FAT vs. MUSCLE – Banister Nutrition, LLC | OKC Dietitian

 One cup fat weight(left)– 7.5oz
One cup muscle weight(right) — 9.7 oz
Equal volume fat weighs approximately 80% of what muscle weighs.

I love it when my patients lead me to learning something new. Recently I had a guy who asked me what is the difference in weight of one cup of fat vs. one cup on muscle? We all know muscle weighs more than fat. I was puzzled about the actual difference in weight with an equal volumn of each.  So…… we got to do some research and this is what all of us in my office and the patient learned.

Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it burns more calories when you are at rest which is why you want to increase and maintain a high percent muscle on your body. Muscle takes up approximately four-fifths as much space as fat. Two people may be the same age, height, weight, but the person with a higher body fat percentage will wear a larger clothing  size. This is another reason you should focus on total fitness and not just the ‘scales’. You can be thin, yet too fat. We call this skinny fat because you have very little muscle composition.

Muscle does weigh more than fat because it is a denser product.  On average, the density of fat is 0.9g/ml. The density of muscle is 1.1 g/ml.  Using the averages, 1 liter of muscle weights 1.06 kg or 2.3 lbs., while 1 liter of fat weights .9 kg, or 1.98 lbs.  An easier way to think of it might be: if you have an equal volumn of fat and muscle, fat is going to weigh about 80%  of what the muscle weighs. This can vary due to numerous factors including race, being extremely lean or being extremely obese according to “Exercise Physiology” by William D. McArdle, et al.

The ‘take away’ points are:

Yes, muscle weighs more than fat. But….. do not assume because you started working out and you are not losing weight it is because you are increasing muscle. It is most likely there is still some extra food intake.

The higher percent muscle you have on your body the smaller your clothing size because muscle takes up less space than fat.

Make sure your work out routine includes resistance work not just cardio.   Regardless of your age you should be working to increase muscle mass and maintain the muscle  you have. The higher percent muscle on your body the more calories you burn even while sitting in a chair or sleeping and the smaller your body mass. cb

Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat? 5 Reasons to Ditch the Scale

You might have heard the common saying that muscle weighs more than fat, but this would defy the laws of physics, since one pound of anything still weighs a pound – a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat. Where this idea really comes from is the amount of volume muscle takes up compared to fat.

Muscle is much more dense and takes up less space – up to 18% less. Meaning you can weigh quite a bit more with a large amount of lean mass and not look as “large”. In addition, muscle tends to be more smooth than fat, helping you look more toned and lean overall.

So no, gaining muscle will not make you weigh less. Often it makes you weigh more than your starting weight. But your clothes may fit better, you will feel healthier, and the gym will start to become a little more enjoyable. So maybe it’s time to toss the scale and start measuring your success by something else, like your body fat percentage or progress photos to keep you motivated.

Here’s five reasons the scale is not the best way to measure your progress and what you should try instead.

1. The Scale Can’t Tell You Your Body Fat Percentage

Your body weight is only one data point, and a fairly broad measurement at that. You are made up of many things that contribute to the number you see on the scale including water, bone, tissue, fat, and muscle mass. And oftentimes, body fat only represents 10-30% of your total weight.

This matters because when you are looking to lose weight, you are hoping to lose body fat. If you are also strength training as part of your weight loss journey it is entirely possible you are going to see some changes in lean body mass at the same time. Not to mention the normal weight fluctuations from water weight.

If you are only relating on the scale, you might find yourself not losing weight (especially in the first few weeks) which can cause you to get frustrated and give up. But what’s really happening below the surface is meaningful changes in your body composition that you should be celebrating.

Yes, some scales will measure body composition, but they can be inaccurate and at the mercy of hard to control variables: like your hydration status, last time you ate, exercise schedule, etc. The typical margin of error for body fat scales is somewhere in the range of 3 to 8%, to as high as 22% compared to the gold standard test, a DEXA/DXA scan that falls with a 1.6% margin of error (1,2,3).

2. The Scale Can’t Estimate Your Minimum Calorie Needs

Calorie control is crucial to just about every health and fitness goal, so understanding your basic energy needs is key to supporting good health and getting results. Your body weight only gives you a rough estimate of your daily energy needs, but knowing your total lean body mass will allow you to get a much more accurate picture of your daily needs so you are able to fine tune your nutrition.

Muscle is more metabolic than fat and can help you burn more calories naturally. In fact, a huge chunk of your resting metabolic rate and metabolsim is determined by your body weight – mainly your lean muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns, and the easier it becomes to maintain your weight.

3. The Scale Can’t Tell You Your Protein Goals

The amount of protein you need depends on the amount of muscle mass you have and your overall fitness goals – you should strive to get about one gram of protein per one pound of lean body mass. You can estimate this based on your body fat percentage, but the best way to determine your minimum protein goals is by knowing how many pounds of muscle mass you have.

Protein is not only important to help you build muscles and maintain your lean mass, but can also benefit your diet and health goals in unique ways – helping to improve body composition during weight loss and weight gain, control hunger, and reduce cravings.

4. The Scale Won’t Tell You Your Bone Density

Some forms of body composition testing, like DEXA/DXA scans, can also tell you your bone density. Because this form of body composition testing uses x-ray technology, it can pinpoint exactly where you carry body fat and muscle down to the pound, along with your overall bone health.

This is important because most people have no clue how strong their bones are and whether or not they are at risk of developing health conditions like osteoporosis later in life.

5. The Scale Isn’t the Best Measurement of Overall health

You probably have an idea of your ideal weight but how can you tell what is a healthy weight for your frame?

The scale alone won’t even tell you if you are overweight. At the very least, you’ll need to calculate your body mass index using your height and age to determine your weight status. This matters because being overweight, obese, or underweight, can increase your risk of various health complications.

Additionally, where you carry body fat can also play a key role in your health risks. If you tend to hold more visceral fat, the type of internal fat wrapped around your abdominal organs, you might be at higher risk for developing chronic health conditions like Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and high cholesterol (4,5,6,7). DEXA/DXA scans can also tell you how much visceral and subcutaneous fat you have and where it is on your body.

Lastly, body weight is only one factor of a healthy lifestyle. You should also be paying attention to your nutrition, mental health, and total wellbeing to live the healthiest lifestyle for you. 

Bottom Line

Weight is only one part of the health equation and there is no reason to live and die by the scale. Instead of beating yourself up over a number, consider other ways to measure your health and progress, such as getting a body composition test done every few months, paying attention to how you feel and how your clothes are fitting, or taking progress photos.

Then focus on improving your health in meaningful ways.

• Lift weights or incorporate resistance training into your routine to build muscle, gain strength, and support good bone health.
• Eat more nutrient dense foods to provide your body the nutrition it needs to thrive.
• Focus on full body health by gaining a healthy mindset, social support, and a lot more self love.

Lose weight, gain muscle, and transform your health with nutritious, ready made meals delivered to your home. Our team of experts will cook and deliver a healthy menu each week so you can spend more time hitting the gym and crushing your goals. 

