Isokinetic strength, endurance, and fiber type composition in elite American paddlers

Abstract

Muscle fiber type and isokinetic strength and fatigue were examined in nine highly trained canoe and kayak paddlers. Needle biopsies were taken from the right vastus lateralis and biceps brachii muscles and the samples stained for myofibrillar ATPase. Baseline elbow flexion and knee extension isometric (0‡·s⁻¹) and isokinetic (60‡·s⁻¹ or 1.05 rad·s⁻¹ and 180‡·s⁻¹ or 3.14 rad·s⁻¹) peak torques were determined. Each subject then performed two series of 50 isokinetic contractions at an angular velocity of 180‡·s⁻¹: elbow flexion and knee extension series, separated by 3 h. The percentage of slow twitch fibers was similar in the biceps brachii (43.9%) and the vastus lateralis (43.3%). The fast twitch/slow twitch fiber area ratio was significantly higher in the more highly trained biceps brachii due to larger FT fibers. No relationship was found between fiber type composition and baseline peak torques or decline in peak torque due to the fatigue regimens. Baseline peak torque correlated with initial strength level, body weight, and limb girth. The results suggested that for these paddlers muscle strength and the decline in strength induced by repetitive isokinetic contractions were more dependent on characteristics of body size than on fiber type composition.