Effects of high intensity canoeing training on fibre area and fibre type in the latissimus dorsi muscle.

A high intensity short duration exercise training programme was undertaken by nine subjects on three occasions each week for nine weeks. Muscle samples from the latissimus dorsi were taken by needle biopsy, at rest, before and after training. The results revealed that there was no change in either Type I or Type II muscle fibre distribution following training. Type I fibre area did not alter significantly as a result of the training stress. Mean cross-sectional area of Type II fibres was 82 per cent greater post-training than pre-training.