Muscle Mass, What Is It And How To Gain It?

There is a difference between gaining muscle mass for men and women. Men have a higher muscle production than women; often this is used as an excuse when it comes to growing muscle mass. This does not mean that women cannot gain muscle mass. In fact, women can experience big gains in power and muscle mass as well and they should train their muscles the same way as men do.

Building muscle happens in the gym, but also in the kitchen

Building muscle mass is not only about going to the gym and lifting, you can also build cycling by other types of workouts, such as cycling. Read more about it in blog about which muscles are used in cycling. There is also another an important rule to remember: eating for muscles is just as important as lifting. Combine training with eating well.

But how do you make sure you eat enough to build muscle? First, you need to know how many calories you need in rest mode. You do that by calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate. Then you make sure to eat more than this. Keep track of the results. If you are training, but your fat levels are going up, lower your caloric intake. If you stay slim, but do not make any progress in the gym (and thus not gaining muscle mass) make sure you eat more. The most accurate way to measure muscle and body fat levels is using a body composition monitor.

What you eat is also important when trying to gain muscle mass. Keep track of the ingredients you are consuming: not only the amount of calories, but also the nutrients in them. In general: eat healthy, varied, eat often and avoid junk food.

To build muscles, your body needs protein. Therefore it is important to include lots of proteins in your new diet. Think about products like chicken, turkey, yogurt, beans, nuts and different kinds of fish. However, don’t forget you also need carbohydrates and healthy fats. Keep your diet varied and eat enough vegetables in addition to the protein-rich food in order to gain muscle.

Other important factors to gain muscles are:

• Drink more water;
• Do not only lift, take your rest as well;
• Make sure you sleep enough every night;
• Avoid alcohol as much as possible;
• Try to avoid stress, this can have a negative impact on your fitness journey.

Not all muscles are the same and when you are developing muscle tissue you want to make sure it is lean muscle. Read more about it in the blog about how to gain lean muscle. 

Not everyone can train muscles in the same pace. It depends on several factors, for example how (fast) your body reacts. But it’s also in our genetics, it depends on age, experience and the ‘muscle memory’. Muscle memory? When your body has experience in building muscle mass, it can build it much easier and faster.

What Your Body Composition Metrics Actually Say About Your Health

When you step on a traditional scale, a few things happen: First, maybe a twinge of anxiety. Then, a bodyweight number readout. Digits flash for three seconds and that’s that. Back to zero, next in line please step up.

Whether you’re delighted, indifferent, or momentarily defeated by the number, we know it’s generally smart to keep tabs on your weight. A 2017 study of 294 female University of Pennsylvania freshman found that daily self-weighing could help mitigate unwanted weight gain, as has long been theorized.

However, there are loads of factors that play into our overall bodyweight. So it’s also important to understand the many specific measurements that contribute to the complete picture of your health.

Enter body composition. This refers to the percentages of fat, bone, water, and muscle in the body. Let’s break down these percentages, with average estimates for each.

Body fat percentage

What it is: Fat percentage consists of both essential body fat and storage body fat. According to smart scale makers Withings, normal ranges for fat mass are as follows:

• Ages 20-39: 8-20 percent for men, 22-33 percent for women
• Ages 40-59: 11-22 percent for men, 24-34 percent for women
• ages 60-79: 13-25 percent for men, 25-36 percent for women

“As a general rule, a lower percentage of body fat is indicative of better health,” says Dr. Eric Pham, a bariatric surgeon and weight loss expert with St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California. “Generally speaking, an average adult male has 18-24 percent of total body weight as fat mass, while an average female has 25-31 percent. Athletes’ body fat percentages can be much lower, somewhere between 6 percent and 13 percent for men and 14-20 percent for women.”

Why it matters: Men and women with higher body fat percentage are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, strokes, and some cancers, says Pham.

Withings

Bone mass

What it is: This is the total mass of skeletal bone in the body. According to Withings, normal bone mass for men is between 3 and 5 percent. This changes with age, as our bones reach peak mass in our late 20s, according to the National Institute of Health.

Why it matters: Low bone mass may increase the risk of fractures, says Pham. Things like exercise and a diet rich in whole foods will increase bone mass. According to Tufts research, increased bone density can help reduce risk of osteoporosis.

Total body water percentage

What it is: This is the percentage of the body’s mass that is fluid. The human body is 50-75 percent water, and how much you have at any given time hinges on age, sex, and hydration. Most men will have between 50-65 percent; women 45-60 percent.

Why it matters: Body impedance analysis (BIA—more on this in a bit) can determine the total percentage of water that’s found inside our cells and the percentage outside of the cells, called extracellular water, says Pham. “Generally, too much extracellular water may be indicative of heart, liver, malnutrition, or kidney disease.”

Withings

Muscle mass

What it is: The total mass of body skeletal muscle. The body has three types of muscles: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac. Skeletal muscle is under voluntary control (think biceps), smooth muscle contracts autonomously (or without any thought), and cardiac muscle makes up the main tissue of the heart’s walls. According to Withings, normal ranges for muscle mass are:

• Ages 20-39: 75-89 percent for men, 63-75.5 percent for women
• Ages 40-59: 73-86 percent for men, 62-73.5 percent for women
• ages 60-79: 70-84 percent for men, 60-72.5 percent for women

Why it matters: Higher muscle mass increases metabolic rate and prevents falls and illnesses, according to Pham. For example, a person who has a higher amount of their weight as muscle mass will burn more calories at rest compared to someone with a lower percentage of muscle mass. A higher level of muscle mass can also protect against developing diabetes, according research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

“Fat mass causes hypertension and diabetes due to insulin resistance,” says Pham. “As we age, we lose muscle mass and are more prone to falls. Loss of muscle mass causes loss of balance and strength as commonly seen in the elderly. This is why exercise is critical.”

So how do I measure this?

We’re glad you asked. There are loads of scales on the market right now that you can purchase with the technology that gives you a body composition readout, which is called Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). BIA sends a very low, safe electrical signal through your feet and into the body. This signal meets resistance when it hits fat tissue, and passes quickly through water in the body. The resistance, known as impedance, is what the device uses to determine your body composition percentages.

Withings Body+ Body Composition Wi-Fi Smart Scale

Withings

Before you get too hung up on your numbers, remember that this is just one part of the bigger picture. Make sure that you’re dedicating time to other aspects of a healthy routine and lifestyle, like what you’re putting into your body and the amount of sleep you’re getting (both factors that can affect these readouts, as well).

“BIA is best used in conjunction with a medically supervised weight loss program,” says Pham. “Use the first BIA measurement as a baseline measurement. Over time, as you might lose weight, BIA can be used to determine their body’s changes in fat and muscle mass.”

Emily Abbate
Emily Abbate is a freelance writer, certified fitness trainer, and host of the podcast Hurdle.

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Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat

No matter what or where you’re celebrating, the holidays are a magical time of year. The food is extra delicious and usually a touch sentimental (Grandma’s cookie recipe, #FTW), runs are usually chilly and less regular, but everyone’s in the spirit of giving.

