If you were to analyse the fibres contained within the muscles of two individuals then the results gathered may vary greatly. This is because muscles are comprised of three different types of fibres. They are;
- Slow Oxidative (SO) – Type I fibres
- Fast Oxidative Glycolytic (FOG) – Type IIa fibres
- Fast Glycolytic (FG) – Type IIb fibres
However they are more commonly just referred to as Slow and Fast Twitch Fibres.The properties and attributes of each type of fibre vary greatly. The physiological breakdown of each type of fibre is:
|
Slow
Oxidative |
Fast Oxidative
Glycolytic |
Fast
Glycolytic |
| Structural Variations |
| Colour |
Red |
Pink to Red |
White |
| Size |
Small |
Intermediate |
Large |
| No. of Capillaries |
Many |
Many |
Few |
| Glycogen Stores |
Few |
Intermediate |
High |
| Functional Variations |
| Contractile Speed |
Slow |
Fast |
Fast |
| Contractile Strength |
Low |
Intermediate |
High |
| Fatigue Resistance |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
| Aerobic Capacity |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
| Anaerobic Capacity |
Low |
High |
High |
Best Suited Activities |
Endurance Orientated |
Walking, Running & Sprinting |
Speed & Power |
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