Summary
Seven healthy male subjects were studied under control conditions and following 5–6 months of heavy resistance training and 5–6 weeks of immobilization in elbow casts. Cross-sectional fibre areas and nuclei-to-fibre ratios were calculated from cryostat sections of needle biopsies taken from triceps brachii. Training resulted in a 98% increase in maximal elbow extension strength as measured by a Cybex dynamometer, while immobilization resulted in a 41% decrease in strength. Both fast twitch (FT) and slow twitch (ST) fibre areas increased significantly with training by 39% and 31%, respectively. Immobilization resulted in significant decreases in fibre area by 33% for FT and 25% for ST fibres. The observed nuclei-to-fibre ratio was 10% greater following the training programme. However, this change was non-significant. There was also a nonsignificant correlation between the magnitude of the changes in fibre size and the changes in maximal strength following either training or immobilization.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brooke, M. H., Kaiser, K. K.: Three “myosin ATPase” systems: the nature of their pH lability and sulphdryl dependence. J. Histochem. 18, 670–672 (1970)
Buller, A. J., Eccles, J. C., Eccles, R. M.: Interactions between motoneurons and muscles in respect to the characteristic speeds of their responses. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 150, 417–420 (1960)
Burke, R. E., Kanda, K., Mayer, R. F.: The effect of chronic immobilization on defined motor units in cat medial gastrocnemius. Soc. Neurosci. 1, 763–769 (1975)
Dubowitz, V., Brooke, M. H.: Muscle Biopsy: A Modern Approach. Chap. 5. London, Philadelphia, Toronto: Saunders 1973
Edgerton, V. R., Barnard, R. J., Peter, J. B., Gillespie, C. A., Simpson, D. R.: Overloaded skeletal muscles of a nonhuman primate (Galago senegalensis). Exp. Neurol. 37, 322–339 (1972)
Edgerton, V. R., Barnard, R. J., Peter, J. B., Maier, A., Simpson, D. R.: Properties of immobilized muscles of the Galago senegalensis. Exp. Neurol. 46, 115–131 (1975)
Edgerton, V. R.: Neuromuscular adaptation to power and endurance work. Can. J. Appl. Sport. Sci. 1, 49–58 (1976)
Edström, L.: Selective atrophy of red muscle fibres in the quadriceps in long-standing knee-joint dysfunction following injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament. Neurol. Sci. 114, 551–559 (1970)
Edström, L., Ekblom, B.: Differences in sizes of red and white muscle fibres in vastus lateralis of musculus quadriceps femoris of normal individuals and athletes. Relation to physical performance. Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest. 30, 175–181 (1972)
Edström, L., Nyström, B.: Histochemical types and sizes of fibres of normal human muscles. Acta. Neurol. Scand. 45, 257–269 (1969)
Edström, L., Torlegård, K.: Area estimation of transversely sectioned muscle fibre. Z. Wiss. Mikrosk. 60, 166–179 (1969)
Engel, W. K., Brooke, M. H.: Muscle biopsy as a clinical diagnostic aid. In: Neurological diagnostic techniques, Fields, W. S. (ed.), pp. 121–123. Springfield: Thomas 1966
Goldberg, A. L.: Work-induced growth of skeletal muscle in normal and hypophysectomized rats. Am. J. Physiol. 213, 1193–1198 (1967)
Goldberg, A. L., Etlinger, J. D., Goldspink, D. F., Jablecki, C.: Mechanism of work-induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. Med. Sci. Sports 7, 248–261 (1975)
Gollnick, P. D., Armstrong, R. B., Saltin, B., Saubert, C. W., IV, Sembrowich, W. L., Shepherd, R. E.: Effect of training on enzyme activity and fibre composition of human skeletal muscle. J. Appl. Physiol. 34, 107–111 (1973a)
Gollnick, P. D., Armstrong, R. B., Saubert, C. W., IV, Piehl, K., Saltin, B.: Enzyme activity and fibre composition in skeletal muscle of untrained and trained men. J. Appl. Physiol. 33, 312–319 (1972)
Gollnick, P. D., Armstrong, R. B., Sembrowich, W. L., Shepherd, R. E., Saltin, B.: Glycogen depletion pattern in human skeletal muscle fibres after heavy exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 34, 615–618 (1973b)
Gonyea, W., Ericson, G. C., Bonde-Petersen, F.: Skeletal muscle fibre splitting induced by weight-lifting exercise in cats. Acta. Physiol. Scand. 99, 105–109 (1977)
Gydikov, A., Kosarov, D.: Some features of different motor units in human biceps brachii. Pfluegers Arch. 347, 75–88 (1974)
Karpati, G., Engle, W. K.: Correlative histochemical study of skeletal muscle after supra segmental denervation, peripheral nerve section, and skeletal fixation. Neurology (Minneap.) 18, 681–692 (1968)
MacDougall, J. D., Ward, G. R., Sale, D. G., Sutton, J. R.: Biochemical adaptation of human skeletal muscle to heavy resistance training and immobilization. J. Appl. Physiol. 43, 700–703 (1977)
Maier, A., Crockett, J. L., Simpson, D. R., Saubert, C. W., IV, Edgerton, V. R.: Properties of immobilized guinea pig hindlimb muscles. Am. J. Physiol. 231, 1520–1526 (1976)
Maier, A., Eldred, E., Edgerton, V. R.: The effects on spindles of muscle atrophy and hypertrophy. Exp. Neurol. 37, 100–123 (1972)
Milner-Brown, H. S., Stein, R. B., Lee, R. G.: Synchronization of human motor units: possible roles of exercise and supraspinal reflexes. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 38, 245–254 (1975)
Novikoff, A. B., Schin, W., Dwcker, J.: Mitochondrial localization of oxidation enzymes: staining with two tetrazolium salts. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 47–61 (1961)
Padykula, H. A., Herman, E.: The specificity of the histochemical method of adenosine triphosphatase. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 3, 170–195 (1955)
Patel, A. N., Razyak, Z. A., Dastur, D. K.: Disuse atrophy of human skeletal muscles. Arch. Neurol. 20, 413–421 (1969)
Prince, F. P., Hikida, R. S., Hagerman, F. C.: Human muscle fibre types in power lifters, distance runners, and untrained subjects. Pfluegers Arch. 363, 19–26 (1976)
Roger, J. F., Craig, A. S.: Studies on the fine structure of muscle fibres and associated satellite cells in hypertrophic human deltoid muscle. Anat. Rec. 162, 483–500 (1968)
Sargeant, A. J., Davies, C. T. M., Edwards, R. H. T., Maunder, C., Young, A.: Functional and structural changes after disuse of human muscle. Clin. Sci. Mol. Med. 52, 337–342 (1977)
Stockdale, F., Holtzer, H.: DNA synthesis and myogenesis. Exp. Cell Res. 24, 508 (1961)
Thorstensson, A.: Muscle strength, fibre types, and enzyme activities in man. Acta Physiol. Scand. [Suppl.] 443, 1–44 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MacDougall, J.D., Elder, G.C.B., Sale, D.G. et al. Effects of strength training and immobilization on human muscle fibres. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 43, 25–34 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421352
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421352