Then, once January rolls around, many people make New Year’s resolutions to ramp up their health and wellness. For some, that may mean losing weight. But even when you start focusing on eating healthier and adding more intentional workouts to your routine, the number on the scale may not reflect how you feel.

Not to worry—there are loads of reasons that number on the scale could be on the rise. So as a friendly yearly reminder, here are some expert-backed reasons why you can’t obsess over what the scale says this season.

1. Muscle is more dense than fat.

Working out on a regular basis builds muscle. So, does muscle weigh more than fat? Not exactly—a pound is a pound. But muscle tissue is more dense than fat tissue, which means it takes up less space at the same weight. Make an effort to think about the bigger picture. How do you feel? Sluggish? Speedy? That should be the first indicator when deciding how to modify your diet or activity.

It’s also worth noting that runners need increased glycogen stores to fuel for longer runs. These “stores,” which are essentially carbohydrates stored as energy in our muscles, can mean extra pounds, both because of the extra water required to break down and store those carbs—and the carbs themselves. The upside is that you can simply view the fuel (or carbs) you consume during the holidays as prepping for that next weekend long run, when your body really needs them. Take advantage of time off from work/school/life and squeeze in a few extra miles or a set of squats, lunges, and push-ups. No matter what the scale says, you’ll feel better.

Join Runner’s World+ for more health and nutrition tips!

2. Salt makes you retain water.

I challenge you to think of a savory or sweet holiday treat that doesn’t involve a hearty dose of salt. That’s right, even most of your favorite cookie recipes call for the white stuff. When you eat salt, it’s absorbed into the cells and brings along excess water with it. “The holidays are also a big time for eating out,” says Dennis Cardone, D.O., chief of primary care sports medicine at NYU Langone Health. This means you may suddenly have a much higher salt intake than when you cook at home, he says. That excess water can show up on the scale as pounds, but it’s much easier to shed excess water than it is fat.

If you’ve overdone it on the salt, reach for a banana (also: spinach, beets, and navy beans). Research shows that potassium-rich foods like these help to counteract sodium’s effects by relaxing blood vessel walls and releasing retained fluid. Then get back on track with home-cooked meals, lots of drinking water, and regular workouts.

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3. A lack of sleep can affect the scale.

Virtual office parties, family gatherings, late nights singing Christmas songs with your friends (on Zoom!)— whatever the reason may be why you’re up late and burning the midnight oil, less sleep can have a direct impact on your weight (and your recovery). Research shows that sleep deprivation can alter ghrelin and leptin levels, which stimulate your appetite. Make sure to prioritize shut-eye just as much as you do holiday fun, which could involve making a few sacrifices along the way. Know Thursday is going to be a late night? Don’t schedule an early workout for Friday. Control the controllable, and you can still have your fun, too.

4. Remember: It’s just a few weeks.

You’ve worked all year to get here, so it’s going to be hard to undo it all in a few days. The holidays are just a once-yearly time for tidings and joy, so there’s room for all foods, including all 12 fishes and homemade desserts, in a balanced diet. “A lot of people set themselves up for disappointment when they label certain items as bad,” Cardone says. “The big rule around the holiday time is everything in moderation. If someone goes off their general diet or routine and has one or two big meals, it’s not going to make pounds stick around for good—especially if they’re sticking to some sort of exercise routine.”

Cardone suggests that instead of getting caught up in the all-or-nothing mentality, remember how great you feel when you exercise. “Instead of saying ‘I’m not even going to bother to exercise,’ be gracious with yourself. Remember, every little bit counts.”

Emily Abbate
Emily Abbate is a freelance writer, certified fitness trainer, and host of the podcast Hurdle.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Fat vs. Muscle

Fat vs. Muscle

Picture this: you’re sticking to your workout plan, eating right, and pumped about your health and fitness journey. A few weeks in, you step on the scale—and the number hasn’t budged! What gives?

 

Today we’re discussing the difference between muscle and fat. Does one really weigh more? Can you turn fat into muscle? And, most importantly—is there a better way to track progress than stepping on the scale?

 

 

What’s the difference between a pound of fat and a pound of muscle?

Think back to that old riddle: “Which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead?” We all know that a pound is a pound—so where did we get the idea that muscle weighs more than fat?

 

Muscle and fat actually differ in density, meaning a pound of fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle. Muscle, which is much denser than fat, takes up four-fifths as much space as fat does. Because of this, even if two people are the same height and weight, their bodies may look very different depending on their body fat percentages.

 

 

Is muscle better than fat?

There are many additional benefits to having a higher lean body mass besides the most popular reason—having a leaner physique.  

 

Briana Radar, client experience manager for In-Shape, details a few of these reasons. “Having a higher lean body mass can increase stamina, boost vitality and improve your metabolic efficiency. Muscle even helps burn calories when your body is at rest.”

 

While sources disagree on the exact numbers, this much is clear: muscle burns more calories than fat throughout the day (this is called your “daily metabolic rate”) even when you aren’t working out. Because you’re able to burn more calories during rest, adding muscle may help you lose fat.

 

 

How do I turn fat into muscle?

Simply put, there’s no way to change fat into muscle—they’re different kinds of tissue. Instead, you can either lose fat or gain muscle.

The best way to maximize muscle gain is to incorporate resistance training into your workout, such as bodyweight training (when you use the weight of your own body as resistance), lifting weights, or using resistance machines.

 

“As long as you are going above and beyond what you normally do, you will see results,” said Briana. “Make sure you are conducting progressive resistance training. Continue to challenge yourself.”

 

When you train hard enough to fatigue your muscles, you teach your body to expect more work in the future – and your muscles adapt by getting stronger. As a bonus, resistance training helps keep your bones strong and may help reduce anxiety.

 

What’s the best way to track my progress?

Let us be the first to invite you to STEP AWAY FROM THE SCALE. While it can sometimes provide you with an idea of how your body is changing, it can also be misleading. Shift your focus from “weight loss” to “fat loss”. A great way to track your progress is taking your measurements or using a body impedance scale like the InBody. Have you signed up for your free biannual Kickstart? An InBody test is included and will give you an estimate of your body fat percentage.

 

Another way to track your progress that’s not all about the scale but instead shows your hard work paying off, is to take photos of yourself so you can compare over time. Pay attention to how your clothes fit, too. These are sometimes better indicators of your progress.

 

Improving your fitness shouldn’t just be about a number on the scale, so do your best to focus on how you feel, what you can achieve and how beneficial it is for overall wellness.

Is muscle heavier than fat?

 
 
 

Tracking fitness progress can be tricky. There are lots of different goals to focus on. Big end results you want to achieve, made up from small markers of progress along the way. Some are determined to increase strength. Improve stamina. Develop flexibility. For these people, measuring success can be pretty straight forward.

Some of us are driven a little bit more by aesthetics. We might be looking to lose weight or bulk up. When it comes to body composition, it’s a little bit harder to measure and pinpoint progress because of the complex ways our bodies react to exercise.

