PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES TOWARD

HEALTH AND FITNESS 1

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Chapter 3 THE BONES AND

MUSCLES

Introduction

With the current COVID-19 pandemic that we are experiencing right now, it
remains important for us to adhere to healthy movement guidelines, to maintain a
healthy immune system, and build a strong defense. Engaging in a healthy lifestyle
and physical activities are important to help combat feelings of depression and
anxiety.
Walking, jogging, running, stretching every day are examples of physical
activities. These activities are also known as motor skills. Motor skills are the actions
and movements of the muscles. The muscular system and skeletal system provide
form, support, stability, and movement to our bodies.
In this module, you will learn about the muscular system and how the skeletal
and muscular systems work together to allow a wide range of movements and
physical capabilities in humans.

Learning Outcome
At the end of the module, you will be able to:
• identify and describe the functions of bones
• describe the types of bones and muscles involved in the performance
• describe the function and structure of skeletal, cardiac muscle, and
smooth muscle
• relate the connections between the skeletal system and physical activities
• explain how muscle works.

Learning Content
BONES
The skeleton gives the body its shape and has loads of jobs to do. It’s made
up of various kinds of bones, all meeting at joints – and different joints move in
different ways.
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The skeleton of an adult human is made up of 206 bones. Some of the most
important ones are shown in the diagram below.
I’m glad to inform you that you’re going to have to learn them all.

Different Functions of Skeleton

 Support
1. The skeleton is a rigid frame for the rest of the body
2. The skeleton supports the soft tissues.
3. Without the skeleton, we’d collapse like jelly.
4. For example, without ribs, our chests would collapse, preventing our lungs
from working.

 Shape
1. Our shape is mainly due to our skeleton.
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 Protection
1. Bones are very tough.
2. They protect delicate organs – like the heart and lungs.
3. For example, the skull protects the brain, like a crash helmet.

 Movement
1. There are loads of joints.
2. Muscles, attached by tendons, can move various bones.

 Making Blood Cells

1. Long bones, like the femur, contain bone marrow.
2. New blood cells are made in this bone marrow.

MUSCLES

There are lots to know about the muscular system. Muscles are really important in
sports, so you better learn this stuff well. Let us start with the basics.

1. Muscles are made up of fibers. Only some of these fibers will be ready to do
work.
2. All individual voluntary muscle fibers are either fast-twitch or slow-twitch.
3. Everybody has a similar number of muscle fibers – but different people have
different proportions of fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibers.
4. People who are fit and who have larger muscles have fatter muscle fibers –
and more of their fibers are ready to be used.
5. Nerve impulses are what tell muscles to contract (or in the case of the heart,
they tell it to speed up or slow down).
6. Complex movements are made possible by the coordination of nerve
impulses sent to the muscles by the nervous system.
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You must know what the big important muscles are called. Learn this diagram
well.

Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/o1XQ64Kb5khnFAoGA

Types of Muscle Tissue

Muscle is the tissue that allows us for the active movement of our body or
materials within our body. Most of our body's skeletal muscle moves by acting on the
skeleton. There are three different types of muscles. These are:

1. Skeletal muscles

Skeletal or voluntary muscles work as we instruct them. They are under our control.
They make our bodies move. We use them for everyday and sporting activities such
as walking, running, and jumping.
2. Smooth muscles

Smooth or involuntary muscles work automatically. They are not under our
conscious control. They work our internal organs such as the stomach, gut, and
bladder.
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3. Cardiac muscle

Cardiac or heart muscle is a very special type of involuntary muscle. It is found only
in the heart. It contracts regularly, continuously, and without tiring. It works
automatically but is under constant nervous and chemical control.

Muscles Work in Pairs

You need to know about how muscles work in pairs and all the fancy names that are
used to describe this.

Muscles are attached to two different bones by tendons.

Only one of these bones will move when the muscle contracts.

Origins – The place where the muscle’s

attached to the stationary bone.

Insertions – The place where the

muscle’s attached to the moving bone.

Antagonistic Muscles
Muscles can only do one thing – pull. To make a joint move in two directions,
you need two muscles that can pull in opposite directions.
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1. Antagonistic muscles are pairs of muscles that work against each other.
2. One muscle contracts (shortens) while the other one relaxes (lengthens) and
vice versa.
3. The muscle that’s doing the work (contracting) is the prime mover or
agonist.
4. The muscle that’s relaxing is the antagonist.

Types of Muscle Contraction

Muscles can perform two types of contraction – isometric and isotonic.

1. Isometric Contraction – in an
isometric contraction, the muscle
stays the same length and so nothing
moves.

2. Isotonic Contraction – in an isotonic

contraction, the muscle changes
length and so something moves.
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What happens to your muscles when you exercise?

Muscles never relax completely – there's always some tension in them. This is
called muscle tone. Exercise improves muscle tone, which in turn improves your
posture. If you improve your posture, you put less strain on your muscles, joints, and
bones, and you won't get injured as easily.

Exercise also causes muscles to get bigger. The fibers become thicker and
stronger, and the blood supply improves. More of the muscle fibers are ready for
immediate use.

Man with strong, muscular, and toned body