Muscle Use Experiments :

1) Take a glass and fill it with one cup of water. Set the glass on a counter or table. Now take a drink. What muscles did you use to lift the glass ? What muscles did you use to take a drink ?

2) Put your text book on the floor. Now bend down (properly) and pick it up. What muscles did you use to bend down ? What muscles did you use to pick up the book ? How did you know where the book was ? What muscles did you use to view the book's position ?

3) Place a 6 foot piece of tape on the floor. Starting at one end, walk backwards along the tape until you reach the end. What muscles helped you accomplish this task ? Remember to think of all the muscles used : Head, neck, arms, trunk, and legs.

4) Obtain a watch or timer with a second hand. Take your resting pulse or heart rate for one minute. Walk in place for 8 minutes. Now take your pulse or heart rate and compare it to rest. Depending on your physical training was this exercise easy or hard ? Why ? What muscles did you use to walk in place?

5) Using the watch or timer, and taking a resting pulse or heart rate and a resting respiration rate, run or march in place for 6 minutes. Take your pulse or heart rate and respiratory rate again. Did your pulse/heart rate differ from the one taken after you walked ? What purpose does changing heart and respiratory rate serve the working muscles ? What chemical processes are happening in the muscles?

6) Obtain a stress ball or tennis ball. Have a partner use a watch or timer with a second hand and count the number of times you can quickly squeeze the ball in 10 seconds with your non-dominant hand. Repeat 10 times. Record your results.
What happened to the total number of repetitions from the first round interval until the last round interval. Explain your results (hint: think slow twitch vs. fast twitch muscle groups and their metabolic use of energy).

7). Name 4 muscles that are used as I.M. injection sites for medications.

8) Palpate 6 superficial muscle tendons. Name the muscle involved with each tendon, and give the origin, insertion, action at the joint, and the nerve supply for each of these muscles.