Chapter Eight
Muscular Fitness
The difference between successful
people and others is not a lack of
strength, not a lack of knowledge,
but rather a lack of will.
Vince Lombardi
Chapter 8 Value
 Measurable and noticeable changes in physical appearance result
from a well-planned muscular fitness program. A well-designed
PFP, including muscular fitness, will help to increase strength of
muscles tissue, tendons, ligments, and bones, decreasing the risk
of injury.
 After the age of 20, individuals lose about one-half pound of muscle
per year primarily due to decreased physical activity. Weight
training can help you maintain and even increase your muscle
mass.
 As muscular fitness increases, the effort to complete everyday tasks
of carrying your books, cleaning your room, or working in the yard
will require less effort.
Muscular Fitness Components
Strength — maximum force against a
resistance 1 time
Vocabulary
Objective
Endurance — repeating movement
over a period of time
Atrophy — wasting away or decrease
in size of a body part, particularly
muscles
Why Is Muscular Fitness
Important?
Body appearance
Posture
Physical activity
Myths about Weight Training
Muscle-bound physique
Not a good idea for
females
Muscle can turn to fat
Objective
Muscle Fiber Composition
 Slow-twitch fibers (red fibers)
constrict slowly, stay constricted the
longest time
Vocabulary
 Intermediate-twitch fibers
combination of fast & slow
 Fast-twitch fibers (white fibers)
Objective
contract quickly, fatigue easily
Discuss
Concentric Contraction
Eccentric Contraction
Concentric Contraction
The shortening of a muscle due to
contraction; also called positive work
Vocabulary
Eccentric Contraction
Isotonic contractions in which the muscle
exerts force while the muscle
lengthens; also called negative work
Vocabulary
Methods of Developing
Muscular Fitness
Isometric exercises
Isotonic exercises
Isokinetic exercises
Isometric Exercise
Contract without changing length
Least effective for strength or endurance
Vocabulary
Isotonic Exercise
Lengthen and shorten through full ROM
Excellent for developing muscular fitness
Vocabulary
Isokinetic Exercise
Overload muscle
through entire ROM
at a constant speed
with maximum
resistance
Vocabulary
Principle of Overload
Frequency: every other day
Intensity: resistance
Vocabulary
Strength — 60-90% of max lift
Endurance — 30-50% of max lift
Time:
Objective
1 of 3
Repetition — number of times exercise
is performed
Set — group of repetitions
Principle of Progression
Strength — 4-8 repetitions per set
Endurance — more repetitions with less
weight
Objective
2 of 3
Weight Training Considerations
Warm up
Focus on endurance in the beginning
Check equipment
Dry your hands
Objective
1 of 2
Exhale when lifting, inhale when
lowering
Always use proper form
Weight Training Considerations
Keep weight close to the body
Space feet shoulder-width apart
Keep proper back and hip alignment
Complete the full ROM for flexibility
Work large muscles groups first
Work muscles on both sides of a joint
Objective
2 of 2
Lift on a count of 2, lower on 4
REVIEW
A muscular contraction with a barbell involving
movement of a body part through a full range of
motion is called an isotonic exercise.
A group of repeated movements performed
continuously with a given weight load is known
as a set
The procedure of increasing weight loads over
several weeks is known as progression.
When you apply force against a stationary
object, you are using isometric exercise.
REVIEW
Slow-twitch muscle fiber contributes most
to muscular endurance
When you train specifically for strength,
the recommended number of repetitions
is 4 to 8.
Fast-twitch muscle fibers are NOT used
primarily for aerobic activities
The reason for limiting your weight
training workout to three sessions per
week is to give muscles time to rest.
REVIEW
Muscle DOES NOT turn into fat when you
stop a weight-training program.
The difference in muscular strength and
muscular endurance training is the
amount and number of times a weight is
lifted.
Study Question
True or False
Females do not develop bulging muscles or
experience muscle definition as males do
because of testosterone, which is the
female primary sex hormone.
False
Isometric exercises are recommended for
an older person or those with high blood
pressure, since they involve no heavy lifting.
False
Study Question
True or False
You should hold your breath when lifting the
weight and breathe in when lowering it.
False
The person with more muscle looks trimmer
because muscle is more dense than fat, thus
taking up less space than fat.
True
The difference in muscular strength and muscular
endurance training is in the amount and number
of times a weight is lifted.
True