• A variety of metabolites is generated by the
working muscles such as:
– H+
– Pi (inorganic phosphate)
• These metabolites are implicated in fatigue
because of their effect on:
– Force development on periphery
– Central fatigue
• H+ competes with Ca2+ for binding sites on
troponin C
• Resulting in decreased Ca activated force &
decreased Ca sensitivity
• Maximum shortening velocity slows down &
relaxation is prolonged
• Produces burning sensation
• Due to Pi accumulation, following effects are
seen
• Reduced maximum force generating capacity
• Reduced myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity
• Reduced Ca2+ release
• As peripheral effect of metabolites, reduced
force is generated per cross bridge
• Information about contractile events at the
periphery is sent back to CNS at spinal &
supraspinal levels motor neuron activation
is modified accordingly
• The decreased force and chemical stimulus of
presence of these metabolites has central
fatigue effect
• Skeletal muscle contain group III/IV affrent
(sensory) nerve fibers
• Ends of these fibers can sense both
mechanical & chemical stimuli
• Under normal conditions, Type III/IV fibers are
crucial to have a normal cardiorespiratory &
hemodynamic response to exercise
• When concentration of various metabolites
increases to very high levels, feedback from
these fibers to CNS can lead to inhibition of
motor unit recruitment further reduction in
muscle force production & performance
Factors affecting performance
Specific to type of performance
• Success in athletic performance is due to a
complex interaction of many factors like
– Psychological
– Biochemical
– Neurological
– cardiopulmonary
Factors limiting anaerobic performances
• As exercise intensity increases, ATP supply
needed for tension development becomes
more & more dependent upon anaerobic
metabolism.
• Skeletal Muscle fiber recruitment progresses
from type I type IIa type IIx.
• The progression moves from the most to the
least oxidative muscle fiber type.
• Successful power athletes (e.g., sprinters)
generally possess a large percentage of fast
muscle fibers.
• Endurance athletes (e.g., marathoners)
possess a high percentage of slow muscle
fibers.
• Fatigue is specific to the type of task
undertaken & its duration.
• Anaerobic energy sources are prominent in :-
– Ultra short term performance.
– Short term performance.
Ultra short term performances
• These performances last 10 seconds or less.
• Type II muscle fibers must be recruited in such performances.
• Type II fibers are fast twitch muscles which are used in
powerful bursts of movements but they fatigue faster.
• The events that fit into this category include :-
Shot put.
High jump.
Long jump.
50 & 100 meter sprints.
• These events require tremendous amount of energy in short
period.
• Maximal performance in ultra short term
duration is limited by :-
– Distribution of type of muscle fiber (type II).
– Number of muscle fiber recruited (influenced by
level of motivation & arousal).
– Also affected by skill & technique (dependent on
practice).
• Anaerobic sources of ATP are :-
– ATP-PC system.
– Glycolysis.
• In ultra short events, energy release is
determined primarily by demand generated
via neuromuscular drive.
• In such events energy release is not limited by
intra muscular energy supply.
In short
• The factors affecting fatigue in ultra short term
events are dependent on
– Muscular power
– Skill & technique
• Skill/ technique can be improved by practice
• Muscular power mainly depend upon
phosphocreatine & glycolysis for ATP
• Creatine supplementation can influence
performance in high-power exercise.
Short term performance
• These events last from 10 to 180 seconds.
• Maximal performances in 10-60 seconds range
are predominantly (> 70%) anaerobic.
• Muscle fibers in action are high force- fast
twitch fibers.
• When maximal performance is extended to 3
minutes, there is a shift of energy source.
• About 60% of energy comes from slower
aerobic fibers.
• This shift causes a decrease in maximal
running speed as the duration increases from
10 to 180 seconds .
Energy source
• Vast majority of ATP will be derived from
anaerobic glycolysis.
• Phosphocreatine system can supply ATP for
only several seconds.
Fatigue in short term events
• Anaerobic glycolysis will cause an accumulation
of H+ in muscle as well as blood. This elevated
lactate levels causes fatigue.
• The elevated H+ concentrations also interferes
with continued production of ATP via glycolysis.
The elevated H+ slows down glycolysis.
• Contractile machinery of muscle is also
adversely affected by H+ concentration.
Troponin’s ability to bind with Ca++ is interfered.
• In short term, all out performances in which
anaerobic energy sources provide the vast
majority of energy for muscle contraction, the
focus of attention shifts to buffering of H+
released from muscle.
Factors Limiting All-out Aerobic
Performances
• As duration of maximal performance increases, more
demand is placed on aerobic sources of energy.
• Other factors which play a role in development of
fatigue are :-
– Environmental factors
• Heat
• Humidity
– Dietary factors
• Water intake
• Carbohydrate ingestion
• Aerobic performances may include
– Moderate length performances
– Intermediate length performances
– Long term performances
Moderate length performances
• Duration of these performances is 3-20
minutes.
• It requires high maximal oxygen uptake.
• In a 3-minute maximal effort, 60% of ATP
production is derived from aerobic processes.
• In a 20 minute maximal effort, amount of ATP
from aerobic source becomes 90%.
