Muscle Fiber Characteristics and Athletic Performance

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to muscle fiber types and their impact on athletic performance, as presented in the lecture.

Tonic Motor Fibers

Muscle fibers that have several motor end plates connecting to an individual muscle fiber.

Phasic Fibers

Muscle fibers that include slow oxidative fibers; they are faster than tonic fibers but slower than other types of phasic fibers.

Glycogen

A large molecule made up of individual units of glucose, serving as a key energy source in muscle fibers.

Fast Twitch Fibers

Muscle fibers that react instantly and work super fast but quickly run out of power; they become big and heavy when trained.

Slow Twitch Fibers

Muscle fibers that are less reactive and speedy than fast twitch fibers but can sustain activity for hours without fatigue.

Myoglobin

A protein in muscle cells that binds oxygen and is a determinant of muscle fiber type and performance.

Marathoner

An athlete specializing in long-distance running, primarily utilizing slow twitch fibers for endurance.

Sprinter

An athlete specializing in short-distance running, focusing on fast twitch fibers for explosive strength.

ATP Production

The process through which substrates are metabolized in mitochondria to produce adenosine triphosphate, the energy currency of the cell.

Genetics and Muscle Fiber Composition

The hereditary factor that influences the proportion of fast and slow twitch fibers in a person's muscles, affecting athletic performance.