Muscular System
There are over 700 named muscles connected to the bones of the skeletal system. They make up almost half of a persons body weight. Each muscle
is made up of skeletal muscle tissue, blood vessels, tendons and nerves. Some muscles are tiny. When we get goosebumps, we are actually seeing a tiny muscle contracting to raise a hair. The longest muscle is satorius muscle in your leg. The largest muscle in the body is gluteus maximus. The primary function of the muscles is to allow movement but muscles also help to maintain posture and circulate blood throughout the body.
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Visceral muscle or smooth muscle is found inside of organs such as the stomach, intestines, and blood vessels. The visceral muscle is the weakest of all muscles tissues and makes organs contract to move substances through the organ. Visceral muscle is an involuntary muscle. It cannot be directly controlled by the conscious mind; it is controlled by the unconscious part of the brain.
Cardiac muscle is found only in the heart as the name suggests. The cardiac muscle is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. The cardiac muscle is an involuntary muscle; it cannot be controlled consciously.
Skeletal muscle is the only voluntary muscle tissue in the human body. It is controlled consciously. Every conscious, physical action that a person performs such as speaking and walking requires skeletal muscle. The skeletal muscle contracts to move parts of the body closer to the bone that the muscle is attached to. Most skeletal muscles are attached to two bones across a joint. Skeletal muscles always connect to the skeleton in at least one place.
Cardiac muscle is found only in the heart as the name suggests. The cardiac muscle is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. The cardiac muscle is an involuntary muscle; it cannot be controlled consciously.
Skeletal muscle is the only voluntary muscle tissue in the human body. It is controlled consciously. Every conscious, physical action that a person performs such as speaking and walking requires skeletal muscle. The skeletal muscle contracts to move parts of the body closer to the bone that the muscle is attached to. Most skeletal muscles are attached to two bones across a joint. Skeletal muscles always connect to the skeleton in at least one place.
Muscle classification
Muscles are further classified by their shape, size direction and function.
The shape of the muscle can be used to differentiate muscles. The deltoids have a triangular shape unlike the rhomboid major which is a diamond shape.
Size can be used to differentiate similar muscles in the same region. The gluteal region contains three muscles differentiated by size; the gluteus maximus (large), gluteus medius (medium), and gluteus minimus (smallest).
The direction in which the muscle fibres run can be used to identify a muscle. In the abdominal region, there are several sets of wide, flat muscles. The muscles whose fibres run straight up and down are the rectus abdominis, the ones running transversely which is left to right are the transverse abdominis, and the ones running at an angle are the obliques.
Muscles can also be identified by their function. The flexor group of muscles in the forearm flexes the wrist and the fingers. Abductor muscles in the legs adduct, or pull together, the legs.
The shape of the muscle can be used to differentiate muscles. The deltoids have a triangular shape unlike the rhomboid major which is a diamond shape.
Size can be used to differentiate similar muscles in the same region. The gluteal region contains three muscles differentiated by size; the gluteus maximus (large), gluteus medius (medium), and gluteus minimus (smallest).
The direction in which the muscle fibres run can be used to identify a muscle. In the abdominal region, there are several sets of wide, flat muscles. The muscles whose fibres run straight up and down are the rectus abdominis, the ones running transversely which is left to right are the transverse abdominis, and the ones running at an angle are the obliques.
Muscles can also be identified by their function. The flexor group of muscles in the forearm flexes the wrist and the fingers. Abductor muscles in the legs adduct, or pull together, the legs.
Slow and fast twitch muscle fibres
Skeletal muscle fibre types can be broken down into two main types: slow twitch muscle fibres and fast twitch muscle fibres. These two types of muscle fibres influence how muscles respond to training and physical activity. Each fibre type has a unique ability to contract in a certain way. On average a human has 50 percent slow twitch and 50 percent fast twitch fibres in the majority of muscles used for movement.
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Slow Twitch
The slow muscles are more efficient at using the ATP energy system to create energy for continuous, extended muscle contractions over a long time. They start more slowly than fast twitch fibres but can go for a long time before they fatigue. Slow twitch fibres are better for endurance athletes.
The slow muscles are more efficient at using the ATP energy system to create energy for continuous, extended muscle contractions over a long time. They start more slowly than fast twitch fibres but can go for a long time before they fatigue. Slow twitch fibres are better for endurance athletes.
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Fast Twitch
Fast twitch fibres use anaerobic energy systems to create energy. They are much better at generating short bursts of strength or speed than slow muscles. However, they fatigue more quickly. Having more fast twitch fibres can help athletes in short duration, high intensity events since they need to quickly generate a lot of force.
Fast twitch fibres use anaerobic energy systems to create energy. They are much better at generating short bursts of strength or speed than slow muscles. However, they fatigue more quickly. Having more fast twitch fibres can help athletes in short duration, high intensity events since they need to quickly generate a lot of force.