Stretch shortening cycle

Stretch shortening cycle

A stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) can be defined as an active stretch (eccentric contraction) of a muscle followed by an immediate shortening (concentric contraction) of that same muscle.

The increased performance benefit associated with muscle contractions that take place during SSCs has been the focus of much research in order to determine the true nature of this enhancement. At present, there is some debate as to where and how this performance enhancement takes place. It has been postulated that elastic structures in series with the contractile component can store energy like a spring after being forcibly stretched (Alexander, 1987). Since the length of the tendon increases due to the active stretch phase, if the series elastic component acts as a spring, it would therefore be storing more potential energy. This energy would be released as the tendon shortened. Thus, the recoil of the tendon during the shortening phase of the movement would result in a more efficient movement than one in which no energy had been stored (Hof and van den Berg, 1986).

However, other studies have found that removing portions of these series-elastic components (by way of tendon length reduction) had little effect on muscle performance (Baratta and Solomonow, 1991). This research is further supported by Roberts et al. (1997).Studies on turkeys have, nevertheless, shown that during SSC, a performance enhancement associated with elastic energy storage still takes place but it is thought that the aponeurosis could be a major source of energy storage (Roleveld et al., 1994).The contractile component itself has also been associated with the ability to increase contractile performance through muscle potentiation (Cavagna, 1977) while other studies have found that this ability is quite limited and unable to account for such enhancements (Lensel and Goubel, 1987, Lensel-Corbeil and Goubel, 1990; Ettema and Huijing, 1989).

The results of these often contradictory studies have been associated with improved efficiencies for human or animal movements such as counter-movement jumps and running (Asmussen and Bonde-Peterson, 1974b; Cavagna, 1977; Komi, 1984b). However the jury is still out as to why and how this enhancement takes place.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Plyometrics — (also known as plyos ) is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports. Plyometric exercises may also be… …   Wikipedia

  • Weight training — This article is about strength training using weight (gravity) to generate resistance to contraction. For basic principles on increasing the strength of muscles, see strength training. A complete weight training workout can be performed with a… …   Wikipedia

  • SSC — may refer to any of several colleges, including: * St. Scholastica s College of Manila, Philippines. * Saint Stanislaus College, a high school in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. * Salem State College, a public college in Salem, Massachusetts. * San… …   Wikipedia

  • Ballistic Training — is a form of strength training where an athlete lifts, accelerates and releases the weight into outer space.HistoryBallistic training, also called power training, was first used among elite athletes who were looking for a method to develop… …   Wikipedia

  • muscle — muscleless, adj. muscly, adj. /mus euhl/, n., v., muscled, muscling, adj. n. 1. a tissue composed of cells or fibers, the contraction of which produces movement in the body. 2. an organ, composed of muscle tissue, that contracts to produce a… …   Universalium

  • respiration, human — ▪ physiology Introduction       the process by which oxygen is taken up and carbon dioxide discharged. The design of the respiratory system  The human gas exchanging organ, the lung, is located in the thorax, where its delicate tissues are… …   Universalium

  • Business and Industry Review — ▪ 1999 Introduction Overview        Annual Average Rates of Growth of Manufacturing Output, 1980 97, Table Pattern of Output, 1994 97, Table Index Numbers of Production, Employment, and Productivity in Manufacturing Industries, Table (For Annual… …   Universalium

  • Smooth muscle tissue — Smooth muscle …   Wikipedia

  • eye, human — ▪ anatomy Introduction  specialized sense organ capable of receiving visual images, which are then carried to the brain. Anatomy of the visual apparatus Structures auxiliary to the eye The orbit       The eye is protected from mechanical injury… …   Universalium

  • animal — animalic /an euh mal ik/, animalian /an euh may lee euhn, mayl yeuhn/, adj. /an euh meuhl/, n. 1. any member of the kingdom Animalia, comprising multicellular organisms that have a well defined shape and usually limited growth, can move… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”