Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Exercise and Muscle Performance01:27

Exercise and Muscle Performance

2.1K
Exercise induces a range of adaptations in muscle tissue, depending on the type and duration of activity. Such physical training can be broadly categorized into two types: endurance exercises and resistance exercises.
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
2.1K
Muscle Recovery and Fatigue01:24

Muscle Recovery and Fatigue

3.7K
Muscle fatigue refers to the decline in a muscle's ability to maintain the force of contraction after prolonged activity. It primarily stems from changes within muscle fibers. Even before experiencing muscle fatigue, one may feel tired and have the urge to stop the activity. This response, known as central fatigue, occurs due to changes in the central nervous system, namely the brain and spinal cord. While there is no single mechanism that induces fatigue, it may serve as a protective...
3.7K
Muscle Stimulation Frequency01:22

Muscle Stimulation Frequency

4.0K
The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
4.0K
Energy Supply for Muscle Contraction01:25

Energy Supply for Muscle Contraction

5.1K
Skeletal muscle fibers have the unique ability to switch between rest and contraction states, using different sources of ATP for energy. The contraction cycle and Ca2+ transport back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum for relaxation require significant ATP. However, the ATP reserves in muscle fibers are limited and can only sustain contractions for a few seconds. Additional ATP production becomes necessary for prolonged contractions. As a result, muscle fibers generate ATP through various sources,...
5.1K
Motor Unit Stimulation01:20

Motor Unit Stimulation

3.3K
When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
3.3K
Overview of Skeletal Muscle01:15

Overview of Skeletal Muscle

14.0K
Skeletal muscles are composed of a bundle of muscle fibers and are attached to bones through tendons. Each skeletal muscle fiber is a single muscle cell. The sarcolemma, the plasma membrane of a skeletal muscle cell, consists of a lipid bilayer and glycocalyx that supports muscle fibers. The sarcolemma extends into the muscle cells to form tubular structures called transverse or T-tubules. Each side of the T-tubules consists of a membrane-bound structure called the sarcoplasmic reticulum,...
14.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

High- and Low-Load Resistance Training Produce Distinct Skeletal Muscle Growth but Similar Changes in Tendon Morphology.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise·2026
Same author

Contribution of Sport Type to the Association Between Handgrip Strength and Morbidity/Mortality: Future Follow-up Study and Possible Mechanisms.

Sports medicine - open·2026
Same author

Inter-individual variability in pain perception and sensitivity responses to low-load exercise with an absolute or relative blood flow restriction pressure.

Journal of sports sciences·2026
Same author

Low-Dose Lemon Myrtle Supplementation Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy in Older Adults Undergoing Low-Load Resistance Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Journal of aging research·2026
Same author

Rethinking task failure in resistance training research: a framework for submaximal exercise prescription.

European journal of applied physiology·2026
Same author

Associations Between Handgrip Strength and Markers of Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

Translational sports medicine·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 9, 2025

Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury
08:07

Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury

Published on: February 1, 2018

13.0K

Stepwise Load Reduction Training: A New Training Concept for Skeletal Muscle and Energy Systems.

Hayao Ozaki1, Takashi Abe2, Jeremy P Loenneke2

  • 1School of Sport and Health Science, Tokai Gakuen University, 21-233 Nishinohora, Ukigai, Miyoshi, Aichi, Japan. ozaki.hayao@gmail.com.

Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|September 11, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Stepwise load reduction training, a novel exercise method, may enhance athletic performance by simultaneously improving muscle strength, endurance, and aerobic/anaerobic capacity. This time-efficient training approach requires further research to validate its effectiveness.

More Related Videos

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
12:59

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People

Published on: July 5, 2017

12.9K
Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models
08:31

Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models

Published on: December 17, 2021

3.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 9, 2025

Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury
08:07

Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury

Published on: February 1, 2018

13.0K
Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
12:59

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People

Published on: July 5, 2017

12.9K
Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models
08:31

Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models

Published on: December 17, 2021

3.1K

Area of Science:

  • Exercise Physiology
  • Sports Science
  • Human Performance

Background:

  • Athletic performance is linked to skeletal muscle's energy supply.
  • Traditional training involves continuous or intermittent exercise with recovery.
  • Novel training methods are explored to enhance energy systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential benefits of stepwise load reduction training.
  • To explore its effects on muscle strength, endurance, and metabolic capacities.
  • To assess the time efficiency of this training method.

Main Methods:

  • Stepwise load reduction training involves decreasing exercise intensity within a set without recovery.
  • Applied to resistance training to target muscle strength, endurance, and size.
  • Applied to aerobic and anaerobic training to target power and capacity.

Main Results:

  • Theoretically, this method may simultaneously improve multiple fitness components.
  • Training effects are achieved in short sessions (several minutes) due to lack of recovery.
  • Minimal empirical evidence currently supports these proposed effects.

Conclusions:

  • Stepwise load reduction training presents a potentially time-efficient method for athletic enhancement.
  • Further research with larger sample sizes is necessary to substantiate its efficacy.
  • This training strategy may offer a unique approach to exercise adaptation.