1. The Musculo-skeletal system (muscular)
1.1: The structure and functions of the musculo-skeletal systems
Classification of muscles types
Locations and role of voluntary muscle types
Antagonstic muscle pairs
Characteristics of muscle types
How the skeletal and muscular systems work to allow participation
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Muscles Types
Voluntary muscles (skeletal):
Attached to the skeleton by tendons
Muscle fibres that are long and thin contract and pull the sleleton to cause movement.
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Muscles Types
Involuntary muscles:
Not under your control, contract and relax automatically, spindle shaped
Found in the organs of the digestive, circulatory and urinary systems
Found in blood vessels – vascular smooth muscles contract and relax to change the volume and pressure of the vessel to distribute blood where it is needed in the body
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Muscles Types
Cardiac muscle:
Found in the walls of the heart
Specialised type of involuntary muscle
Interlaced fibres that spread signals from the brain to the heart to regulate heart rate.
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Muscle Types
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Biceps
Pectoralis major
External obliques
Hip flexor
Quadriceps
Tibialis anterior
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Deltoids
Triceps
Latissimus Dorsi
Gluteus maximus
Hamstrings
Gastrocnemius
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Muscle
Action
Gluteus maximus
Adduct and extend leg at the hip (pull the leg back)
Hamstrings
Flex the leg at the knee (bend)
Gastrocnemius
Plantar-flexes the ankle (points the toes)
Hip flexors
Flex the hip (help move the leg and knee up towards the body)
Latissimus Dorsi
Adduct and extend the arm at the shoulder
Tibialis Anterior
Dorsi-flexes the ankle (pulls the toes up towards the shin)
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Muscle
Action
Triceps
Extend the arm at the elbow (straighten)
Deltoids
Move the arm in all directions at the shoulder (flex, ext, abd, add, rot, circ)
Biceps
Flex the arm at the elbow (bend)
Quadriceps
Extend the leg at the knee
(straighten)
Pectoralis major
Adduct the arm at the shoulder
(across the chest)
External obliques
Pull the chest downwards, flex and rotate the spinal column
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How do muscles work?
Muscles work in pairs- when one contracts the other relaxes.
Agonist- muscle that contracts to cause movement.
Antagonist- muscle that relaxes.
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11. Antagonistic Muscle Pairs
Gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior acting at the ankle
Quadriceps and hamstrings acting at the knee
Biceps and triceps acting at the elbow
Hip flexors and gluteus maximus acting at the hip
(all flexion to extension)
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12. Flexion (Bending the Arm)
Biceps
(Agonist)
Triceps
(Antagonist)
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13. Extension (Straightening the Arm)
Biceps
(Antagonist)
Triceps
(Agonist)
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Task
Explain the role of the quadriceps and hamstrings during flexion and extension at the knee joint.
Use the words below to help you.
Contract
Relax
Agonist
Antagonist
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Exam Questions
Give an example of an antagonistic pair of muscles. (1)
For the pair that you have chosen, explain how they function together to perform a specific action. (3)
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Muscle Fibres
There are two main types:
Slow twitch (type I)
Fast twitch (type II)
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Muscle Fibres
We all have both types of fibres but in different quantities, probably determined by our genes
Althletes with more slow twitch tend to do better at endurance events
Athletes with more fast twitch tend to do better in speed events
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Slow Twitch Fibres
Darker in colour because they contain a lot of myoglobin
They have a good supply of oxygen
Contract slowly therefore can work for longer periods of time.
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19. Fast Twitch Fibres (II)
Fast twitch can be further broken down into:
Type IIa
Type IIx
Lighter in colour because they don’t use much oxygen
Contract quickly and tire easily
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20. Fast Twitch Fibres (II)
Type IIa
Type IIX
Work anaerobically
Contract quickly with high force
Suited to dynamic and relatively fast paced activities lasting 30 seconds to 2 minutes
E.g. 800m
E.g. sections of games
Contract very quickly and with huge force
Explosive fibres with potential for massive power outputs
Fatigue very quickly building up lactic acid quickly
E.g. 100m sprinter
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21. Can we change our fibres?
Fibres are genetical- we are born with more of one than the other!
However, they can be trained to be more efficient at certain activities.
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22. What training methods are suited to each fibre?
Slow twitch fibres- continuous training to improve the aerobic system.
Fast twitch fibres- interval training to improve the anaerobic system.
Games players require both fibres- fartlek training- ‘speed play.’
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23. N. Walker GCSE PE Edexcel
Exam Question
How do the muscular and skeletal systems wprk together to allow participation in physical activity and sport?
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