The Muscular System

Structure & Function of the Skeletal System

Skeletal muscle (attached to bones) is striated & moves the

skeleton.

Contraction is under our direct control & is called voluntary.

Smooth muscle (around internal organs) is non striated,

such as the stomach and involuntary.

Cardiac muscle (the heart) is striated and involuntary.

Skeletal muscles contract, they pull on bones and thus

enable movement.

Muscles can be …. Trained to efficiently contract repeatedly

(endurance), strongly (strength), or quickly (speed/power).
Major Muscles of the Body

Types of Muscle Fibre

Slow Twitch (ST) Fast Twitch (FT)

 Called red or type 1 fibres  Called white or type 2 fibres

 Produce less force and are energy  Short duration, quick speed and
efficient high intensity

 Example Sport marathon  Example Sport javalin

Hereditary strongly influences muscle fibre composition

Muscle Actions

AGONIST: a muscle or muscle group that contract to

cause movement

ANTAGONIST: a muscle or muscle group that relax to

allow movement

STABILISER: muscles that work at a joint to help

stabilise it.

Basic contribution to efficient movement, muscular

System

 Muscles convert chemical energy into mechanical

energy to create a force, to allow movement.

 Muscles produce movement, stabilisation of posture

and internal organs and generate heat.

 They respond to training or physical inactivity (atrophy)

 Brain Teasers

1. Muscles must do what 2 things to movements to allow movement

to occur?
Contract and pull bones

2. If the bicep is the agonist muscle, what is the antagonist?

triceps

3. If the pecs are the antagonist, what are the agonists?

subscapularis, the teres minor and major, as well as partially the
latissimus dorsi

4. When a muscle decreases in size due to lack of use through injury,

what is it called?
Muscle atrophy

5. A body builder increasing muscle size is experiencing?

Skeletal muscle hypertrophy