Recruitment of different types of motor units in a muscle is the primary means of varying the amount of tension generated in that muscle.

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Different types of motor units (skeletal muscle fibers and their innervating motor neurons) have different properties, such as the speed of contraction and the force generated. During muscle contractions, motor units are recruited in a specific order, starting with smaller, slower-twitch motor units and progressing to larger, faster-twitch motor units as the force requirement increases. This process is called motor unit recruitment and is the primary means of varying the amount of tension generated in a muscle.

Recruitment of Different Types of Motor Units in a Muscle