Secondary 5

Muscle Fibers (Part I)

Muscle Tissues
• Three types of muscle tissues
• Smooth muscle
• Cardiac muscle
• Skeletal muscle
Muscle Fibers
• Each of these types of muscle tissue has muscle
fibers.
• Skeletal muscle is made up of muscle fibers that
are tightly wrapped together by connective tissue.
• The muscle fiber contains smaller units made up of
repeating thick and thin filaments. This causes the
muscle tissue to be striated, or have a striped
appearance.
Skeletal muscle fibers
• Skeletal muscle fibers are classified into two types
• type 1
• type 2
• Type 2 is further broken down into subtypes.
Slow-twitch (Type I)
• These fibers utilize oxygen to generate energy for movement.
• Type 1 fibers have a higher density of energy-generating organelles called mitochondria.
• This makes them dark.
Fast-twitch (Type II A)
• Like type 1 fibers, type 2A fibers can also use oxygen to generate energy for movement.
• However, they contain less mitochondria, making them light. They are known as oxidative-glycolytic muscles
because they can use oxygen and glucose for energy.
• These fast twitch type 2A muscles have a higher number of mitochondria than the other type, type 2B.
• This makes them similar to slow twitch muscles in their ability to use oxygen along with glucose and fat to
burn for energy.
• And like slow-twitch muscles, type 2A fast-twitch muscles are not easily exhausted and can recover from a
short, intense workout relatively quickly.
Fast-twitch (Type II B)
• Type 2B fibers don’t use oxygen to generate energy.
• Instead, they store energy that can be used for short bursts of movement.
• They contain even less mitochondria than type 2A fibers and appear white.
• They are known as nonoxidative muscles because they don’t use any oxygen for energy.
• Instead, they rely on glucose to produce the energy needed for activity.
• They also have a much lower number of mitochondria because they don’t need them to produce energy from
oxygen like type I and type IIA muscles do.
• They are also much larger around than other muscles and become worn out much faster than the other types
of muscles despite their capacity for feats of strength.
• Most of the muscles in your body have more than one kind of muscle fiber.
• But some muscles have more slow-twitch fibers because they have to do the same job for a long time.
• For example, the muscles in the back of your lower legs and the muscles in your back are mostly made up of
slow-twitch fibers.
• This is because they have to help you stand and hold your posture for long periods of time.
• Fast-twitch fibers wouldn’t be able to do this because they can’t keep working for that long.
• Muscles that need speed rather than endurance will have more fast-twitch fibers.
• For example, the muscles in your eyelids that help you blink are all fast-twitch fibers
Differences between slow-twitch & fast-twitch
• Type 1 & type 2 muscle fibers
• Energy use
• Intensity & duration
• Blood vessels
• Oxygen needs
• Appearance
Type 1 & Type 2 muscle fibers
• Your body normally uses slow-twitch fibers to power muscles first.
• Fast-twitch muscle fibers are mainly only used when the body needs to make sudden, more powerful
movements.
Energy use

Slow-twitch muscles Fast-twitch muscles

• use energy slowly and fairly evenly to make it last • use up a lot of energy very quickly, then get tired
a long time. (fatigued) and need a break
• This helps them contract (work) for a long time,
without running out of power.
Intensity & Duration

Slow-twitch muscle fibers Fast-twitch muscle fibers

• Slow-twitch muscle fibers power low-intensity • In comparison, fast-twitch muscles fibers work
activities. when you need a big burst of energy.
• This is because they need a steady, even supply of
energy.
Blood Vessels

Slow-twitch Fast-twitch
• Muscles with more slow-twitch fibers have more • Fast-twitch muscle fibers don’t need as much blood
blood vessels. because they make their own quick source of
energy.
• This is because they need a good and constant
supply of blood and oxygen to let them work for a
long time without getting tired.
Oxygen needs

Slow-twitch Fast-twitch
• Slow-twitch muscle fibers use an aerobic energy • Fast-twitch muscles mainly run on an energy
system. system that doesn’t need oxygen.
• This means that they run on oxygen. • This is called an anaerobic energy system.
Appearance

Slow-twitch Fast-twitch
• The bigger blood supply in slow-twitch muscles • On the other hand, muscles that have more fast-
fibers can make them look redder or darker. twitch fibers look lighter because they have less
blood.
Types of activities that use slow-twitch fibers
• Your slow-twitch muscle fibers are working hard whenever you
are doing an activity or exercise that needs muscles to work —
or even stay still — for a long time.
• sitting up 
• standing 
• walking 
• slow jog 
• running a marathon 
• biking 
• swimming laps 
• rowing 
• many yoga positions 
• some pilates exercises 
Types of activities that use fast twitch muscles 

• Fast-twitch muscle fibers are working more if

you’re doing high impact activities like
• running 
• sprinting 
• jumping 
• boxing 
• skipping rope 
• lifting weights 
Can muscle fibers types change? 
• Most people are born with about the same amount of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscles fibers in their
bodies.
• Some people may be born with more of one kind of muscle fiber, which might make them better at a certain
sport.
• For example, if you naturally have more slow-twitch muscles fibers, you might be better at long-distance
running.
• If you train hard enough at one sport, you may “change” the muscle fibers in your body.

• For example, if you are a marathon runner and train for a long time, some of your slow-twitch muscle fibers
will grow longer.

• This gives you long, leaner muscles.

• Similarly, if you lift weights or sprint a lot, your fast-twitch muscle fibers will grow bigger.

• This builds your muscles.

• Slow-twitch muscle fibers help you move (or stay still) longer.

• They need a rich blood supply because they use oxygen for energy.

• This is why slow-twitch muscle fibers are also called “red” muscles.

• Fast-twitch muscle fibers help you move when you need sudden and at times reflexive movements, like
hopping, sprinting, and blinking your eyes.

• Some muscles like those in your back have more slow-twitch fibers because they have to work tirelessly to
help you stand and sit up.