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50-Year-Old Assumptions About Muscle Strength Tossed Aside
vinces99 writes "The basics of how a muscle generates power remain the same: Filaments of myosin tugging on filaments of actin shorten, or contract, the muscle – but the power doesn't just come from what's happening straight up and down the length of the muscle, as has been assumed for 50 years. Instead, new research shows that as muscles bulge, the filaments are drawn apart from each other, the myosin tugs at sharper angles over greater distances, and it's that action that deserves credit for half the change in muscle force scientists have been measuring."
Rock anchors expand into the drill hole and thus secure the rod in place. So with muscles, part of the "strength" is from just not letting go. Also brings to mind that wood fibers are made of two quite different ingredients -- long strong fibers, and good "matrixy" glue.
I come here for the love
Don't be too harsh on him. Some of us appreciate the fact that he took the time to read the first line or two and craft a troll comment that demonstrates his awareness of the topic at hand, rather than copy/pasting some cookie-cutter comment that doesn't have an ounce of creativity to it. Handcrafted trolling, particularly the sort that makes use of pre-Internet memes such as "your mother", is a dying art that should be valued in all of its forms.
I read the article, I can't figure out if the writer was quoting him indirectly or if she is stupid. The model was based on moth flight muscle which is similar to human cardiac muscle, which was properly explained. He did say it can lead to new research in cardio and skeletal disease. I feel pedantic and want to know if the reasercher said that or if it is a case of bad editorializing. Don't shoot the messenger, but I guess in a sense that's what I am doing. So feel free to shoot this post if you think I'm stupid.
Koalas. They're telepathic. Plus, they control the weather. -Margaret
Science articulates what millennia of body builders could only say "duh" to.
So having been extremely bored one day I decided to read http://www.amazon.co.uk/Prime-Mover-Natural-History-Muscle/dp/0393021262/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373528233&sr=8-1&keywords=prime+mover+history+of+muscle> this book it covers some interesting bits about how muscle structure was research, dissected and how the muscles work.
Oh yeah, Steven Vogel wrote in the book that muscles do not actually contract, they expand. The muscle does not condense/contract. Space between filaments increased via expansion. It's one of the main reasons that running downhill will cause you far more muscle pain than running uphill...but don;t take my word for it, read his book he explains it all so much better.
I assume the quoted bit uses "contract" as a way to skip delving into muscle mechanics...
A 'singular oddity' is an event that cannot be explained and only happens when you are alone.
Muscle power is purely a function of size or volume. Some people's muscle is inherently stronger than others, whether by nature or nurture.
I grew up working in the field, building houses with my dad, and otherwise getting the crap worked out of me from an early age. Went to grad school, and would regularly see the jocks working out at the gym who had much more muscle mass than me, but I could take their max weight, add 20%, and do more reps. I enjoyed watching them boggle at that.
On the flip side, there was a fellow grad student from Eritrea. Scrawny, wiry guy, maybe 140 lbs soaking wet. His bicep/tricep cross-section wasn't much bigger than my wrist. He challenged me to an arm-wrestling contest one day, and instantly and with little exertion pounded my knuckles into the table multiple times until I learned my lesson.
He reminded me somewhat of those stories you hear about Abraham Lincoln and how surprisingly strong he was.
http://www.lincolnportrait.com/physical_man.html
for me, there will only be one true troll ever, and he is HOSTS
Then you'll be glad to hear they're back on track to making Twinkies again.