of scaling is often considered simplistic based on the pattern of muscle use, size and intrinsic function of the muscle group
Muscle Fibre Type and Power Output
- Vmax and F-V relationship of muscle fibres is strongly determined by the MHC expression
- force and power in relation to velocity for a type I and II fibre population that generate some isometric force but whose Vmax varies
Sargeant, 1987 - Muscle Fibre Type and Power Output
- larger power output in type II fibres is reflected in data comparing untrained subjects (50% type II) vs ultra distance marathon runners (4% type II)
- endurance athletes max power is only half of the UT subjects even though data was normalised for upper leg muscle mass
Sargeant, 1987 - Acute and Chronic Plasticity
- exercise can modify muscle properties
- when ex continued to fatigue muscle contractile properties may be acutely transformed towards slower characteristics (Vmax is reduced and muscle becomes less powerful)
- muscle fatigue may be greater at fast movement frequencies
- increase in Tm also modify contractile and metabolic properties
- effect of temp is velocity dependant so increases in Tm will also make muscle faster and more powerful at higher velocities
- greater XBC rate and energy turnover reduce economy
Effects of Caffeine Ingestion on Power
- member of the methylxanthine family, chemical formula = C8H10N4O2
- common in cola drinks (25-50mg Caffeine per serving)
- energy drinks contain much more ( ~80mg)
- present in chocolate and cocoa products
Lopes et al., 1983 Caffeine Ingestion and MVC Performance
- significant difference between placebo and caffeine at lower frequencies (10,20 and 50 Hz) but not 100Hz
- caffeine consumption significantly affected performance of muscle contractions at slow to moderate speeds but not higher speeds
Methodological Considerations of Caffeine Ingestion Studies
- dosages
- participant numbers
- exercise protocols (max, sub-max)
- control of environments (temp, humidity, biometric pressure)
- control of subjects (caffeine users, sensitivity/tolerance to caffeine, age, etc)
Mechanisms of Action - Excitation-Contraction Coupling
- with excessive caffeine intake there is a heightened SR CA2+ release
- effect may be greater in slow twitch vs fast twitch fibres
- muscles contract in the presence of Ca2+
Mechanisms of Action - Blocking Adenosine Receptors in the Brain
- adenosine binds to A-receptors that cause nerves to release inhibitory signals that lead to drowsiness and sleep
- caffeine blocks A-receptors and promotes continued nerve activity
- caffeine antagonises adenosine (blocks the receptors), reducing adenosine actions so maintains/increases Ach release leading to continued release of brain cell NA and over-rides fatigue
Bird et al., 2005 - Strength Training
- many studies show a significant increase in performance with resistance training of sufficient training volume
- but most training studies are short duration (<3 month) and use untrained subjects
Factors That Interact to Affect Development and Maintenance of Muscle Mass
- exercise
- nutrition
- genetics
- endocrine
- nervous system activation
- environment