Before developing and executing any training routine, it’s advisable to know the important forms of muscle contraction. This way, the exercises will make more sense.
For people immersed on the earth of sports training, it becomes needed to know the forms of muscle contraction, how they function and the importance they’ve inside the body.
It shouldn’t be only necessary for the mere fact of knowing what they consist of, but since it is relevant to know what the body is subjected to when performing physical exertion. Try to design and perform your training routines with sufficient knowledge and theoretical bases. Do not forget!
Types of muscle contraction
Muscles perform voluntary and involuntary movementswhich rely on the variety of muscle that makes them up and the region that controls them. For example: the central nervous system (CNS), specifically the brain, is answerable for controlling voluntary movements. For its part, the spinal cord focuses on reflex arches or involuntary movements.
Within the movements of the musclesvarious kinds of muscle contraction stand out, which may be classified in response to their stimulus or movement. Some are even classified as contraction only with exerting tension without movement.
Isometric contraction
Isometric contraction refers back to the static position of the muscle at the side of great tension. In this, there is no such thing as a evidence of lengthening or shortening of the involved muscle, due to this fact, it maintains its length.
Based on the above, this sort of contraction can also be called “static” and is way more common than you would possibly think. Even lots of the exercises which are performed every day are included in it.
A transparent example is the isometric or conventional plate. When executing it, the body is kept still and the muscles are subjected to constant tension.
Isotonic contraction
Within the forms of muscle contraction, the isotonic is taken into account the antithesis of the isometric. In this, there may be muscle movement and, due to this fact, the length of every muscle involved is consistently modified.
In addition, it’s essentially the most used contraction within the daily, due to the movements of the body generally. In this contraction there are 2 important subtypes: eccentric and concentric.
- Eccentric contraction: refers back to the extension of the muscle after the execution of a movement. It goes from shortening to lengthening regularly. It is clear when extending the arm, for instance, but with a relentless tension in it.
- Concentric contraction: it occurs in the other approach to the eccentric one. Here the contraction occurs from elongation to shortening, regularly. When flexing the arm with constant tension on the muscle, this subtype may be noticed.
Isokinetic contraction
Isokinetic contraction is sort of much like isotonic, attributable to the characteristics they share. They are even often confused regularly.
This variety of contraction refers back to the shortening and lengthening of the muscle fibers, but in a uniform and constant way. In other words, the speed of the contraction mustn’t generate any change, nor decrease, nor increase.
The important difference from isotonic shrinkage is uniformity. While the isokinetic is constant, the isotonic doesn’t require uniformity in its speed. Usually, this kind is presented within the technical gesture of rowing.
Auxotonic contraction
To culminate with the important forms of muscle contraction, it’s needed to say the auxotonic. This type is the combination of isotonic and isometric contraction. In this they converge as an entire; the isotonic is the primary to be present and the isometric is the one which culminates within the auxotonic contraction.
It normally occurs in exercises wherein elastic bands are used. For example: you begin by stretching the band with one arm, there the isotonic is presented. Immediately after, you need to hold it at a set point, and at that moment the isometric is clear.
Advice on forms of muscle contraction
It is probably going that even when performing certain exercises you may have doubts about what forms of muscle contraction you might be doing. However, it is best to not worry, quite the other. Seek skilled advice to know the topic in greater detail and depth.
Remember that it’s relevant to know the way the body behaves whilst you exercise, but knowledge shouldn’t be acquired magically. Both a coach and a physiotherapist will find a way to guide you and make clear any variety of doubt you may have on this regard.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to make sure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this text was considered reliable and of educational or scientific accuracy.
- Sachlos, E., & Auguste, D. (2008). Muscle contraction. In Biomaterials.
- Rasch, P.J. (1994). Physiology of muscle contraction. Kinesiology and Applied Anatomy.
