The rapid technological development that took place at the turn of the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries meant that many activities previously performed by people were taken over by machines. The progress of civilization and the related development of communication contributed to the fact that people largely limited their daily activities physical activity. Most of the work that requires a lot of physical effort is done by machines, and instead of bicycles and our own muscles, we use cars and public transport to travel. As a result, in accordance with principle, which says that the unused organ is decaying, there has been a significant reduction in the share of muscles in the total body weight of modern man.
Muscle functions
Muscle tissue it is the most abundant structure in the human body. It constitutes from 40% to even 50% of the adult human body weight. The primary function of muscle tissue is motion function – the force it generates allows you to move and maintain an upright body posture. Muscles They are also involved in regulating the flow of body fluids (including blood), as well as in maintaining the correct body temperature. In addition, it should not be forgotten that one of the most important functions that muscles play in the human body is protection internal organs.
Types of muscles
Because construction and the role they play in the human body, we distinguish three main types muscles:
- Heart muscle – the heart is made of this muscle. Man cannot directly influence his work.
- Smooth muscles – they are found in the walls of blood vessels and other internal organs of the human body (urinary tract, genital tract, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract). They work slowly and take a long time, regardless of human will. They are fatigue resistant.
- Striated muscles – the largest group of muscles in the human body. Man can control them with the help of the central nervous system. Together with bones, joints and ligaments, they form the movement apparatus responsible for human locomotion (movement).
Muscle building
Basic elements striated muscle fibers build muscles. They are covered on the outside with a basement membrane, while on the inside they are lined with a cell membrane. Inside the muscle fibers is located sarcoplasm – a specific type of cytoplasm found only in muscles. In the sarcoplasm, numerous are sunk, formed by special ones protein (actin and myosin), contractile filaments – myofibrils. In addition, muscle fibers also contain elements found in a “typical” animal cell. Most of all belong to them mitochondria and cell nuclei. It is worth noting that the amount of muscle fibers in the human body is constant and is shaped at the level of fetal life. Occurring in humans muscle fibers is divided into: slow twitch and fast twitch.
Muscle adaptation
One of the most important features of muscle tissue is its so-called plasticity. It allows the muscles to adapt to the type of load they have to overcome. Accordingly, under the influence systematic training there are far-reaching changes in the muscles. They concern both features contractionand the biochemical parameters of muscle fibers. The changes that occur under the influence of modeling / strength exercises are aimed at optimization muscle work. In a way, the plasticity of muscles results from the fact that the human body does not like to tire. Therefore, the changes that occur in muscles they are a consequence of the stimuli used in training.
Optimal training parameters
Direction adaptive changes occurring in the muscles under the influence of strength / modeling exercises depends mainly on the applied load. That it happened muscle gain strength exercises should be performed with maximum and submaximal loads. On the other hand, the application of a moderate load (not exceeding 40% of the maximum weight) leads to an improvement in strength endurance – strengthening and muscle slimming. The number of repetitions performed in the series is equally important. If our goal is to build muscle mass, then quantity repetitions in a series it should not exceed 10. However, if we want to slim down and strengthen the muscles, we should exercise modeling exercisesin which the number of repetitions in the series is 12 or more.
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