ged
09-12-2002, 06:42 PM
I was looking though my anatomy/physiology textbook the other day, and i found this entry on muscle toning. ill copy some of it in.
"In any skeletal muscle, some motor units are always active, even when the entire muscle is not contracting. Their contractions do not produce enough tension to cause movement, but they do tense and firm the muscle. This resting tension in a skeletal muscle is called muscle tone. A muscle with little muscle tone appears limp and flaccid, whereas one with moderate muscle tone is firm and solid. The identity of the stimulated motor units changes constantly, so a constant tension in the attached tendon is maintained, but individual muscle fibers can relax.
Resting muscle tone stabilizes the position of bones and joints. For example, in muscles involved with balance and posture, enough motor units are stimulated to produce the tension needed to maintain body position. Muscle tone also helps prevent sudden, unctrolled changes in the position of bones and joints."
There's more, but i'll leave it at that.
Anyway, i've always believed that 'muscle tone', ie definition, was just low bodyfat percentage - made sense to me because i don't think i've seen anyone with high bodyfat and 'toned' muscle.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think people have posted on here citing studies that have disproved toning. If this is correct, it results in me being confused.
btw, the textbook is 'Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology" by Martini, Fifth Edition 2001.
"In any skeletal muscle, some motor units are always active, even when the entire muscle is not contracting. Their contractions do not produce enough tension to cause movement, but they do tense and firm the muscle. This resting tension in a skeletal muscle is called muscle tone. A muscle with little muscle tone appears limp and flaccid, whereas one with moderate muscle tone is firm and solid. The identity of the stimulated motor units changes constantly, so a constant tension in the attached tendon is maintained, but individual muscle fibers can relax.
Resting muscle tone stabilizes the position of bones and joints. For example, in muscles involved with balance and posture, enough motor units are stimulated to produce the tension needed to maintain body position. Muscle tone also helps prevent sudden, unctrolled changes in the position of bones and joints."
There's more, but i'll leave it at that.
Anyway, i've always believed that 'muscle tone', ie definition, was just low bodyfat percentage - made sense to me because i don't think i've seen anyone with high bodyfat and 'toned' muscle.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think people have posted on here citing studies that have disproved toning. If this is correct, it results in me being confused.
btw, the textbook is 'Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology" by Martini, Fifth Edition 2001.