Muscle Types

Muscle TypesMuscles can be classified into three different types:

• CARDIAC MUSCLE• VOLUNTARY or SKELETAL

MUSCLE• INVOLUNTARY or SMOOTH

MUSCLE

CARDIAC MUSCLESome questions for you to consider:

Where do you think you can find this muscle type ? A picture will flash up to give you a clue if you don’t know.

Do I have to think to get Cardiac muscle to work or does it do it automatically?

Why doesn’t Cardiac Muscle ever stop and rest like my biceps would after doing lots of press-ups?

CARDIAC MUSCLE

• Is found only in the walls of the Heart

• Beats constantly & rhythmically, responding quickly to changes in exercise intensity.

• Is not under our conscious control

VOLUNTARY OR SKELETAL MUSCLEYou know the names of many skeletal muscles already, eg Triceps (back of upper arm) and Biceps (front of Upper Arm) plus many others.

Why do you think they are called SKELETAL muscles ? Look at the picture to get some ideas. Discuss your idea with a partner.

Their other name is VOLUNTARY muscles. When you ‘volunteer’ you choose to do something of your own free will and thought. Why do you think they are also called Voluntary muscles then ? What organ does the ‘volunteering’ part to make your muscles work?

VOLUNTARY OR SKELETAL MUSCLE

Is attached to our skeleton (by tough chords of tissue known as Tendons).

Is under our conscious control – our brain and Central Nervous System send signals to make these muscles work when we are playing Sports or doing any basic tasks.

Is capable of extremely powerful actions which pull on bones and cause our body to move at their joints.

INVOLUNTARY OR SMOOTH MUSCLEThe picture on the right is an example of a Smooth Muscle. A clue as to what this muscle could be is that it is a vital part of your Digestive System.

Good guess – an example of a smooth muscle is the lining of the stomach that slowly contracts to allow food to be digested. Smooth muscles tend to surround hollow organs. Blood vessels ripple to help blood to flow freely – this rippling action is caused by smooth muscle fibres contracting and then relaxing.

Involuntary muscles are called this because they aren’t under our conscious control.

QUICKFIRE QUIZ ON MUSCLE TYPES

1. The correct name for muscle that lies within the walls of our Heart is called?

a) Skeletal muscleb) Involuntary musclec) Cardiac muscled) Smooth muscle

Answer: c) Cardiac Muscle

2. One of the characteristics of a Cardiac Muscle is that

a) It is under our conscious controlb) It contracts constantly & rhythmicallyc) It surrounds hollow organs, eg. Blood vesselsd) It aids digestion by contracting slowly.

Answer: b) Cardiac Muscle contracts constantly & rhythmically

3. An example of a Voluntary Muscle is:

a) The Heartb) The Stomach liningc) Quadricepsd) Tendon

Answer: c) An example of a Voluntary Muscle is Quadriceps

4. Voluntary muscles are attached to our skeleton by a tough, inelastic chord known as what?

a) Ligamentb) Bonec) Muscled) Tendon

Answer: d) Muscles are attached to our skeleton by Tendons.

5. When we exercise blood is needed to carry Oxygen to working muscles. The blood supply to our stomach is therefore cut off and our Digestive System shuts down. What type of muscle would be responsible for shutting down the Digestive System?

a) Skeletal muscleb) Abdominal musclesc) Cardiac musclesd) Involuntary muscles.

Answer: d) Involuntary muscles control the Digestive System.

6. What two types of muscle are NOT under our conscious control?

a) Cardiac & Smoothb) Smooth & Voluntaryc) Cardiac & Skeletald) Involuntary & Skeletal

Answer: a) Cardiac & Smooth muscles function without conscious control.