A number on the scale is an easy place to start. But coming in at a certain weight doesn’t necessarily reflect overall fitness or body composition changes. What about body fat percentage? What about muscle mass? What on earth is water weight? There are many reasons why the number we see on the scale can be a little bit more confusing than it first looks.

A common statement is often applied to a mismatch between body weight and fitness progress. Muscle weighs more than fat. We hear it all the time. Is that true? What does it mean? And what impact can it have on our bodies?

So, to know to inform a weight loss journey, a muscle size mission, or just to satisfy some curiosity, let’s unpack and answer the question ‘does muscle weigh more than fat?’

 
 
 

Fat vs. Muscle

Both fat and muscle are necessary for physical health. You need both to function, and both serve essential bodily processes. What can define whether our bodies are in peak health is the balance and the ratio of body fat and muscle

Fat is stored energy that protects our organs, insulates us, and assists in many other bodily functions. We all need it but in varying amounts. Women are recommended to have a body fat percentage between 21-31%, whereas this figure is between 14-24% for men. Athletes tend to have a much lower body fat percentage, which can often come at the cost of bodily function changes. Halted menstruation is a common side effect of low body fat in female athletes.

Muscle is a fibrous tissue that allows us to move. Everything our body does requires muscle. Even our internal organs are controlled by muscle, albeit a different type. Having muscle also boosts your metabolism as the more muscle you have, the more energy they require.

 

 
 
 

Does muscle weigh more than fat?

The more times you say this out loud. The more confusing it will become. One pound of fat and one pound of muscle weigh the exact same. Four pounds of fat and four pounds of muscle weigh the exact same. A pound is a pound. Asking if one weighs more than the other is an impossible question to answer.

However, what this question often refers to is the density of muscle vs fat. Muscle is very dense, meaning that one pound of muscle appears a lot smaller than one pound of fat when you look at the volume of space it takes up.

So, if you took a bucket and filled it full of fat. Then took the same sized bucket and filled it full of muscle. Then yes, the bucket with the muscle in will weigh more.

That’s anecdote can reflect how fat and muscle look in people too. Two individuals can weigh 80kg, but if one person has a body fat percentage of 37% and the other only 18%, then those two people will look very different. One will have a larger, softer appearance. The other will have a leaner, more defined appearance.

 
 
 

Fat turning to muscle

Despite the way it can often be described, muscle cannot turn into fat and vice versa. They’re not fibres that can just transform into one another.

However, when you have increased muscle mass, you have an increased metabolism. So, on the same diet, there will be less energy excess stored as fat, as you’ll be using it to fuel your muscles.

If your muscle mass decreases, then your metabolism will decrease. You won’t need as much energy as you did before. So, on the same diet, that energy excess will be stored as fat. Muscle and fat don’t turn into one another, but their increase and reduction often coincide due to how our body uses energy.

 
 
 

Figuring out how much of your weight is made up from muscle

This is where it gets a bit tricky. We know that the same physical size of muscle weighs more than fat, but it’s hard to prove to what extent this comes into play in your weight loss or muscle gain journey. Figuring out whether a surge on the scale is caused by pounds of muscle vs pounds of fat isn’t too straightforward. But there are some key indicators to help you figure it out:

 

Time.

Time is a pretty good indicator of whether weight gain can be attributed to muscle gain. You know yourself quite well. If you’ve been weight training consistently in the gym for a few months, then you can probably attribute weight gain to muscle gain.

If you have been doing most cardio or HIIT but have only been at it for a couple of weeks and notice a surge in the scale after a big weekend, it’s likely not muscle. It’ll be a few extra calories from your Friday night plus a bit of water weight.

 

The measuring tape.

There’s a reason that PT’s tend to focus on measuring their clients over weighing them.

Tracking someone’s journey to get leaner is a lot easier when you’re physically measuring the circumferences of body parts. This might not be relevant to everyone’s journey, but it is a good indicator for those looking to get leaner.

The same principle applies to the fit of your clothes. When your jeans come on and off a little easier, then you know your body composition has changed.

 

The mirror.

It’s probably the most trustworthy source of information about your body that you can get. Especially if your goals are aesthetically driven in the first place. If you want to look a certain way, then the best way to check any progress will be in the mirror. Cue those before and after pics.

 

Body fat percentage.

You can actually calculate this percentage using high tech scales found in some gyms. You hold the handlebars, and the machine sends a current through your body. The quicker the current can move through your body, the less body fat you have. It’ll therefore spit out a body fat percentage figure after measuring your height and weight too.

 
 

So, all things considered, it’s essential to take away only the truths. Fat is important; we need it to survive. Muscle is not heavier than fat, but it is denser. And markers to progression can come in all sorts of formats. Whatever your goal, exercise for the right reasons.

 
 

 

90,000 5 signs that you are losing muscle, not fat

On the one hand, loose-fitting clothing is fashionable (ask Demna Gvasalia). But on the other hand, a wardrobe suddenly turned into an oversized one can inform you of a serious problem in training. Namely – about the loss of muscle mass.

Muscle is a tricky thing. For them to increase in volume, we have to writhe under heavy barbells, race uphill on a bicycle and swim for several hours a week across a tiny pool in the gym.In addition, we are forced to consume large amounts of protein (in some cases, 2 grams per pound of body weight) and not flirt with cardio loads (look at long distance runners – they all look painfully exhausted). The biophysics of muscle growth is simple: after exercise, the body repairs microscopic damage in muscle fibers by forming new protein filaments (myofibrils). Fueled by the nutrients we consume from food, myofibrils thicken and increase muscle tissue.

Our muscles grow whenever the rate of muscle protein synthesis exceeds the rate of its breakdown.

For example, when we decided to lose a couple of extra pounds, excluding more foods from the diet than we should, but continuing to exercise, the body does not receive the required amount of carbohydrates (glucose) to fuel the body with energy. The body then supplies the glycogen stored in the muscles with energy. In other words, in order for muscles to grow, you should consume the amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates that is right for you.And so that they do not become less, do not spend more energy than the one that the diet provides you.

Forget the scales – you only need them to find out the weight of the chicken breast.

The real state of affairs in the body will be demonstrated by such a device as InBody – an apparatus that determines the composition of the body and allows you to control any changes in it. In just a minute, you will receive a table with statistics on the ratio of water, muscle, fat and bone tissue in the body, as well as an assessment of your physical shape.

Needless to say, the loss of muscle tissue can reward you with Astronaut Syndrome: suddenly losing your usual points of support, it will become more difficult for you to control your movements. For skaters, this is called a “shift in the center of gravity”: when, at the peak of the transitional age, an athlete grows sharply, gains weight and stops performing difficult jumps. In the case of losing weight, the process is the opposite, but the result is the same: the body ceases to be flexible and familiar.

But you don’t have to go to fitness centers to find a device that measures body composition.At the request of GQ, sports blogger Alexei Stolyarov identified 5 visible signs that, along with the extra pounds, you are losing those that you earned later.

