Extraordinary Fast-Twitch Fiber Abundance In Elite Weightlifters

Human skeletal muscle fibers exist across a continuum of slow [->] fast-twitch. The amount of each fiber type (FT) influences muscle performance but remains largely unexplored in elite athletes, particularly from strength/power sports. To address this nescience, vastus lateralis (VL) biopsies were performed on World/Olympic (female, n=6, \"WCF\") and National-caliber (female, n=9, \"NCF\"; and male, n=6, \"NCM\") American weightlifters. Participant accolades included 3 Olympic Games, 19 World Championships, 25 National records, and >170 National/International medals. Samples were analyzed for myosin heavy chain (MHC) content via SDS-PAGE using two distinct techniques: single fiber (SF) distribution (%) and homogenate (HG) composition. These athletes displayed the highest MHC IIa concentrations ever reported in healthy VL (23{+/-}9% I, 5{+/-}3% I/IIa, 67{+/-}13% IIa, and 6{+/-}10% IIa/IIx), with WCF expressing a notable 71{+/-}17% (NCF=67{+/-}8%, NCM=63{+/-}16%). The heavyweights accounted for 91% of the MHC IIa/IIx fibers. When compared to SF, HG overestimated MHC I (23{+/-}9 vs. 31{+/-}9%) and IIx (0{+/-}0 vs. 3{+/-}6%) by misclassifying I/IIa fibers as I and IIa/IIx fibers as IIx. These findings suggest athlete caliber (World vs. National), training experience, and body mass determine FT% more than sex and refutes the common pronouncement that women possess more slow and fewer fast-twitch fibers than men. Our results also show the abundance of pure MHC IIa and rarity of IIx in elite strength/power-trained athletes, indicate a potential link between MHC IIa/IIx frequency and body mass, and question the fidelity of HG as a measure of FT% distribution. The extreme fast-twitch abundance partially explains how elite weightlifters generate high forces in rapid time-frames. These data highlight the need for more cellular and molecular muscle research on elite anaerobic athletes.