• Factors limiting moderate length performance
include :-
• Cardiovascular system
– Delivers oxygen rich blood to the muscles.
– High cardiac output is required which is achieved
through maximal stroke volume and maximal heart rate.
– Stroke volume in turn is influenced by :-
• Genetics.
• Training.
• Mitochondrial content.
• Arterial oxygen content & capillary density is
also important in moderate performance
• The arterial content is influenced by
– Arterial hemoglobin content (anemia can affect VO2
max)
– The fraction of inspired oxygen
– PO2 of inspired air
• High altitude can affect VO2 max due to low PO2
Fibers involved in moderate performance
• In races lasting fewer than 20 minutes, type IIa
fibers are involved in supplying ATP aerobically.
Advantage of these fibers is that they are rich in
mitochondria.
• In addition to type II fibers, already recruited
type I fibers are also involved.
• Type IIx fibers are also recruited that can
generate great power through anaerobic
processes .
• An athlete with the highest VO2 max has a
distinct advantage in moderate performances.
• Reason: races lasting less than 20 minutes are
run at 90-100% of maximal aerobic powe.r
Factor affecting moderate performance
• Since type IIx are also recruited , lactate & H+
production are increased. These
accumulations will affect tension development
in exercising muscle.
Intermediate length performances
• Duration of these performances is about 21-
60 minutes. The athlete will generally work at
<90% VO2 max.
• Example: 1500m races
• Important factors in these races are
• VO2 max
• Percentage of VO2 max
• Running economy
• High VO2 max is a prerequisite for success in
these performances.
• It is directly related to the rate of ATP
generation that can be maintained during a
distance race.
• Athlete work at less than 90% VO2 max in
intermediate length performance.
• A person who can run at a high percentage of VO2 max
would have an advantage.
• High percentage of VO2 max ( that can be maintained
over the course of the run) is related to concentration
of lactate in the blood.
• Lactate threshold is one of the best predictors of race
pace.
• A high percentage of type 1 muscle fibers is associated
with greater lactate threshold & higher mechanical
efficiency.
Factors affecting Percentage of VO2 Max
– Heat load
– Environmental factors
• The heat load will require that a portion of
Cardiac output to be directed to skin. CVS is
pushed to work at maximum at any running
speed.
• Environmental factors include heat, humidity
& the state of hydration of runner.
• Other factor which come into play is running economy.
• An economical runner can move at higher speed for
same amount of oxygen than a non-economical
runner.
• Better running economy may be associated with a
linear built of athlete.
• Differences in running economy are due to :-
– Mechanical factors (muscle contraction based).
– Bioenergetic factors (ATP source based).
Factors affecting Fatigue in Intermediate
Performance
• Main factors which affect fatigue in 21-60
minute run are :-
– Steady state VO2
– Running economy
• Steady state VO2 is in turn determined by both
VO2 max & the percentage of VO2 max.
Long term performances
• Duration of these performances is about 1-4
hours.
• These are aerobic performances which involve
little anaerobic energy production.
• The longer the performance becomes, there
are greater chances that environmental
factors will play a role in the outcome.
• In addition to environmental aspect, fuel (glucose)
supply is crucial.
• The supply is required for :-
– ATP generation for cross bridge cycling..
– For protection of muscle membrane excitability ( by
preserving Na-K pump action)
• Glucose supply comes from :-
– Muscle source.
– Liver carbohydrate stores.
– Glucose supplementation with consumption of fluid.
• Fatty acids can also provide substantial fuel
during prolonged muscular work at exercise
intensity less than 60% VO2 max.
• Endurance activities that are performed at
higher exercise intensities, muscle fibers must
have carbohydrate to oxidize.
• In short, improvements in endurance
performance focus on the supply of
carbohydrates & oxygen to muscle
Factors affecting fatigue in long-term
performance
– Steady state VO2
– Running economy
• Both biomechanical & bioenergetic factors for
determining running economy depend on
involvement of percentage of type I fibers also
• Diet, fluid ingestion & the ability of the athlete
to deal with heat & humidity all influence the
final outcome
• In short, in case of aerobic performances, an
increased ability to transport O2 to the
muscles & a delay in the onset of lactate
production are related to improved
performance
Muscle adaptation to space travel
• Changes which occur:
– There is a change in velocity of shortening of
muscle during contraction
– Reduced work capacity
• The changes are more pronounced after long
duration space flights
Work capacity is reduced due to
• Fiber atrophy (more prominent in slow fibers)
– Due to selective loss of myofilaments causes myosin
cross bridge to detach sooner at the end of power stroke
– Antigravity muscles of legs are more affected than arm
muscles
– Slow muscles (soleus) affected more than fast twitch
muscles(gastrocnemeus)
• More reliance on carbohydrate diet
• Less ability to oxidize fat
• Suggested prevention of these changes during
space travel:
• High endurance exercise during space flight
Age related changes during endurance
performance
• There is progressive reduction in vo2 max with
advancing age
• A decline in endurance performance is also
related to reduction in the velocity at same
lactate threshold compared to young athlete
