HUMAN MUSCULAR PHYSIOLOGYI MODULE 3

The Human Body

The Skeletal Muscle

Muscular

Physiology
According to Jonathan Howard, muscles are highly specialized to contract forcefully. Muscles are
powered by muscle cells, which contract individually within a muscle to generate force. This force is
needed to create movement.

Types of Muscles
 Skeletal Muscle- responsible for body movement.
 Cardiac Muscle- responsible for the contraction of the heart.
 Smooth Muscle- responsible for many tasks, including movement of food along intestines,
enlargement and contraction of blood vessels, size of pupils and many contractions.

Why Do Muscles Contract?

Muscles serve several purposes in your body. Your muscles contract for any number of
reasons, but they primarily do the following: ‌
1. Offer stability to your joints and connective tissues – Your muscles lengthen and
shorten, sometimes involuntarily, as your body needs them.
HUMAN MUSCULAR PHYSIOLOGYI MODULE 3

2. Produce heat to maintain your body temperature – Around 40% of your body’s
temperature converts into muscle work. Shivering is your body’s response to feeling
cold, and your skeletal muscles activate to warm your body.‌
3. Maintain posture – Muscles help you maintain a position like sitting or standing. ‌

How Does Your Muscles Contract?

‌ Your muscles contain fibers called myosin. Depending on how you need to use your muscles,
the myosin fibers either tighten up and shorten or loosen up and stretch out. Myosin is also
responsible for muscle contractions like your heartbeat that happens at regular intervals.

Understanding Muscle Contractions

Isotonic Contraction
Isotonic contractions are those in which there is consistent tension as the muscle length changes.
These can be either concentric (muscle shortening) or eccentric (muscle elongation).

• Concentric Contractions
This type of contraction happens
when your muscle is actively
shortened. Your muscle tightens when
you activate it to lift something
heavier than normal, which generates
tension.
An example of a concentric muscle contraction is picking up a heavy box. If you squat down
to lift a box, your arm muscles may contract to hold the weight, but your leg muscles tighten as you
stand up with the additional weight.‌

• Eccentric Contractions
This type of contraction
happens when your muscle is
actively lengthened during normal
activity.
An example of this is
walking because your quadriceps muscles are active when your heel touches the ground and your
knee is bending or straightening out in stride. ‌
Eccentric muscle contractions also happen when you lower something heavy. Your muscle has to
remain tight to manage the weight, but it lengthens to shift the weight into a different position.‌‌

Isometric Contraction
This type of muscle contraction happens when your muscle is actively held at a set length.
Instead of lengthening and shortening as it would during some activities, you hold it in a position that
requires a specific length once activated. An example of this type of contraction is carrying
HUMAN MUSCULAR PHYSIOLOGYI MODULE 3

something in your arms in front of you. You aren’t trying to raise or lower the object but keep it at a
steady position

Key Points

 Isotonic contractions generate force by

changing the length of the muscle and
can be concentric contractions or
eccentric contractions.

 A concentric contraction causes muscles

to shorten, thereby generating force.

 Eccentric contractions cause muscles to

elongate in response to a greater
opposing force.

 Isometric contractions generate force

without changing the length of the
muscle.

Core Progression

What is core?
It is central part of your body. Core is a group of muscles that stabilizes and controls the
pelvis and spine (and therefore influences the legs and upper body). Core strength is less about power
and more about the subtleties of being able to maintain the body in ideal postures — to unload the
joints and promote ease of movement.

Your core is your entire support system.

