
Muscle fibres, also known as muscle cells, are classified based on two criteria: the speed of contraction and how they regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Using these criteria, there are three main types of muscle fibres: slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative (FO), and fast glycolytic (FG). FO fibres, also known as intermediate fibres, possess characteristics that are intermediate between fast and slow fibres. They produce ATP relatively quickly, resulting in high amounts of tension, but they do not fatigue quickly as they are oxidative.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Fast oxidative-glycolytic fibers, Type 2A (FO) fibers |
| Type | Fast-twitch muscle fibers |
| Formation | Converted from fast-twitch fibers via endurance training |
| Diameter | Larger than typical fast-twitch fibers |
| Mitochondria | More than fast-twitch fibers |
| Blood Supply | Greater than fast-twitch fibers |
| Endurance | More than fast-twitch fibers |
| ATP Production | Quick |
| Tension | High |
| Fatigue | Less prone to fatigue than fast-twitch fibers |
| Use | Movements requiring more energy than postural control but less than explosive movements, e.g. walking |
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What You'll Learn
- Intermediate fibres are also known as fast oxidative-glycolytic fibres
- They are fast-twitch muscle fibres converted via endurance training
- They have a larger diameter, more mitochondria and greater blood supply than fast-twitch fibres
- They are used for movements requiring more energy than postural control, such as walking
- They are the predominant fibre type in the human body

Intermediate fibres are also known as fast oxidative-glycolytic fibres
Intermediate fibres, also known as fast oxidative-glycolytic fibres, are fast-twitch muscle fibres that have been converted from fast-twitch fibres via endurance training. They are called intermediate fibres because they possess characteristics that are intermediate between fast fibres and slow fibres. They produce ATP relatively quickly and can thus produce relatively high amounts of tension. They are oxidative because they produce ATP aerobically, but they can also switch to anaerobic respiration (glycolysis). They possess high amounts of mitochondria and do not fatigue quickly. However, they do not possess significant myoglobin, giving them a lighter colour than the red SO fibres.
Fast oxidative-glycolytic fibres are in between the two other groups of muscles in terms of staining. They are similar in speed to the fast-glycolytic fibres but contain more mitochondria and oxidative enzymes. These muscles are used in normal locomotion actions, while the fast-glycolytic fibres are used much less frequently. Different muscle types are located throughout the body and combine together in different sizes to produce movement.
Skeletal muscle fibres can be classified based on two criteria: how fast the fibres contract relative to others, and how the fibres regenerate ATP. Using these criteria, there are three main types of skeletal muscle fibres: slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative (FO), and fast glycolytic (FG). Most skeletal muscles in the human body contain all three types, although in varying proportions. The speed of contraction is dependent on how quickly myosin's ATPase hydrolyzes ATP to produce cross-bridge action. Fast fibres hydrolyze ATP approximately twice as rapidly as slow fibres, resulting in much quicker cross-bridge cycling.
Type 2A (FO) fibres are sometimes called intermediate fibres because they possess characteristics that are intermediate between fast fibres and slow fibres. They are used primarily for movements, such as walking, that require more energy than postural control but less energy than an explosive movement, such as sprinting. FO fibres are useful for this type of movement because they produce more tension than SO fibres but are more fatigue-resistant than FG fibres.
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They are fast-twitch muscle fibres converted via endurance training
Muscle fibres can be classified based on two criteria: how fast they contract relative to others, and how they regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—the molecule that powers muscle movement. Using these criteria, there are three main types of skeletal muscle fibres: slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative (FO), and fast glycolytic (FG).
Fast oxidative fibres are sometimes referred to as intermediate fibres because they possess characteristics that are intermediate between slow oxidative and fast glycolytic fibres. These fibres produce ATP relatively quickly, and thus can generate relatively high amounts of tension. However, because they are oxidative, they do not fatigue quickly.
Intermediate fibres are fast-twitch muscle fibres that have been converted via endurance training. They are slightly larger in diameter, have more mitochondria, a greater blood supply, and more endurance than typical fast-twitch fibres. Most of the body's muscles are composed of these intermediate fibres.
The three types of muscle fibres allow for the wide variety of capabilities that human muscles display. Most skeletal muscles in the human body contain all three types, although in varying proportions. Muscle fibres can adapt to changing demands by changing size or fibre type composition. This plasticity serves as the physiologic basis for numerous physical therapy interventions designed to increase a patient's force development or endurance.
Environmental influences such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle types play a pivotal role in the proportions of fibre type in humans. Aerobic exercise will shift the proportions towards slow-twitch fibres, while explosive powerlifting and sprinting will transition fibres towards fast-twitch.
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They have a larger diameter, more mitochondria and greater blood supply than fast-twitch fibres
Muscle fibres can be classified based on two criteria: the speed of contraction and how they regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which provides the energy for muscle contraction. There are three main types of skeletal muscle fibres: slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative (FO), and fast glycolytic (FG).
Fast oxidative fibres are sometimes called intermediate fibres because they possess characteristics that are intermediate between slow oxidative and fast glycolytic fibres. They produce ATP relatively quickly, more so than SO fibres, and thus can produce relatively high amounts of tension. They are oxidative because they produce ATP aerobically, and possess high amounts of mitochondria. They do not fatigue quickly, but they do not possess significant myoglobin, giving them a lighter colour than SO fibres. FO fibres are used primarily for movements, such as walking, that require more energy than postural control but less energy than an explosive movement, such as sprinting.
