Table 1. Definitions of parameters calculated from the force and length recordings.

Tbl	Baseline tension
Fmax	Maximum isometric force
V0	Unloaded shortening velocity
Afterload	1/3 of Fmax
L0	Optimum resting muscle length
dF/dtmax	Rate of isometric force development (30 and 100 Hz)
−dF/dtmax	Isometric relaxation rate (rate of force decline)
dL/dtmax	Isotonic shortening velocity
−dL/dtmax	Isotonic relengthening velocity
Smax	Maximum shortening
tau1	Time constant of the rapid component of force decline (the isometric relaxation rate)
tau2	Time constant of the slow component of force decline (the isometric relaxation rate)