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Muscle slack refers to the delay between muscular contraction and recoil of the series elastic elements, which can hinder sports performance. When a muscle is not activated, it is relaxed and there is slack in the muscle, tendon, and series elastic element as it hangs from its origin and insertion. The speed at which the muscle goes from slack to tense is crucial for athletes, who often have very limited time to produce force. Training to reduce muscle slack can increase performance by reducing the time spent in the delay phase and increasing the time spent producing force.
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What You'll Learn
Muscle slack length
Muscle slack refers to the speed at which a muscle, tendon, and series elastic element can transition from a "slack" to a "tense" state. When a muscle is not activated, it is relaxed, and there is slack in the muscle, tendon, and series elastic element as it hangs from its origin and insertion.
The concept of muscle slack has been popularized by Frans Bosch, with publications by Van Hooren on the topic. Bosch uses the analogy of a rope to describe how muscle slack works: the rope, initially slack on the ground, becomes taut and straight when pulled, with the puller as the origin and the car as the insertion. This is similar to the process of muscle fibres aligning from the origin and insertion.
Muscle slack is important in sports performance, where time constraints do not always allow for a countermovement. For example, a sprinter taking off from blocks or a basketball player jumping to block a shot does not have time for a large countermovement. As a result, the muscle must find other ways to quickly reduce slack, and the performance of these movements is highly dependent on the rate at which the athlete can tense the muscle.
Training to reduce muscle slack can increase sports performance. There are two traditional methods of reducing slack: applying a load to the back during a squat, and dipping with knees and hips before jumping. However, these methods have limitations as they involve external loads or countermovements, which may not always be feasible in sports.
A suggested method for reducing muscle slack is through cocontractions, which require a light load, minimal to no countermovement, and practice. Specific methods such as unstable surfaces, small amplitudes, and concentric-only movements may be effective in increasing cocontractions.
A study by Van Hooren et al. used ultrasound imaging to observe the effects of contraction and stretch on muscle-tendon slack length and fascicle slack length in the human vastus lateralis muscle. They found that contraction at short muscle-tendon lengths caused a significant shift in the muscle-tendon slack angle towards shorter muscle-tendon lengths and a reduction in fascicle slack length compared to other conditions. This study confirmed that muscle contraction at short lengths reduces the effective length of structures that generate passive tension in muscles.
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Muscle activation
To achieve muscle activation, specific exercises that target individual muscle groups are often employed. For example, the draw-in technique for the transversus abdominis can be applied to other activities such as dead-bug or bird-dog exercises. These exercises focus on working the same muscle movements with different activities to achieve muscle activation.
Additionally, MAT utilizes techniques like Digital Force Application to Muscle Attachment Tissue (DFAMAT®) and Positional IsoAngular Contraction (PIC®) to apply targeted pressure or isometric force, restoring proper neuromuscular function. The Active Muscle Contract & Sustain (AMC&S®) testing is also used to pinpoint inhibited muscles that require neuromuscular activation.
While there is some skepticism about the impact of muscle activation on performance, many subscribe to its potential benefits. Muscle activation exercises can help ensure that muscles are working optimally during workouts, leading to increased efficiency and stability.
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Reducing muscle slack
Muscle slack refers to the speed at which a muscle, tendon, and series elastic element can transition from a "slack" to a "tense" state. Frans Bosch popularized this concept, which hinges on the early-stage rate of force development. When a muscle is not activated, it is relaxed, and there is slack in the muscle, tendon, and series elastic element as it hangs from its origin and insertion.
Cocontractions
According to Bosch, cocontractions are the best way to reduce muscle slack. Cocontractions require a light load, minimal to no countermovement, and lots of practice. Specific methods such as unstable surfaces, small amplitudes, and concentric-only movements might increase cocontractions. Consecutive hurdle hops under time pressure are a practical example of training through cocontractions. As athletes are forced to make quick ground contacts between hurdles, they train their ability to pre-tension their muscles through cocontractions before producing force into the ground.
Traditional Methods
There are two traditional methods of reducing muscle slack, although both have potential drawbacks. One method is to have the athlete dip down with their knees and hips before jumping, stretching the muscle-tendon unit and reducing slack. However, in sports, time constraints often do not allow for such countermovements. By relying heavily on countermovements during training, athletes may become dependent on them and struggle to reduce slack without them, hindering performance.
External Loads
Applying an external load, such as adding weight during a squat, stretches the muscle-tendon unit and puts it under tension, reducing slack. However, similar to countermovements, training with external loads can decrease performance in sports where external loads are not used. For example, an athlete may become reliant on the external load to produce cocontractions, negatively impacting their ability to generate force without assistance.
Small Amplitude Movements
Training with small amplitude movements may be more beneficial for muscle slack reduction than large amplitude movements. Small amplitude movements require less time to perform and may encourage faster neural firing rates. Additionally, they more closely resemble the types of movements encountered in sports, where athletes rarely encounter slow, externally loaded eccentric movements.
While the above methods can help reduce muscle slack, it is important to note that the field of strength and conditioning is constantly evolving, and further research is needed to definitively label specific methods as most effective.
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Training to take up muscle slack
Muscle slack refers to the speed at which a muscle, tendon, and series elastic element can transition from a "slack" to a "tense" state. Frans Bosch, the populariser of the concept, uses the analogy of a rope tied to a car to explain this. The rope, initially slack on the ground, must first be pulled taut before force can be applied to the car. Similarly, before a muscle can produce force, it must be tensioned and tautened.
- Cocontractions: Bosch suggests that cocontractions, or co-contractions, are the best way to reduce muscle slack. This method requires a light load, minimal to no countermovement, and lots of practice. Specific methods such as unstable surfaces, small amplitude, and concentric-only movements might be the best means for increasing cocontractions.
- Small amplitude movements: Training with small amplitude movements may be more beneficial for muscle slack reduction than large amplitude movements. This is because small amplitude movements require less time to perform and may encourage faster neural firing rates.
- High-velocity training: High-velocity training can be an effective tool to improve velocity deficits in an athlete's profile. However, Bosch argues that movements that unnaturally increase co-contractions and aid in taking up muscle slack might hinder the athlete's ability to pre-tense in sports by reducing the development of early-stage RFD.
- Loaded eccentric movements: Bosch points out that in sports, athletes rarely encounter slow, externally loaded eccentric movements. Instead, they encounter higher velocity, possibly passively lowered, eccentric movements. For example, a basketball player blocking a shot will not slowly lower their body before jumping up but will instead passively lower their body over a small range of motion before jumping up. Therefore, eccentrically loading an exercise with an external resistance might not be beneficial.
- Practical examples: Consecutive hurdle hops under time pressure can train an athlete's ability to pre-tension their muscles through co-contractions before producing force into the ground.
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Muscle tension
Muscle slack refers to the speed at which a muscle, tendon, and series elastic element can transition from a relaxed state to a tense one. When a muscle is not activated, it is relaxed, and there is slack in the muscle, tendon, and series elastic element as it hangs from its origin and insertion.
Stress can cause the nervous system to exert additional pressure on the blood vessels, leading to reduced blood flow to the muscles and resulting in muscle tension and pain. Certain medications, such as statins, can also induce muscle tension. Furthermore, underlying conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or chronic fatigue syndrome, can contribute to muscle tension.
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