Types of muscle contraction (isometric, concentric and eccentric) | Physical education

Starter quiz

Which movement is being shown here?

'squat' ✓
Which muscle is highlighted here?

abdominals

deltoids

hamstrings

quadriceps ✓
Which muscle is the agonist at the ankle during a calf raise?

gastrocnemius ✓

quadriceps

hamstrings

gluteals
What is the common name for this exercise where the body is held in this position?

abdominal curl

plank ✓

press up

sit up
Which muscle pair are the agonist and antagonist here?

biceps and triceps ✓

biceps and latissimus dorsi

pectorals and triceps

deltoid and triceps
Match the movement to the correct agonist muscle.

abdominals

⇔

upwards phase of a sit up ✓

quadriceps

⇔

extending the knee to kick a ball ✓

hamstrings

⇔

flexion of the knee when running ✓

triceps

⇔

flexion of the elbow in the downward phase of a press up ✓

Exit quiz

Which muscle contraction is used here to hold the handstand?

isotonic concentric

isotonic eccentric

isometric ✓
Which muscle contraction is used on the upwards phase of a bicep curl?

isotonic concentric ✓

isotonic eccentric

isometric
Match the muscle contraction to the correct description.

shortening of muscle

⇔

concentric ✓

lengthening of the muscle

⇔

eccentric ✓

muscle length does not alter

⇔

isometric ✓
Which image shows eccentric muscle contraction in the agonist muscle?
Isotonic muscle contraction results in ______ movement.

'limb' ✓
Match the movement example to the correct muscle contraction.

concentric

⇔

triceps during the upwards phase of a press up ✓

eccentric

⇔

triceps during the downwards phase of a press up ✓

isometric

⇔

quadriceps during a wall sit ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

There are two main types of muscle contraction: isotonic (moving) and isometric (static).
When the body is in a fixed position, but the muscle is contracting, it is known as an isometric (static) contraction.
Isotonic concentric contraction is the shortening of a muscle under tension.
Isotonic eccentric contraction is the lengthening of a muscle under tension

Common misconception

A muscle will always change length when it contracts.

A muscle has pulls on a bone to create movement. However, occasionally, if the movement is static, the muscle is still contracting and under tension but not changing length. This is known as isometric muscle contraction.

Keywords

Isotonic - muscle contraction that either shortens (concentric) or lengthens (eccentric)
Isometric - muscle contraction where the length of the muscle does not alter. The contraction is constant.
Concentric - shortening of a muscle when it contracts
Eccentric - lengthening of a muscle when it contracts