Your core muscles play a huge role in your everyday activities, from getting out of bed, to
walking down the street, and bending over to grab your purse-but, most importantly, they literally
help you stay upright.
"That's because your core muscles are the base of support for your entire body," says
Meredith McHale, P.T., D.P.T., regional clinical director at Professional Physical Therapy. They
completely surround and support your spine and pelvis and connect your upper body and lower body,
effectively transferring forces from one to the other.
Here's an anatomy refresher: Your abs aren't just one muscle. The deepest layer of abdominal
muscles, and arguably the most important, is your transverse abdominis (sometimes called the
"corset" or "Spanx" of the core), which stabilizes your spine and pelvis. Then you have two layers of
oblique muscles, which control lateral flexion (think a side bend), rotation, and other spinal
HUMAN MUSCULAR PHYSIOLOGYI MODULE 3

movements. Last but not least is the topmost muscle, the rectus abdominis, which runs vertically in
the front of your abdomen and is the muscle you see as a six-pack. It flexes your torso forward, like
in a crunch.
"A strong core helps keep a more upright and erect posture whether you're being active or just
sitting at your desk," says McHale. Think of it like the tree trunk of your body (albeit a lot more
mobile): It has to hold its ground so that your branches (arms and legs) can do their ~thing~ any
which way.

Core strength is crucial in every movement you do.

"A weak core is the number-one risk for potential injuries, especially lower-back injuries,"
says Kristina Jennings, a certified functional strength coach at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning
in Boston. Research shows that core strength training (and training the deep trunk muscles
specifically) can help alleviate lower-back pain.

"While back injuries are very common with a weak core, you can also injure other parts of
your body as a result, like your shoulders, hips, and knees," says McHale. Even if a weak core isn't
the sole reason for a person's injury, it usually plays a part, which is why McHale says she almost
always incorporates core work into her patients' rehab.

Core exercises improve your balance and stability.

The stomach muscles sometimes are called abs. Core exercises train the muscles in your core
to work in harmony. This leads to better balance and steadiness, also called stability. Stability is
important whether you're on the playing field or doing regular activities. In fact, most sports and
other physical activities depend on stable core muscles.

ACTIVITY 2.4
Perform all the activity.

Leg raise

Steps:
1. Lie on your back, legs straight and together.
2. Keep your legs straight and lift them all the way up to
the ceiling until your butt comes off the floor.
3. Slowly lower your legs back down till they’re just
above the floor. Hold for a moment.
4. Raise your legs back up. Repeat.

 Start with 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions and

increase this number over time, until you’re
able to complete 3 sets of 25 to 50 repetitions.
HUMAN MUSCULAR PHYSIOLOGYI MODULE 3

Glute Bridge
Steps:
1. Lie on your back with your knees
bent.
2. Tighten the muscles in your stomach.
3. Raise your hips off the floor until
they line up with your knees and
shoulders.

4. Hold for three deep breaths and

return to the starting position and
repeat.

 Aim for three sets of 15-20 reps

Russian Twist
Steps:
1. Lie down with your legs bent at
the knees.

2. Elevate your upper body so that

it creates a V shape with your
thighs.

3. Twist your torso to the right, and

then reverse the motion, twisting
it to the left.

4. Repeat this movement until the

set is complete.

 Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 repetitions

Crunch/ Sit up

Steps:
1. Lie down on your back. Plant your feet on the
floor, hip-width apart. Bend your knees and place
your arms across your chest. Contract your abs and
inhale.

2. Exhale and lift your upper body, keeping your

head and neck relaxed.

3. Inhale and return to the starting position.

HUMAN MUSCULAR PHYSIOLOGYI MODULE 3

 2 sets, 25 repetitions

Mountain climber

Steps:
1. Put both hands and knees on the floor.

2. Place your right foot near your right hand and

extend your left leg behind you.

3. In one smooth motion, switch your legs, keeping

your arms in the same position.

4. Switch your legs back and forth twice, such that

your right leg is again close to your right hand.

 2-3 sets of 10-20

repetitions on each leg

Reference/s

Core-Exercise Progression over the 12-Week Training Regimen.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Core-Exercise-Progression-Over-the-
12-Week-Training-Regimen_tbl1_263935493.
The #1 Reason You Should Care About Your Abs—That Has Nothing to Do with a
Six-Pack. (2018, April 2).
Shape. https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/why-its-so-important-have-
core-strength
Core of the Body: What to Know. (2022, October 26).
WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/core-of-the-body-what-
to-know