Rapid weight loss

A man or woman with an average body type can safely lose one kilogram per week. If the numbers on the scales burn more actively, this is the first call to contact a sports doctor or consult a coach.

Sudden weight gain

Paradoxically, both weight loss and weight gain can be indicative of muscle loss.The less muscle in our body, the slower and more difficult it is to burn calories. This means that all excess nutrients will turn into body fat.

Decreased endurance

With a loss of muscle mass, performing once standard and basic loads can seem like an unbearably difficult challenge. Sometimes even everyday household tasks are harder to bear than you are used to.

Attacks of fatigue

As the body loses an important component (muscles), the body turns on the energy saving mode.From this you are more and more often in apathy and cannot get enough sleep.

Lack of coordination

Perform a trivial balance test: take the swallow pose on one leg. If earlier this was possible with ease, then with a loss of muscle volumes, the mechanics of the exercise are somewhat weakened.

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How to determine if you are overweight?

Many ways, formulas for determining the normal weight have been invented.Remember – if your weight differs from the “ideal weight” calculated according to these formulas by 5-10% in one direction or another, this is most likely normal and due to the individual characteristics of the organism. If you feel good, move easily, do not catch your breath during active movement and do not hurt your muscles after climbing the stairs to the third or fourth floor – everything is in order.

The simplest (and very accurate) way to diagnose obesity is to measure the thickness of the fold of skin on the abdomen.The norm in men is up to 1-2 cm, in women – up to 2-4 cm. A fold of 5-10 cm and more – obesity is evident.

The formula is well known: the ideal weight is equal to height in centimeters minus one hundred. But this formula is too imprecise and gives an acceptable result only for people of average height, without taking into account the physique and the presence of a lack of muscles.

The so-called body mass index (BMI) is generally recognized. His calculation: divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared.Example: BMI = 68kg: (1.72m x 1.72m) = 23. This formula is good because it works for both “toddlers” and “gullivers”. The norm is BMI from 19 to 25. BMI less than 19 – underweight, 25-30 – overweight, 30-40 – obesity, more than 40 – severe obesity. If the BMI is above 30, this poses a significant threat not to appearance, but to human health.

But BMI does not tell about the distribution of kilograms on the body. Physique is important. With the same height and weight, one person will be slim and strong, the other will be full and loose.The ratio of muscle to fat is important, how many percent of the total body mass is fat, how much is muscle and bone, how much is water. The normal proportion of body fat in men is 15-22%, women – 20-27%.

At a doctor’s appointment at the Scandinavia Clinic, you can use a special device to determine the percentage of body fat. In the process of bioelectrical analysis, a weak electrical current is passed through the body. The principle of the analysis is based on the fact that an electrical impulse passes more easily through muscles and water than through fat.

You can make an appointment with your family doctor for nutrition by phone or online.

Heart failure – Cardiology | Hirslanden Switzerland

The weakness of the heart muscle usually develops imperceptibly. The heart muscle then slowly weakens to a point where it is ultimately no longer able to pump the right amount of blood into the circulatory system.As a consequence of the reduced pumping function, the amount of oxygen required to supply important organs such as the brain, kidneys or muscles decreases. Depending on which chambers of the heart suffer from failure – left or right, they speak of heart failure of the right or left parts of the heart. If the failure has affected both chambers, then we are talking about global heart failure. Various reasons can lead to a weakening of the heart muscle. The most common of them is coronary circulation disorders (coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease).But valvular heart disease, inflammation of the heart muscle, or lung disease can also lead to heart failure.

The weakness of the heart muscle is at first slightly symptomatic, or does not make itself felt at all. Alarming signs that may indicate the beginning weakness of the heart muscle are the progression of a feeling of fatigue, a decrease in endurance to exertion, swelling of the legs and ankles, and a nocturnal cough. However, shortness of breath with shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, or unclear weight fluctuations may indicate heart failure.

The sooner heart failure is recognized and treatment is prescribed, the better the prognosis. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the clinical picture of complaints and on the basis of data from various studies. The most important study here is the measurement of the pumping function of the heart using the method echocardiography . Depending on the severity of heart failure, it is divided into 4 stages (FC), which are defined by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. At stage I, normal physical activity is still possible.At stage II, complaints appear with intense physical exertion, and at stage III, these complaints already appear with light exertion. For stage IV, these symptoms ultimately persist even at rest.
Various medications are used to treat heart failure. The goal of drug treatment is to relieve the heart (lower blood pressure) and increase pumping function. In some cases, when heart failure is associated with a violation of the conduction of an electrical impulse, cardiac resynchronization therapy can be used.

If, despite all efforts to treat heart failure, it continues to show an upward trend, then in some cases only heart transplant remains as the last treatment option.

90,000 How to build pectoral muscles?

What man would give up on a raised and pumped-up chest? To make the body massive, beautiful, it is necessary not only to draw up a training plan, but also to eat right in order to gain muscle mass.Consider how to pump the pectoral muscles correctly, what you need to know for this.

Exercises for pectoral muscles

Not sure what exercises to swing your pectoral muscles? No problem! The options listed below are suitable not only for guys, but also for the weaker sex. But remember that girls can only get rid of sagging arms and tighten their breasts, and not enlarge them. Exercises that swing the pectoral muscle include:

1. Push-ups.

2.Bench press lying.

3. Push-ups for triceps.

Things to remember during physical activity

Have you familiarized yourself with the exercises that swing the chest, and started to perform, but there is no result? We recommend that you consider the main mistakes that beginners make during physical activity.

Train to measure

Many people find that the more they pump their chest, the faster the muscle mass will increase and the more musculature will be.In fact, it negatively affects growth. The muscle grows larger during rest as tissue regenerates after vigorous exercise. There are some tips on how to properly pump your pectoral muscles and not overtrain:

· Do sports no more than 2 times in 7 days. Exercise on other parts of your body in between;

· Do not exercise for more than 45 minutes, as this can lead to the fact that the size of the muscles and the growth of strength begin to regress.

Max workouts

During the exercise, the athlete must not only know how to properly pump the muscles of the chest, but also put all his efforts into this process. “Challenge yourself”, do the maximum that will not negatively affect the condition of your muscles, ligaments and joints.

Not sure how much weight is right? Try dumbbell swapping exercises. For the last 8-10 reps, do your main weight. This will help you sweat and tighten your muscles.There are several recommendations on how to effectively pump the pectoral muscles:

1. Can’t do more than 5 reps? Reduce weight. Add weighting materials as strength increases.

2. Doing 10 reps light? Increase the weight so that you feel a slight burning sensation in the muscles.

Is the correct technique important?

It is better if there is a trainer who will show you how to properly swing your arms and pectoral muscles. For each exercise, it is important to have strength, not impulse.If you want to achieve a certain effect, during training you should feel a burning sensation in a specific zone.

What happens if a person does not know how to properly pump chest muscles? This problem can lead to injury to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Most often it depends on:

1. Incorrect technique.

2. Heavy weight. Can’t do the bench press? Remove additional weights.

How to eat for muscle growth?

