Sports Anatomy

Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   Part 1: Muscle Tissue and Contractions Part 2: Types of Muscles Part 3: Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Muscles Part 4: Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   Most of the exercises people find themselves in the gym or out on a track or field involve routines that put their muscles through concentric contractions (muscle tension during shortening) or eccentric contractions (muscle tension during lengthening). Exercises in the gym that fit these descriptions are most of your dumbbell exercises such as bicep curls, shoulder presses, and chest presses along with other routines such as rows,… read more

Types Of Muscles   Part 1: Muscle Tissue and Contractions Part 2: Types of Muscles Part 3: Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Muscles Part 4: Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   There are three different types of muscles: 1) cardiac muscle, 2) smooth muscle and 3) skeletal muscle. Cardiac muscle is an involuntary muscle type found only in the heart. It has striated fibers with its sarcomeres packed into extremely organized groups. This type of muscle relaxes and contracts in intense short bursts. You are probably well aware of this fact, especially after completing exercises such as running where you… read more

Muscle Tissues and Contractions   Part 1: Muscle Tissue and Contractions Part 2: Types of Muscles Part 3: Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Muscles Part 4: Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   Muscle tissue is a contractive type of tissue that can undergo tension by shortening (concentric contractions), lengthening (eccentric contractions) or remaining the same length (isometric contractions). An example of a concentric contraction is performing the first part of a biceps curl where you hold a dumbbell down in one hand down by your side and then flex your elbow upward. The bicep muscle shortens in the process while… read more

Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Fibers   Part 1: Muscle Tissue and Contractions Part 2: Types of Muscles Part 3: Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Muscles Part 4: Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise                 Skeletal muscle consists of two main fiber types: Type I fibers and Type II fibers. The Type II fibers are further subdivided into two groups: 1) Type IIa and 2) Type IIb Type I, Slow twitch Fibers. They are called slow twitch fibers because when compared to the Type II fibers, they are slower to contract. Some studies suggest that their contraction rate is two to… read more