EMD 57033 is thought to produce its potentiating effect by increasing the apparent calcium sensitivity of myofibrils. We have investigated the effect of 10 microM EMD 57033 on relaxation speed, induced by flash photolysis of 2mM diazo-2 (a caged Ca2+ chelator), in skinned semitendinosus frog muscle fibres and guinea-pig trabeculae. 10 microM EMD 57033 has no effect on the relaxation speed of semitendinosus fibres. In trabeculae, EMD 57033 slightly increases the relaxation speed slightly, in contrast to ADP which produces a slowing. 1mM ADP combined with 10 microM EMD 57033 slows relaxation but not to the degree seen with ADP alone. Like ADP, EMD 57033 increases the number of cross-bridges in the force producing state, but unlike ADP does not affect the transition rates involved in relaxation.