Have you read all the information on how you can pump the pectoral muscles, but you do not know anything about nutrition? There are several dietary guidelines that will make your workout effective:

1.Refusal to eat too high-calorie. Don’t assume that the more food you eat, the stronger your muscles. This is a misconception. Calories are needed to create energy that is expended during exercise. If a person consumes in excess of the norm, fat stores will increase, and not musculature. Say no to empty carbs (pasta, cakes, cookies). Avoid fried food and fast food.

2. Eating enough protein.It is found in lean meats, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and beans. Protein is the building block for muscle fibers. Therefore, if you want to have a toned figure, eat a sufficient amount of food that contains it.

3. Taking supplements. A protein shake is available. The supplement is considered effective and natural.

Advice and Precautions

Learned how to pump the muscles of the chest, then check out the recommendations below:

· Consume more vitamins;

· Try to consume sugar only from fruits;

Warm up before exercising;

· Keep track of the number of calories you consume per day.A lack of food can lead to undesirable consequences;

· Concentrate on doing physical activity. If you do not feel the heaviness in the muscles, do the exercise slower or increase the weight;

· Sign up for the pool. Swimming is a great way to develop body muscles;

· Do not forget about training if there is no result after a week. All will be! But not at once;

· Drink enough water;

· Recharge with music while exercising;

· Do not feel sorry for yourself;

· Pay attention to one muscle group every 3-4 days or until the pain goes away.Train other parts of the body as well;

Try to sleep for 8 hours, the muscles need rest, then there will be growth;

· Do physical activity correctly. Is it too easy for you to train? Add weighting materials.

What can a beginner athlete face?

There are also caveats. Even if a beginner knows how to properly pump the chest, he may face the following difficulties:

Overdoing it with training, which leads to injury;

Push-ups affect the shoulders, do not get carried away with this exercise;

· Start small.It is better to gradually increase the weight;

· See a doctor before starting exercise. The doctor will provide advice and tell you about what physical activity is contraindicated for an athlete.

Observing these rules, each person will be able to pump up the pectoral muscles in the shortest possible time and become the owner of a toned figure.

Can you turn fat into muscle

Newbies often come to a fitness club wondering if fat can be turned into muscle.Unfortunately, there is no magic way. To understand this, you need to understand the difference between muscle and fat at the physiological level.

These fabrics have different functions and are not chemically interchangeable. Fat reserves are used in the body as an emergency source of energy and are involved in the production of certain hormones. Muscles are needed to move the body and are made up of water, proteins, carbohydrates. The human body cannot use some tissues instead of others.So when asked if fat turns into muscle, the answer is no.

And although muscle tissue does not replace adipose tissue, it can quite successfully displace it. This happens in three cases.

1. First, you smoothly lose weight, and then, with the help of strength exercises, you try to strengthen and build up your muscles to the required volume. This scenario is preferable for those who are overweight; with such initial data, it will definitely not work to lose weight and build up at the same time.

2. You exercise hard, and then go into the so-called “drying” mode with strict calorie restriction. As a result, you lose weight, conditionally “convert” fat into muscles, and the relief of the body finally begins to show through beautifully under the skin.

Drying is a kind of sports weight loss, unlike the usual one, it works by burning exclusively the fat layer. This method is often used by pre-competition bodybuilders or recreational athletes to improve their fitness.

3. You start exercising regularly, keeping your daily BJU balance and not wondering if fat can turn into muscle. Such a campaign does not promise quick results, but they are the most persistent.

How to lose weight and tone the body

If you want to get rid of fat first, your main concern will be to normalize your diet. You must create a calorie deficit in your diet: consume less than you expend. In this mode, the fat burning process starts.This is a prerequisite for losing weight, because increased training without a diet will give the opposite result: your body volume will only get larger.

Your training plan should be dominated by intense, moderate heart rate cardio to burn fat effectively. To maintain and tone your muscles, add moderate weight strength training at an energetic pace. This will “convert” fat into muscle, and you can start targeting specific muscle groups.

How to maintain muscle mass while losing weight

How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time is a trickier task. This process of qualitatively changing the “composition” of the body is called recomposition. You need a balance between training and nutrition, in which the body has time to receive energy and the load necessary for muscle growth, and fat deposits do not have time to appear. For a competent recomposition, the following conditions are important.

▪ Adequate long-term sleep for at least eight hours.If the body does not recover, the muscles do not receive the energy to grow, and you are not motivated to exercise.

▪ Minor calorie deficit, no more than 25% of your usual diet in a weight maintenance regimen.

▪ Sufficient amount of protein in the diet to strengthen muscle fibers. On a protein diet, the body burns fat, not muscle.

▪ Don’t avoid “good” fatty acids in foods (fatty fish, avocados, olive oil, nuts).In fact, they are very important for building the cells in our body.

▪ You must have a strict drinking regimen to replenish the lack of water in the body and maintain water-salt metabolism during exercise.

▪ Make every effort to maintain the already developed muscles. Use low-repetition (5-8 or 8-10) exercises with a lot of weight, do not waste energy on unnecessary elements.

▪ Take enough time to rest, do not exercise for wear and tear.

If all these conditions are met, the accumulated fat will be broken down, and the muscles will retain their shape and even continue to grow. Is it possible to convert fat into muscle this way? No, the fabrics will never transform into one another, but the processes of their change can be “paralleled”.

Training tips

To gain muscle mass, the main focus should be on strength training using basic exercises. The load must progress over time in order for the muscles to experience stress and continue to grow.Add high-intensity interval training to your program, which burns more fat, improves metabolism and insulin sensitivity (good for muscle growth).

Metabolic program is perfect for accelerating metabolism and losing weight.
at the Exos studio of the adidas The Base fitness club. Speed-strength exercises with short rest intervals will force your body to use up its energy reserves with might and main, make your muscles and heart endurance and strong.Calorie burning will continue even after exercise due to the accelerated metabolism.

You can combine heart and muscle training with the Grit Strength lesson at Les Mills. The alternation of different types of exercises (with a barbell and speed plyometric) makes it possible to work out all muscle groups and improve your own endurance. By “accelerating” the metabolism, you will spend a maximum of calories and will be able to make your body in a sporty relief.

Weightlifting
in the CrossFit studio are indispensable for building muscle mass.Special equipment allows you to perform heavy basic exercises (squats with barbells, various types of presses and deadlifts) and improve your strength indicators. It’s also a great preparation for other CrossFit workouts.

Workouts for gaining muscle mass in THE BASE

• TOTAL BODY STRENGTH

• GYM CLASS

• STRENGTH & POWER

90,000 Why are gymnasts so pumped up.The secret of Nagorny’s biceps

On July 26, a historic event took place in Tokyo: Russian gymnasts Nikita Nagorny, Artur Dalaloyan, David Belyavsky and Denis Ablyazin took gold in the team all-around. This happened for the first time since 1996.

