As skeletal muscle is further stretched beyond the length where optimum force is developed, . As skeletal muscle is further stretched beyond the length where optimum force is developed, . the thick filaments overlap one another, thereby reducing their ability to interact with actin the thin filaments overlap one another, thereby reducing their ability to interact with myosin the thick filaments are pulled away from one another, thereby reducing their ability to interact with actin the thin filaments are pulled away from one another, thereby reducing their ability to interact with myosin the amount of calcium released by the sarcoplasmic reticulum is reduced as length increases