Physiological Factors Determining strength:
The muscle strength is defined as the greatest amount of force that muscles can produce in a single and maximal effort. This depends on the following physiological factors:
(a) Muscle Cross-Sectional Area: the cross sectional area is generally measured with girth measurement.
(b) Types of Muscle Fibres: The strength largely depends on the types of muscle fibres.
(c) Muscle Length: All individuals have different length of muscles.
(d) Age: The age cannot be controlled but people of all ages can develop their muscles.
(e) Gender: It is well known that gender does not affect the quality of our muscle, but does influence the quantity.
(f) Point of Tendon Insertion: Muscle strength is influenced by the point of tendon insertion of an individual.
(g) Nerve Impulses: The muscular strength also depends on nerve impulses and number of motor units.
(h) Energy Level: the energy for muscular contraction is derived from the breaking down of phosphogens (ATP & CP)
B. Physiological Factors Determining Speed:
(a) Nervous System and its Mobility: To generate more speed the muscles have to contract and relax at maximal speed.
(b) Composition of Muscle Fibres: Skeletal muscle is made up of bundles of individual muscle fibres.
(i) Slow twitch muscle fibres.
(ii) Fast twitch muscles fibres.
(c) Flexibility: Flexibility is referred as range of movement around the joints.
(d) Phosphagens Stores: To exhibit speed performance muscles need high amount of energy.