For those who watch gymnastics only once every four years, the physical form of the athletes aroused special admiration. Strong arms and large biceps remain a hallmark of gymnasts. For example, the star of the Russian national team Nikita Nagorny or the American Jacob Dalton.

Understanding why gymnasts look so impressive.

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Jake Dalton

Photo: Getty Images

Proportions

In the photo and video, the athletes look impressive, however, most of the gymnasts are actually short. For example, the same Nagorny and Dalton grew up to 166 cm. The massive arms of a person with small stature, of course, look more impressive.Despite this, the gymnasts are well built and proportional as much as possible – just a little stature adds contrast.

We must not forget that the volume of the arm is given by the triceps: if it is powerful, then the arm will impress even with a weak biceps. But strong biceps and weak triceps will not give such an effect.

Nutrition

The lighter the athlete, the easier it is for him to perform elements of increased complexity – holding a large mass on the rings or bars will require more effort. Therefore, gymnasts are as dry as possible – excess weight and fat significantly reduce the chances of winning.

The absence of fat also affects the external factor of the muscles: they do not hide under the layer and look as detailed as possible. The less fat, the more effective muscles look – including the biceps.

Neuromuscular communication

Gymnasts are trained from an early age, when the young body is most susceptible. Then the foundations are laid in the athletes and the neuromuscular connection is pumped. It is the ability of the nervous system to consciously feel the muscles, and also to increase the degree of their involvement during exercise.This is what distinguishes a professional athlete or rocking chair.

Nikita Nagorny

Photo: Getty Images

Training

Paradoxically, gymnasts do not specifically train their biceps – this is a kind of “side effect” of their training.

Firstly, they pull up a lot, work on rings and bars. A variety of grips and pull-up methods help to work out, including biceps.

Secondly, gymnasts, unlike bodybuilders, do isometric work.Pitching uses concentric (positive phase of movement – lifting weights) and eccentric (negative phase of movement – lowering weights) repetitions.

Gymnasts add isometry – weight retention or weight resistance. This style is great for increasing strength – especially in the extended arm state (if we are talking specifically about the biceps).

Thirdly, work on horizontal bars and uneven bars is different from a rocking chair. Bodybuilders use a clear amplitude (lift / lower), and gymnasts give the muscles a load at different angles.In their exercises, there is no fixed position – a lot of force is spent on stabilizing and maintaining the entire weight (more motor units are involved in the muscles, stimulating their growth). Gymnasts have a different angle of application of force – it is always a new effect on the muscles and a new load. The more difficult the element, the more muscle mass is required to perform them.

This has a greater involvement in the work of the fasciae, which are located within the muscle groups: the fascia determine the connection and functionality of the muscle cells wrapped in this fascia.

Nikita Nagorny

Photo: Getty Images

Frequent workouts

Even guys with tough biceps don’t train every day. And gymnasts have been working on the body since childhood: if you stop, then you can not dream of great victories.

Gymnasts’ training is longer and more voluminous: their functionality is much wider than that of bodybuilders. Given this volume, and also the fact that guys have been training since childhood, the biceps (like the rest of the muscles) is in constant tone.And it looks fabulous.

Of course, do not forget about proper sports nutrition and permitted pharmacology (perhaps gymnasts use it, perhaps not). And also about genetics. But the main components of the cool bituha gymnasts still look like the points listed above.

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What is needed for muscle growth?

Have you ever wondered why people with the same strength characteristics have different muscle volume? Because muscle growth is not only strength training, but a whole system, which we will talk about now.

You have probably heard hundreds of times that muscles grow from heavy weights, that you need to eat right, someone recommends taking sports nutrition and much more.I don’t know about you, but this has already set my teeth on edge and I will not repeat myself again. The article will be detailed, so get ready to read it to the end to understand why muscles grow and what affects muscle growth.

Muscle growth provides increased training intensity.

When you are told that muscles grow only when your working weights grow, then know that they are telling you the absolute truth! Without increasing your working weights, your muscle mass will not increase.

But intensity means not how much weight you lift, but how hard you do it.I bet that if you are working with 50kg for biceps in 10 reps, then I will make your arms aching in pain in 1-2 sets, despite the fact that the weight will be only 35 kg. And this will provide tremendous muscle growth! How do you like this?

The thing is that ordinary athletes do repetitions quickly and the whole way from the lower point of the amplitude to the upper one takes no more than 2 seconds. You have probably noticed more than once that if you stay at one point longer than usual or do the repetitions more slowly, then the exercise becomes much more difficult.So why is this?

The secret is that by doing the exercise slowly (10 seconds up and 10 seconds down), you significantly increase the intensity of the training, thereby ensuring your muscle growth and body shape improvement.

You have probably already heard about this method, it is called “High Intensity Training (HIT)”. I will not dissuade you from the effectiveness of other methods (I personally use others), but let the facts speak for themselves.

The main advantages of HIT:

Light weight – less risk of injury
With a lower weight, the likelihood of cheating (violation of technique) is significantly reduced, which means that you train exactly the muscles that you want to train
If there is not a large number of weights, then this is the best option because you can train even at home, where not everyone has a 100 kg barbell!
More muscle fibers are involved in the work, i.e.because the muscle is under load for more than 30 seconds.

But we will go further! There is a little more you can do to ensure incredible muscle growth! HIT is good, but strength training, what to give up at all? Of course not! I offer you the best option to combine these two approaches. This is what it looks like.

First, you take your normal working weight, with which you can do 5-8 reps to failure without breaking the technique, and then take less weight and continue to do the reps.Having reached another failure, lose weight again and finish the muscles to the end. These are called weight-loss sets.

But where is HIT here? Now I will explain: do reps with less weight slowly (10 seconds, for example) and at the end you can even add negatives when you can hardly move. This is exactly what I do.

Negatives is the use of only the negative phase of the amplitude of movement, i.e. in our case, lowering the barbell (biceps).

You need to lower the weight very slowly for 10 seconds.This is one repetition. Do this 3-5 times and you will simply be amazed at how intense your training has become!

Physiology of muscle growth

Why do muscles grow? We have already sorted out how to stimulate muscles to growth, now let’s talk about what remains behind the scenes, about what happens inside our body.

The process of muscle hypertrophy (growth) begins with an unusual load, i.e. you’re out of your comfort zone. You didn’t run before, but today you ran 5 km at once. Your muscles have received a load higher than usual and you have sent a signal to your body to grow, adapt to the load.But if this load is not repeated in the near future, then the rollback process begins and your muscles return to their original state, as if you had not trained.

The body is essentially very lazy and does not want to do anything until you force it! He always tries to get rid of what he doesn’t use. Suppose you have built up 10 kg of pure muscle mass by training, but if after some time (for example, a year) the body does not receive loads, your muscles will be blown away! The body will eat them! He believes that since you are not using the muscles, then you do not need them.

This is called the catabolic process or the breakdown of muscle tissue. This is the reverse of anabolic – muscle growth.

