The effects of training the biceps brachii muscle to failure

An experimental study was conducted to observe the effects on the size and strength of the biceps brachii muscle of an exercise routine that trained the biceps to failure during each workout. The workout routine used ten exercises that specifically isolated the biceps brachii. A series of experiments measuring the size, maximum force, and relationship between force and electromyographic signal of the biceps muscles was used to test the effectiveness of the failure routine. The month long training program was found to produce significant size and strength gains in the biceps muscle, with an increase in maximum force greater than 30% after four weeks. It was also found that the slow oxidative twitch motor units became able to provide higher forces as indicated by the increase in the force at which fast oxidative twitch motor units were recruited.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Walker, Donald L., III

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Barbara J. Hughey.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/40936

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/40936