Intermediate fibres have a larger diameter, more mitochondria, and a greater blood supply than fast-twitch fibres. They are fast-twitch muscle fibres that have been converted via endurance training. They produce more tension than SO fibres but are more fatigue-resistant than FG fibres. Most of the body's muscles are composed of these intermediate fibres.
The speed of contraction is dependent on how quickly myosin's ATPase hydrolyzes ATP to produce cross-bridge action. Fast fibres hydrolyze ATP approximately twice as rapidly as slow fibres, resulting in much quicker cross-bridge cycling. FG fibres have a large diameter and possess large volumes of glycogen, which is used in glycolysis to generate ATP quickly to produce high levels of tension. Because they do not primarily use aerobic metabolism, they do not possess substantial numbers of mitochondria, significant amounts of myoglobin, or a large capillary supply, resulting in a white colour for muscles containing large numbers of these fibres. FG fibres are used to produce rapid, forceful contractions to make quick, powerful movements but fatigue quickly, permitting them to only be used for short periods.
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They are used for movements requiring more energy than postural control, such as walking
Muscle fibres, also known as muscle cells, are classified into three types based on two criteria: the speed of contraction and the method of ATP production. The three types of muscle fibres are slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative (FO), and fast glycolytic (FG).
Fast oxidative fibres, also known as intermediate fibres, possess characteristics that are intermediate between slow oxidative fibres and fast glycolytic fibres. They produce ATP relatively quickly through aerobic metabolism, which allows them to produce higher amounts of tension compared to SO fibres. Additionally, they have a higher number of mitochondria and are more resistant to fatigue than FG fibres.
Intermediate fibres are used for movements that require more energy than postural control but less energy than explosive movements. For example, they are ideal for walking because they can produce more tension than SO fibres, yet they don't fatigue as quickly as FG fibres. SO fibres are better suited for postural control and small, frequent movements that don't require a lot of energy because they can function for long periods without fatiguing. On the other hand, FG fibres are used for quick, powerful movements like sprinting, as they can generate rapid, forceful contractions, but they fatigue quickly and can only be used for short periods.
The body's muscles are composed of a mix of these three fibre types, with the predominant fibre type in a muscle determined by its primary function. For instance, muscles responsible for maintaining posture would have a higher proportion of SO fibres, while muscles involved in explosive movements would contain more FG fibres. The distribution of fibre types can also be influenced by environmental factors such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle.
In summary, intermediate muscle fibres are well-suited for movements like walking, which require more energy than postural control but less than explosive activities. They strike a balance between tension generation and fatigue resistance, making them versatile for a range of physical activities.
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They are the predominant fibre type in the human body
Muscle fibres are classified based on two criteria: the speed of contraction and how they produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP provides the energy for muscle contraction.
The three main types of muscle fibres are slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative (FO), and fast glycolytic (FG). Most skeletal muscles in the human body contain all three types, but in varying proportions. The predominant fibre type in a muscle is determined by the primary function of the muscle.
SO fibres contract relatively slowly and use aerobic respiration (oxygen and glucose) to produce ATP. They are used in maintaining posture, producing isometric contractions, and stabilizing bones and joints. They do not produce high tension and are not used for powerful, fast movements that require high amounts of energy.
FO fibres, also known as intermediate fibres, possess characteristics that are intermediate between fast and slow fibres. They produce ATP relatively quickly and can thus produce relatively high amounts of tension. They are oxidative because they produce ATP aerobically and possess high amounts of mitochondria. They do not fatigue quickly and are used primarily for movements such as walking, which require more energy than postural control but less energy than an explosive movement such as sprinting.
FO fibres are the predominant fibre type in the human body. They are slightly larger in diameter, have more mitochondria, a greater blood supply, and more endurance than typical fast-twitch fibres. Most of the body's muscles are composed of these intermediate fibres.
The proportions of fibre types in humans are influenced by environmental factors such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Aerobic exercise shifts the proportions towards slow-twitch fibres, while explosive powerlifting and sprinting transition fibres towards fast-twitch.
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Frequently asked questions
Intermediate muscle fibers, also known as fast oxidative-glycolytic fibers, are fast-twitch muscle fibers that have been converted via endurance training.
Intermediate muscle fibers possess characteristics that are intermediate between fast fibers and slow fibers. They produce ATP relatively quickly and can thus produce relatively high amounts of tension. They are oxidative because they produce ATP aerobically and possess high amounts of mitochondria. They also have a greater blood supply and more endurance than typical fast-twitch fibers.
Intermediate muscle fibers are used primarily for movements such as walking, which require more energy than postural control but less energy than an explosive movement like sprinting.
There are three main types of muscle fibers: slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative (FO), and fast glycolytic (FG). Intermediate muscle fibers, or FO fibers, produce ATP more quickly than SO fibers but fatigue more quickly than FG fibers.











