There is an interesting pattern – the body willingly burns muscles, but is in no hurry to increase muscle mass. Therefore, after the first workout, even if your muscles are sore, do not expect that these actions are enough for a noticeable muscle growth. In order to stimulate muscles to grow, it is necessary to constantly stimulate them, to give regular, constantly increasing loads! Only then will your muscles begin to grow.

If there is no regularity of the load, then, as you already know, the rollback begins, and you return to the starting point. You should not be offended by your body and say that it does not allow you to be big and strong. On the contrary, by knowing these mechanisms, you will be able to consciously control your body and muscle growth!

The process of muscle growth

As you know, muscle growth is always accompanied by pain. With this, I always calm myself, because my muscles hurt 7 days a week, sometimes some others, but at least one muscle group still hurts.

I often remember the words of my friend: “If they hurt, then they grow up!”. And these words always support me. By the way, Pasha, if you are reading this article now, thank you!

Why do muscles hurt?

Let’s get closer to the meat. Muscles are made of fibers that contract – they get thicker and shorter. Under the action of the load, some of the fibers are damaged and cracked. These cracks in the muscles cause pain.

If you kick and bruise, it means that you have hemorrhage inside the body and soft tissues are affected.Of course, this place hurts you.

It’s the same story with muscles, only you don’t have to hit them. By the way, you probably noticed that if you hit a muscle properly, then later the pain is almost the same as after physical exertion.

Micro cracks must be healed, only then your muscle will fully recover.

Due to the fact that muscles are damaged under heavy loads, they start to hurt! Muscles don’t hurt from lactic acid. If someone says this to you, then do not believe it, because this is complete nonsense.Lactic acid is produced by the body during exercise and makes muscles feel fatigued. It is responsible for muscle fatigue. After all, if you do not feel fatigue, then you can continue the load and very badly damage your muscles, which will make you incapacitated and vulnerable.

The body protects you. After all, if you have damaged your muscles and cannot move, then someone could eat you. In the wild, the fittest survive. And if you haven’t forgotten yet, then we are all from there.

Muscle Growth and Fibers Involved

Have you ever noticed that the bigger the muscle, the more it hurts? The thing is that not all muscle fibers are involved during exercise. First of all, the weakest and most enduring fibers work, when they get tired, stronger fibers are connected to them and the main part of the muscle is turned on only at the very end.

This phenomenon has its roots in our past. Let me remind you once again that we are just animals and, by design, should be able to survive in nature.And if we once use up all our reserves of energy and strength, then what should we do in case of danger? It is for this reason that weak, but hardy fibers work and only then power ones are included in the work.

As you know, there are two types of muscle fibers in our body: fast and slow (hardy). Just as a calculating coach does not release all of his strong players on the field, our body keeps strong fibers in reserve. What if they are not needed? The body is very economical and if you can get by with less energy, then why pay more?

When a muscle is under continuous stress, it has to connect stronger and stronger fibers to work, otherwise the weak fibers will not survive.For this reason, I recommend doing all exercises slowly, so that the muscles are under load for more than 30 seconds. I wrote more about this here

How long do muscles hurt?

Let’s go back to muscle pain. If you have used all the muscle fibers, then the muscle will hurt completely or almost completely, and the larger the muscle, the larger the “affected” area. Therefore, after a good strength load, the muscles ache from 3 days to a week in trained athletes. And if you took the barbell for the first time or after a long break, then before and up to 2 weeks!

In addition, not just muscle cracks can occur, but partial disintegration of muscle fibers.In this case, the “affected” muscle can swell and hurt a lot, more than usual. In this case, the muscles hurt for a very long time.

After aerobic exercise, for example, a long run, the muscles do not hurt very much, since not all muscle fibers are involved and the pain is rather superficial. Strength training is another matter, especially if it is prolonged and high-intensity, as I described above. In this case, a lot of fibers are involved and the muscles hurt not only on the surface, but also deep inside! With partial breakdown of the fiber, you will notice that the muscle has become soft.

In order not to be unfounded, I will say that I checked these facts on my own skin and I can assure you – it’s true! I have been doing jogging and football for several years and for me jogging 10 km every day was a regular activity. Your muscles never hurt as badly after running as they would after doing 20 rep squats.

What happens during muscle growth.

Muscles respond to stress by growing. When microcracks heal, each damaged fiber becomes thicker and stronger to cope with this load in the future.

The number of fibers in a muscle may vary. Once in my childhood, after watching one program on TV, I decided that the number of muscle fibers is always the same, only their strength and thickness change. It turns out that new fibers can grow when adapting to a new load.

Your muscles also become thicker due to the storage of various substances in them. For example, glycogen and creatine phosphate.

The larger the muscle, the more it can store these substances in itself. It is believed that pumping (pumping), during training, allows you to increase the storage space for nutrients, thereby increasing muscle volume.

Hormones and Muscle Growth

When researching muscle growth, hormones cannot be ignored. After all, they are the ones that shape our body. In women, muscles practically do not grow even with strength loads, while in men, muscle growth is normal. This is the fault of the hormones. Or rather testosterone.

In men, the level of the hormone testosterone is several times higher than in women. It was research into the production of synthetic testosterone that led to the development of anabolic steroids.

Since we are talking about growth, growth hormone cannot be ignored. It is these two hormones that allow our muscles to grow. The higher the level of these hormones in your blood, the higher the rate at which meat builds up on your bones.

Hormonal Burst

After you have shocked your muscles with a monstrous training, the release of hubbubs into the blood begins. The stronger the load, the more hormones and the faster your muscles grow.

But not all training allows you to get a hormonal explosion.Let’s take a look at your workouts through the eyes of the body.

First case. You did a 10-rep exercise and got rejected. There are two more such approaches. Your muscles have received a lot of stress and you are really tired. Time under load 20 seconds.

Second case. You did the same 10 reps, but after giving up, you took less weight and continued until the next failure, and then reduced the weight again and got rejected again. And there are two more such approaches. You end up with 15-20 reps and 40-60 seconds under load.

In which case do you think more fibers are involved? What kind of workout will your muscles hurt more? The second case is correct.

So, the more muscle fibers are involved, the stronger the release of hormones. But by the number of fibers, I mean not only an individual muscle, but the whole organism as a whole. Do barbell squats use more muscle than biceps curls? Well, of course.

Only heavy multi-joint exercises can achieve a hormonal explosion and, as a result, muscle growth.At least once a week, you must do a heavy leg exercise: classic or straight-legged deadlifts, barbell squats, leg presses, or their equivalents. Without these exercises, there will never be rapid muscle growth.

But in addition to the hormonal explosion, you can simply raise the level of hormones with the intensity of training. I already mentioned this, see above. The main thing is to get as many fibers as possible to join the work!

Muscle growth totals.

Muscles grow when they are exposed to a force load
The load must be regular and constantly increase
You must use the greatest number of muscle fibers
At least once a week, do one basic multi-joint exercise on the legs in order to get a hormonal burst
If the muscles do not stop hurting give them more time.Never overload sore muscles!
Now you also know what muscle growth depends on, how to make muscles grow, what exercises to do and the process of muscle growth from the inside.