What happens to us when we stop playing sports, how easily and quickly we can regain the lost shape, is it possible to arrange a "vacation" for ourselves? from fitness and what to do if there is no progress in training… estet-portal.com found answers to these questions, having dealt with such a phenomenon of our body as muscle memory.
What is muscle memory
The know-it-all Wikipedia answers this question as follows: "long-term structural changes (restructuring) of muscle and nerve cells that develop under the influence of physical training and provide a quick recovery of athletic form after a long" rest.
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Not clear? Then let's explain with an example. Imagine that you have been training for a long time, getting in shape, your muscles grew and developed, and then you left training. They fell ill, moved to another place, went on maternity leave, but just got tired of doing…. And then you decide to go back to training.
So, it turns out that you will get in shape much faster than if you were an absolute beginner.
Muscles seem to restore their previous state according to the information left in them. This phenomenon is called muscle memory.
How does the mechanism of muscle memory work
When we load the muscles (whether it's on the weight machine or playing the violin), the motor neurons of the right hemisphere of the brain send signals to the muscle fibers. In response, the muscles send their signals to the brain. This is how a kind of "bridge" is built, and the more and more actively we do it, the stronger it becomes.
Therefore, having once learned to skate, you will never forget it, and, having mastered the technique of falling or hitting, if necessary, you will automatically reproduce the seemingly forgotten skill. But the mechanism of muscle memory is not limited to neural connections.
Scientists led by Christian Gundersen from the University of Oslo, studying the work of muscles, made a remarkable discovery. As you know, the cells that make up muscle tissue, or muscle fibers, contain many nuclei. With active loads, the number of nuclei grows, and with them the number of those parts of DNA that are responsible for the synthesis of contractile muscle proteins - actin and myosin.
As a result, muscle mass increases. When we stop training, the body has no need to spend resources to maintain it, so the synthesis slows down and the muscles "deflate".
But, most importantly, the new cores obtained as a result of training do not disappear anywhere! When you load them properly again, they will again begin to synthesize and return the muscles to their former strength and volume.
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Why and how to develop muscle memory
Gundersen's discovery provides many reasons for optimism and a great incentive for sports and fitness. It turns out that the results that you have achieved through training are forever imprinted in the memory of the muscles.
By exercising regularly, we develop muscle memory and create a reserve that we can use until old age.
An experiment was even done a few decades ago. Elderly people 70-80 years old, under the supervision of doctors, were offered to work out with weights. The results were amazing: in a couple of months, the subjects significantly strengthened the muscles of the legs, arms, and abs, became stronger and more resilient.
However, this does not mean that sports can be postponed until retirement. On the contrary, if you want to meet old age vigorous and active, study from a young age.
New nuclei in muscle fibers are formed due to the division of satellite cells. With age, these cells lose this ability, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to pump up muscles, but to regain a decent shape – quite.
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How to use muscle memory
But it turned out that the resumption of active sports contributes to nuclear fission. Therefore, taking breaks in training, you can achieve new, better results. Bodybuilders, for example, are well aware of the “plateau” state in which, no matter how hard they try, mass and strength indicators remain in place.
However, a good rest after intense training will help to "reset" and get out of the loop. This is true for other species as well. The effectiveness of training decreases when the body gets used to them and begins to use fewer muscle fibers. But if you take a break or change your sport or fitness for a while, and then resume at the same intensity, you can make progress.
Does muscle memory work for all types of training?
Yes. Muscles remember the technique of performing any exercise. Having learned how to squat with a barbell or swim crawl, even after a ten-year break, you can do everything right. At least quickly remember how. But still, the effect of muscle memory is most pronounced during power loads, since nuclear fission and the synthesis of contractile hormones are very active.
By the way, if you have trained before, then when you resume training, your muscles and joints will hurt less than those of beginners. Yes, and fatigue after training will be less than for beginners.
See how many reasons to go to the gym just now and let your muscles remember more.
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