Not all muscle fibers are the same. Each skeletal muscle contains 2 main types of fibers: slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers. The former act aerobically – that is, they consume oxygen – and are useful in low intensity endurance events, such as a marathon. Fast fibers, on the other hand, are anaerobic and are activated during explosive sports events, for example during a 100-meter sprint or shot put.
The prevalence of one type or another is genetically determined. Experts say that knowing the proportion of fibers of each type that each person has can be used to predict in which type of sport they could obtain better results . Although, yes, without forgetting that physiological performance is also influenced by other factors, such as cardiovascular function or muscle size.
