2007, Travis M.

Erickson
This information may not be reproduced or distributed without permission of the author
4
Chapter 1
Muscle physiology

At this point in your studies you should be relatively familiar with both the
macrostructure and microstructure of human muscle and the sliding filament theory. But
have you considered how the structures and the sliding filament theory relate to different
muscle actions? You should also consider the concept of force production as it relates to
these basic topics. The following are the factors that affect force production.

Motor Unit Recruitment: This is controlled both by the frequency of
stimulation of the motor neuron and the number of motor neurons activated.
Additionally, an increase in the neural activation of motor units may be a
factor.
Preloading: It takes some time for all the potential myosin cross-bridge
heads to make contact with actin filaments. This means that maximal force
production in a muscle does not occur instantaneously. The supporting of a
weight isometrically is considered preloading because high tension is
developed in the muscle prior to movement occurring.
Cross-Sectional Area: The maximum force capability of a muscle is related
to the cross-sectional area of the muscle. Muscles that have larger cross-
sectional areas have larger numbers of sarcomeres in parallel, more potential
cross-bridge heads in contact with actin molecules, and greater potential for
applying force.
Velocity of Shortening: Longer muscles with more sarcomeres in series
have greater potential for fast contractions.
Angle of Pennation: A greater angle of pennation will equate to higher force
generating capacity due to the higher number of sarcomeres in parallel and
fewer number of sarcomeres in series.
Sarcomere and Muscle Length: Peak muscular force production is usually
seen at resting length or slightly greater than resting length (the length-tension
relationship). The amount of force that a muscle can exert is related to its
length due to either the degree of sarcomere overlap (indicates the number of
myosin cross-bridge heads than can align with active sites on an actin
filament).
Pre-stretching: When a muscle is pre-stretched just prior to a concentric
action there is an augmentation in force production during the subsequent
contraction. This is called the stretch-shortening-cycle. It occurs due to the
combined effects of the stored elastic energy in the muscle (stretching of the
myosin cross-bridges) and stretch-reflex potentiation (activation of the
myotatic stretch reflex). Additionally, it appears that muscle may use elastic
energy gained even from a static stretch.
Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: Delayed-onset muscle soreness
(DOMS) occurs within 24 to 72 hours post exercise and results in a decrease
in muscle strength and, following long-duration aerobic running, may impair
the ability of muscle to generate ATP from oxidative processes for several
weeks.
2007, Travis M. Erickson
This information may not be reproduced or distributed without permission of the author
5
Older Muscle: Skeletal muscle sarcopenia (reduced muscle size and
strength) as a result of aging or inactivity is amplified in weight-bearing
extensor muscles. As a result, loss of function appears most pronounced in
lower-limb and trunk extensors, followed by lower-limb flexors, and last,
upper-limb extensors and flexors.
Muscle Fiber Type: Fast-twitch muscles have a greater capacity for force
production than slow-twitch muscle fibers. Additionally, they appear more
susceptible to injury during high-intensity exercise, suggesting that power
athletes may be more vulnerable to DOMS.

Practical/Applied Questions:
1) Integrate the physiological concept of muscle length with the biomechanical
concept of leverage. Watch people lift and determine when (if ever) there is a
time when both of these factors are maximized. Look at free weight exercises and
machine weight exercises.

2) Anecdotally determine for yourself and your partner(s) which muscles in your
body appear to have the highest number of fast-twitch muscles. How will you go
about doing this? Compare your results to those of your partner(s).

3) The stretch-shortening cycle is pretty straightforward for most people, but
understanding that stretching a two-joint muscle at one joint may increase the
muscles ability to generate force at the other joint can be harder to understand.
First, find some examples of weightlifting movement that involve a muscle that
spans two joints. Then see if you can manipulate the exercise to either make it
more or less challenging by stretching the muscle at one of the joints.

Review Questions:
1) In what ways can force output be increased through the use of motor unit
recruitment?






2) What activities in the weight room rely on pre-loading of a muscle and which
ones do not? Are there situations in which a preload should or shouldnt be
used?






2007, Travis M. Erickson
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6
3) Based upon the concept of velocity of shortening what muscles lend
themselves to faster contraction speeds? What exercises in the weight room
appear to have the highest capacity for fast contraction speeds? Another
factor to consider is that higher velocity movements have a lower concentric
force capacity and a higher eccentric force capacity. Why do you suppose this
is and can you provide some examples of this principle in the weight room?











4) Look at the lifters in the weight room. Identify exercises and workout
techniques that lend themselves to the highest amount of DOMS.












5) What sort of suggestions would you give an older individual who is relatively
inactive in regards to offsetting sarcopenia. What exercises should take
priority?









FOR ADDED STRENGTH: If development of force is important to a person and you
think he/she needs to increase his/her muscular cross-sectional area, what kind of a
program would you recommend that he/she do?