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By the end of this section, you will be able to:
  • Describe hypertrophy and atrophy
  • Explain how resistance exercise builds muscle
  • Explain how performance-enhancing substances affect muscle

Physical training alters the appearance of skeletal muscles and can produce changes in muscle performance. Conversely, a lack of use can result in decreased performance and muscle appearance. Although muscle cells can change in size, new cells are not formed when muscles grow. Instead, structural proteins are added to muscle fibers in a process called hypertrophy    , so cell diameter increases. The reverse, when structural proteins are lost and muscle mass decreases, is called atrophy    . Age-related muscle atrophy is called sarcopenia    . Cellular components of muscles can also undergo changes in response to changes in muscle use.

Endurance exercise

Slow fibers are predominantly used in endurance exercises that require little force but involve numerous repetitions. The aerobic metabolism used by slow-twitch fibers allows them to maintain contractions over long periods. Endurance training modifies these slow fibers to make them even more efficient by producing more mitochondria to enable more aerobic metabolism and more ATP production. Endurance exercise can also increase the amount of myoglobin in a cell, as increased aerobic respiration increases the need for oxygen. Myoglobin is found in the sarcoplasm and acts as an oxygen storage supply for the mitochondria.

The training can trigger the formation of more extensive capillary networks around the fiber, a process called angiogenesis    , to supply oxygen and remove metabolic waste. To allow these capillary networks to supply the deep portions of the muscle, muscle mass does not greatly increase in order to maintain a smaller area for the diffusion of nutrients and gases. All of these cellular changes result in the ability to sustain low levels of muscle contractions for greater periods without fatiguing.

The proportion of SO muscle fibers in muscle determines the suitability of that muscle for endurance, and may benefit those participating in endurance activities. Postural muscles have a large number of SO fibers and relatively few FO and FG fibers, to keep the back straight ( [link] ). Endurance athletes, like marathon-runners also would benefit from a larger proportion of SO fibers, but it is unclear if the most-successful marathoners are those with naturally high numbers of SO fibers, or whether the most successful marathon runners develop high numbers of SO fibers with repetitive training. Endurance training can result in overuse injuries such as stress fractures and joint and tendon inflammation.

Marathoners

This photograph shows some runners in a race.
Long-distance runners have a large number of SO fibers and relatively few FO and FG fibers. (credit: “Tseo2”/Wikimedia Commons)

Resistance exercise

Resistance exercises, as opposed to endurance exercise, require large amounts of FG fibers to produce short, powerful movements that are not repeated over long periods. The high rates of ATP hydrolysis and cross-bridge formation in FG fibers result in powerful muscle contractions. Muscles used for power have a higher ratio of FG to SO/FO fibers, and trained athletes possess even higher levels of FG fibers in their muscles. Resistance exercise affects muscles by increasing the formation of myofibrils, thereby increasing the thickness of muscle fibers. This added structure causes hypertrophy, or the enlargement of muscles, exemplified by the large skeletal muscles seen in body builders and other athletes ( [link] ). Because this muscular enlargement is achieved by the addition of structural proteins, athletes trying to build muscle mass often ingest large amounts of protein.

Questions & Answers

distinguish between anatomy and physiology
Amina Reply
Anatomy is the study of internal structure of an organism while physiology is the study of the function/relationship of the body organs working together as a system in an organism.
adeyeye
distinguish between anatomy and physiology
Erny Reply
regional anatomy is the study of the body regionally
Ismail Reply
what is the meaning of regional anatomy
Aminat Reply
epithelial tissue: it covers the Hollow organs and body cavities
Esomchi Reply
in short way what those epithelial tissue mean
Zainab Reply
in short way what those epithelial tissue mean
Chizoba
What is the function of the skeleton
Lilias Reply
movement
Ogar
Locomotion
Ojo
support
Aishat
and body shape/form
Aishat
what is homeostasis?
Samuel Reply
what's physiology
AminchiSunday Reply
what is physiology
AminchiSunday
physically is the study of the function of the body
Najaatu
that is what I want ask
YAU
u are wright
YAU
pls what are the main treatment of hiccups
YAU
physiology is the study of the function of the body
Najaatu
hiccups happen when something irritates the nerves that course your diaphragm to contract
Najaatu
how did hypothalamus manege to control all activities of the various hormones
malual
what is protein
Abdulsalam
how can I treat pain a patient feels after eating meals
Namuli Reply
how do I treat a three year old baby of skin infection?
Okocha Reply
It depends on the type of infection. Bacterial, fungal, parasitic or viral?
schler
if you can share the sign ad symptoms of the skin infection then u geh the treatment cox they're different sign ad symptoms of skin infection with different treatment
Sa
the sign and symptoms of maleria
Abdulsalam
prostaglandin and fever
Maha Reply
yes
rayyanu
welcome sir
rayyanu
prostaglandin E2 is the final mediator.
Lemlem
prostaglandin E2 is the final mediator of fever.
Lemlem
yes
Agabi
good evening
Jediel
tissue.
Akoi
explain
Chizoba
Hi
Anya
,good evening
Anya
Discuss the differences between taste and flavor, including how other sensory inputs contribute to our  perception of flavor.
John Reply
taste refers to your understanding of the flavor . while flavor one The other hand is refers to sort of just a blend things.
Faith
While taste primarily relies on our taste buds, flavor involves a complex interplay between taste and aroma
Kamara
which drugs can we use for ulcers
Ummi Reply
omeprazole
Kamara
what
Renee
what is this
Renee
is a drug
Kamara
of anti-ulcer
Kamara
Omeprazole Cimetidine / Tagament For the complicated once ulcer - kit
Patrick
what is the function of lymphatic system
Nency Reply
Not really sure
Eli
to drain extracellular fluid all over the body.
asegid
The lymphatic system plays several crucial roles in the human body, functioning as a key component of the immune system and contributing to the maintenance of fluid balance. Its main functions include: 1. Immune Response: The lymphatic system produces and transports lymphocytes, which are a type of
asegid
to transport fluids fats proteins and lymphocytes to the blood stream as lymph
Adama

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Source:  OpenStax, Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax CNX. Feb 04, 2016 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11496/1.8
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