Muscle Types, Contractions, and Exercise Types Fitness Exploration Lecture #5

Eccentric vs. Concentric Muscle Contractions Eccentric: Muscle activation that increases tension on a muscle as it lengthens. Typically occur when a muscle opposes a stronger force, which causes the muscle to lengthen as it contracts. Concentric: Causes muscles to shorten, thereby generating force. Isometric: Muscle contracts, but does not shorten.

Exercise Types: Isotonic Isotonic: Muscles maintain the same tension throughout the exercise. Examples include squats, stair climbing, bicep curls and push-ups.

Exercise Types: Isometric Isometric: Exercises do not move muscles through a range. Instead, the muscles are stable, done in one position so that there is tension but no change in length. Examples include the plank, side bridge, the wall sit and many yoga poses.

Exercise Types: Plyometric Plyometric: Exercises that involve a jumping movement. Example, skipping, bounding, jumping rope, hopping, lunges, jump squats, and clap push- ups are all examples of plyometric exercises.

Muscle Training Isotonic, Isometric, and Plyometric training are all important to overall muscle health. You can apply all three exercise types to many of the muscles of the body.

Deltoids (Shoulders) Exercises include: Shoulder Press Reverse Fly’s Lateral Raises Seated Military Press Lateral Cable Raises

Pectoralis (Chest) Exercises include: Dumbbell Chest Press Dumbbell Flies Chest (Bench) Press Decline Bench Press Incline Bench/Dumbbell Press

Abdominals/Core Exercises include: Planks Sit Ups & Crunches V-ups Glute Bridge Lateral Pillar Bridge Plank w/ Arm Lift

Back (Trapezius & Lats) Exercises Include: Seated Rows Lat Pull Down Back Hyperextension Bent Over Row Pull Ups

Quads, Calves, & Hamstrings Exercises include: Leg Extension (Quads) Leg Press (Quads) Squat (Majority of Muscles) Calf Raises (Calves) Hamstring Curl (Hamstrings)

Activity Utilize the activity sheet to indicate what type of exercises you can do for each general area of the body that include isometric, isotonic, and plyometric exercises. Also indicate what muscle group is being utilized during that activity.