Loss of Coordination with Fatigue
Why do you become uncoordinated when you are tired?
Fatigue reduces both strength and accuracy. There's a
physiological reason why tiredness weakens muscles. Muscles
are made up of thousands of fibers. Each fiber stores sugar. and
when it runs out of its stored sugar, it cannot contract effectively.
As you tire, your muscles have fewer fibers to contract and you
become weaker and less coordinated. This means that a pitcher
who is warmed up and fresh will have more active fibers in his
muscles and be able to throw more accurately and faster than
when he is tired. A fresh football player can kick further and
more accurately than when he is tired. That's why professional
and college sports teams have large rosters, so they always
have plenty of fresh players. The same principle applies to
boxers, wrestlers, tennis players and so forth, but they do not
have the luxury of calling in a substitute. If you compete in an
individual sport that requires both endurance and coordination,
take it easy early in your competition and save something for the
end.
Checked 9/29/08