Type 1

Type 2a

Type 2b

colour

red

red

white

Contraction speed

Contract slowly

Contract Rapidly

Contract Rapidly

Energy system

Aerobic

Aerobic

Anaerobic

Type of activity

Long distance

Middle distance

Short distance

Endurance

Can contract
repeatedly

Fairly resistant to
fatigue

Fatigue easily

Force

Exert minimal force

Exert great force

Myoglobin
concentration

High concentration
of myoglobin

Exert medium
force
Medium
concentration of
myoglobin

Mitochondria
concentration

High concentration
of mitochondria

Medium
concentration of
mitochondria

Low concentration
of mitochondria

Low concentration
of myoglobin

MUSCLE FIBRE TYPE

CHARACTERISTICS

Capillaries

Type of sports

Large capillary
network
10,000m run event

Large capillary
network
400m sprint event

Few capillaries
100m sprint event

Slow twitch fibres (type 1) are red in colour, and contain a dense amount of
myoglobin. Myoglobin is essential as it is responsible for oxygen transportation
within the cell (which is used with fat and glucose to produce energy).
They contain lots of mitochondria and many capillaries which enhance gaseous
exchange within the muscle .They also split ATP at a low speed and therefore
have a slow contraction speed, this makes them good at resisting fatigue.
This makes this fibre best adapted to long distance running/endurance sports
such as the 10,000m run, whereby the performer has to run at a gradual
consistent speed for up to 2 or more hours. mitochondria stores will need to be in
abundance as the muscles will need energy over this long period of time as well
as many capillaries will be needed for gaseous exchange (and to remove the bi
products to prevent lactate build-up in the working muscles) so the muscle will
not tire due to the mid range 60-80% intensity the marathon runner will run at
(maintaining a fast aerobic pace).
This muscle type may be also needed in other sport ,such as boxing ; where
professional boxers may fight for up to 36 minutes altogether. This will mean
them needing to mix between all the different muscle fibre types. As certain
moments he may have a brief anaerobic action where he throws a combination,

or when hes bobbing and weaving his head. Boxers also receive a 1 minute rest
after each round.
Fast twitch muscle (type2a) are red in colour, and contain a large count of
myoglobin and have many mitochondria and capillaries.
They have a very high resistance to fatigue and are able to split ATP at a fast
speed and have a fast contraction speed
This makes them best suited to middle distance running /endurance sports for
example the 400m, where they run at a fast speed but have to maintain their
speed over 400m meaning they will have to work aerobically for the majority of
the race. This muscle fibre will work again within 60-80%of the athletes hr
depending on their fitness will display how much of this muscle type they have.
Although it is aerobic muscle fibre just like the type 1 it differs from it as it splits
atp at a faster rate, it fatigues faster than type 1, and it has a fast contraction
speed more like type 2b .
But it still involves the use of oxygen to produce energy unlike type 2b which
doesent.
Fast twitch muscle (type 2b) is white in colour; they are white in colour as a
result of the low concentration of myoglobin, few mitochondria and large
amounts of glycogen.
They generate energy anaerobically (as they utilise the glycogenic stores in the
muscle) to quickly get energy to sustain them for a short period of time (usually
10 seconds). This makes this muscle fibre type fatigue easily. It also has a fast
contraction speed.
This makes this muscle fibre type well suited for short distance sporting events,
or intense anaerobic events such as 100m whereby energy will need to be used
quickly to facilitate the muscles, and as these contractions will need to be
maximal in order to perform better than the other competitors to win the race.
also as energy will not be made quick enough in these situations as contractions
happen so rapidly and are powerful, only lasting a short period of time for
example when a shotput thrower throws the shotput in his technique.