| Define strength training | Strength training (Muscle Mass) – there are six factors that interact to maintain muscle mass: Genetics Nervous system activation Environmental factors (lifestyle can affect the training response) Endocrine influences (hormones help to develop training response) Nutritional status and physical activity |
| What is adaption in regards to muscle training? | Neural and muscular adaptation in strength improvement with resistance training. Rapid gain in strength is due largely to changes in the nervous system. Changes in strength after 4-6 weeks is due mainly to changes in muscle size. |
| Define neural adaptation | Neural adaptations with resistance to training that increase muscle strength include: Increased central nervous system activation Decreased antagonist muscle activation. Greater efficiency in neural recruitment patterns (coordination). Increased motor neuron excitability Improved motor unit activity through synchronization and increased firing rates. Lowering of neural inhibitory reflexes |
| What are the neuromuscular adaptation that contribute to alterations in performance with strength training? | During an 8-week training period, neural factors account for ~90% of the strength gained over the first two weeks. At 4 weeks, only 40% of the strength gain is due to neural factors. After 4 weeks, muscle hypertrophy becomes the dominant contributor to muscle strength gains. |
| What is the sequence of events for eccentric muscle damage | Unaccustomed exercise – uses eccentric muscle actions (downhill running, slowly lowering weights) Damage to sarcolemma – causes the release of cytosolic enzymes and myoglobin Damage to contractile structures Accumulation of metabolites – produce more cell damage and reduced force capacity Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) – results from inflammation, tenderness or pain Healing and adaptation of muscle cells – adaptive process makes the muscle more resistant to damage from subsequent exercise. |
| Define muscle fatigue | Muscle fatigue is any exercise-induced reduction in maximal voluntary force or power output. |
| Define muscle hypertrophy | Muscle hypertrophy refers to an increase in muscular size achieved through exercise. When you work out, if you want to tone or improve muscle definition, lifting weights is the most common way to increase hypertrophy. |
| Define eccentric muscle contractions | Eccentric muscle contractions refer to unaccustomed and intense eccentric contractions which can eventually lead to muscle damage and soreness. |
| Define repeated bout effect | Repeated bout effect is a protective adaptation to a single bout of eccentric exercise (results in reduced symptoms of damage and soreness compared to the initial bout) |
| Define central fatigue | Central fatigue is the progressive reduction in voluntary activation of muscle caused by processes occurring proximal to the neuromuscular junction. Accounts for up to two-thirds (66%) of the loss of force caused by a sustained weak contraction. Can be assessed with the interpolated twitch technique which involves stimulating the muscle or brain during a maximal voluntary contraction. Superimposed twitch during a maximal contraction implies that voluntary activation of muscle is less than maximal. |
