Table of Muscle Fibre Characteristics
Fibre Type
Contraction speed (milliseconds)
Size of motor neuron (bigger motor
neurons allow nerve impulses to
operate more quickly)
Resistance to fatigue
Activity Used for
Force production
Efficiency (think fuel consumption
here – high efficiency is like a
scooter – doesn’t burn much fuel or
produce much force. A V8 produces
heaps of force but is definitely not
‘efficient’)
Number of Mitochondria
(Mitochondria are located in muscle
fibres and produce energy
aerobically (with oxygen))
Capillary density (Capillaries
transport oxygen and nutrients to
muscles and remove waste products)
Oxidative capacity (This refers to the
capacity of the muscle fibre to use
oxygen for the production of energy)
Myoglobin content (Myoglobin is a
pigment that binds to oxygen giving
the fibre a red colour)
Glycolytic capacity (refers to the
fibres capacity to store and
breakdown glycogen for use as a
high intensity energy source)
ATPase levels (this is an enzyme
that controls the breakdown and
synthesis of ATP for energy)
Type I fibres
Type II A fibres
Type II B fibres