Stretch Shortening Cycle Phases and Components Quiz

Stretch Shortening Cycle

• The stretch shortening cycle consists of three phases: pre-stretch/load, amortization/transition, and shortening/action/concentric
• The cycle aids in increasing power through the mechanical model, which includes the series elastic component (stored elastic energy), parallel elastic component (provides stiffness), and contractile component
• The neurophysiological model involves the muscle spindle-reflex potential

Length Tension Relationship

• Optimal actin/myosin overlap results in optimal force production, which is characterized by heightened myosin/actin interaction
• Too much or no overlap leads to limited or no force production

Skeletal Muscle Adaptations

• The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) is the body's stress response to exercise-induced adaptations, involving resistance, fatigue, and recovery
• The Overload Principle involves manipulating variables such as mode, frequency, intensity, volume, and others to create a new stimulus for the body to adapt

Principles of Exercise Adaptation

• The Principle of Specificity states that exercise should be tailored to the specific activity or task to optimize adaptations
• The Principle of Individuality recognizes that individual traits, such as genetic makeup, sex, and metabolism, affect training adaptations
• The Principle of Diminishing Returns suggests that highly trained individuals may experience decreased gains in adaptations
• The Principle of Variability proposes that varying exercise selection allows for continued adaptations
• The Principle of Reversibility states that ceasing training results in the loss of gains

Periodization

• Periodization is a systematic approach to organizing training into specific cycles, each targeting a specific physiological adaptation

FITT-VP

• FITT-VP stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type, Variation, and Progression

Neural Adaptations

• The majority of strength gains seen early in a new exercise program are due to neural adaptations
• The time parameter for neural adaptations is usually the first 8 weeks of a program
• Motor Unit Recruitment involves the recruitment of higher threshold motor units through training
• Motor Unit Firing (Twitch Rate/Increased Rate Coding) involves the consistent increase in firing rate of nerve-muscle interactions through resistance training
• Morphological Changes in the NMJ involve the growth of terminal ends of motor neurons, increased nerve terminal branching, and increased receptors on the motor end plate
• Inhibition of Antagonist & Increased Action of Synergists involves the increased inhibition of antagonists and action of synergists through training

Twitch, Summation, and Tetanus

• Twitch refers to a single, isolated contraction, consisting of latent, contraction, and relaxation phases
• Summation occurs when fibers are stimulated while a previous twitch is still occurring, resulting in a stronger response
• Tetanus refers to the maximum tension reached, which can be complete or incomplete depending on the frequency of impulses