Parents Slow Twitch Muscle Question for Coaches

[kitkat]

I have been told that my daughter has slow twitch muscles when tumbling. Is this something that the coaches can work on to move it to a quicker twitch?

How would one increase the twitch? (Kind of sounds funny)

Thanks

kat

 

[BlairBob]

Unless they opened her up it's impossible to identify. At best, it's conjecture.

More than likely she just tumbles slow. Some of this is inefficiency at the movement pattern or just being weak which makes them slow. The more you do something, the better you become at recruiting motor units to active muscle fibers quickly and thus you become quicker, better, stronger, etc.

While it's highly debatable whether she change her type IIB (ultra quick twitch muscle fibers), type IIA do seem to be able to change between type 1 (slow twitch) and type II (quick twitch). They aren't quite as fast as type IIB fibers but they are pretty quick.

Becoming A Fast Twitch Machine

Through performance training you can change these fiber types. Plyometrics and strength training.

 

[iwannacoach]

Fast twitch muscles are nice but not an absolute must. A lot can be done by learning the skill the right way, and continuing to learn and understand the skill inside and out. This is something that many fast twitch kids lack in their development because their initial successes lull them into believing they can move on to other skills, and they do, but not infinitely. That's when the slow twitch kids begin to catch up. A few even pass the fast twitch kids. That dang tortoise!