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Training Muscle Fiber Types
Copyright 2006 Raymond Burton
Rep ranges are a funny thing. Lots of people talk about doing this many reps for this many sets but really have no idea why they are doing that particular number or the effect it will have on their bodies.
Generally, lower repetitions like 3-8 are most productive for creating absolute strength. Repetitions in the medium range like 10-20 produce anaerobic strength endurance. The higher rep ranges between 20-40 produce aerobic strength endurance.
The reason for such varied ranges even within a category of rep range is because people will take varying amounts of time to complete the rep. We know that it is not the actual number of reps but the time that the muscle is under tension that really causes the adaptative response. So if you do 4 reps that take 6 seconds each and I do 6 reps that take 4 seconds each, we have both worked in the 3-8 range and caused that adaptation response that would be caused by putting a muscle under 24 seconds of tension.
Now on to fiber types. There are actually 3 major types of muscle fibers in the body that we are concerned with. Type 1, type 2a and type 2b. Some people have natural tendencies to do well at certain activities more so than others and this is because of the ratio of one muscle fiber type to another, among other things. Type 1 muscle fibers (or slow twitch muscle fibers,sometime called red) are your endurance muscle fibers because they are very resistant to fatigue and injuries. The sad part is that their ability to produce power is very low also.
Type 2a muscle fibers (fast twitch muscle fibers  intermediate - sometimes called white) are much larger and stronger than type 1 muscle fibers. These fibers have a high capacity for glycolytic activity and can produce high force output for longer periods of time.
Type 2b muscle fibers are the extreme end of the power scale. These are the survival fibers. The whole purpose for 2b muscle fibers is to allow enough power and strength to survive emergency situations. Sixteen percent of an inactive persons body is 2b fibers. Now even though these fibers are powerful, they have no resistance to fatigue or injury. Fact of the matter is that if and when you need to use these guys, most untrained people will damage that tissue beyond repair.
Now I've said all that to say this. Research has show that it is the white muscle fibers, the type 2a and 2b that give the greatest returns in size and strength when trained. These white muscle fibers are for high force output, that means lots of calories burned along with a tissue that requires alot of calories to stay alive.
So what about the red muscle fibers, the type 1? Well your body becomes efficient at what it is needed for. So if all you do is only cardio and other high rep activities, your body is going to favour the development of type 1 muscle fibers and in the end rob you of your ability to achieve your maximum strength, size and power. What if strength, size and power are not your goals? Well not having at least some of those attributes will result in a supressed metabolic rate. That means you will not burn as many calories in a day. This means that if you are on a weight loss program, you need to work the type 2a muscle fibers in the 10-12 rep range in order to boost your metabolism and stay strong and healthy.
Now the body can only handle increasing levels of stimulus in a particular area for a given amount of time. This is why in good programs you will find several totally differant workouts, each stressing a differant muscle fiber type for a given period of time. An individualized program has the majority of the workout time spent in the phase that best effects the goal that is trying to be achieved.
BONUS : Trying To Add Muscle? Try These Tips
People who want to build muscle need to know the best ways to go about accomplishing this difficult task. This article will teach you some proven ways to build muscle effectively. Read the article carefully to ensure that you understand and can correctly apply the advice.
Don't bother lifting for more than an hour at a time. The body begins to produce more cortisol, a stress hormone, after sixty minutes of working out. Cortisol will block the production of testosterone and will make your efforts wasted and not build muscle. Keeping your workouts under an hour should provide optimal results.
Are you trying to bulk up? If so, your focus needs to be on performing dead lifts, squats, and bench presses. Adding these to your routine will help you reach your goals quickly. You can add more exercises to your workout regimen, but those three exercises should make up the core of it.
Make sure that you are consuming enough calories. There are various online calculators that may help you find your needs for how much muscle you want to gain. Use a calculator, and then adjust your diet accordingly.
Take a break between sets to let each muscle group relax by doing a little stretch. This relaxes your muscles and allows them to recover quickly. Although these stretches may be difficult to do, it will end up making a big difference in developing your muscles.
While you are doing a muscle building workout, be sure you are training to failure on that last set. By working the muscles you are targeting until you absolutely cannot finish your rep, you will reach the point of the most beneficial muscle growth. Once you reach this point where you can't perform anymore reps, you should stop your workout because trying to keep pushing can cause injury.
If you are trying to build up muscle mass, be sure to get plenty of protein in your diet. Protein is the primary building block in muscle building, and consuming too little could cause your muscles to diminish, making your efforts in bulking up useless. You might even require a daily gram of protein for each pound your body weighs.
Make short-term goals that are realistic. Although you would like to squat several hundred pounds in only a month, this is just not possible, and you are likely to injure yourself. Once you know what your baseline is, try to beat it moderately each time you exercise. Sometimes you might even surprise yourself and reach your short-term goals faster than you thought possible. Anytime you meet or beat your goals, you will feel even more motivated, and the results will carry forward.
Stop working out right away if you begin to feel pain. It is easy to injure your muscles and tendons, so don't push yourself too hard just to build muscle. When feeling sore, take at least a day to rest, so that your body can return to full-strength.
It is important to remember that certain groups of muscles are more difficult to build than others. To target these areas, try using a fill set. A fill set of 25 to 30 repetitions should be performed on the targeted muscle groups about three days prior to the last workout.
Protein is the foundation of any muscle building diet. Muscles rely on protein to perform all of their major functions. If you don't eat enough, you will have a hard time getting more muscle mass. Make sure that two or more of your larger meals, as well as a couple of your daily snacks, contain protein.
A healthy diet of fresh foods is best when you are trying to increase your muscle mass. Avoid processed and packaged foodstuffs, as you can expect additives, chemicals, fillers and preservatives that harm your immunity and engender disease. Your muscle workouts will be more effective when your immune system is strengthened by healthy nutritious food.
Making sure that you are getting a lot of protein will help you build a lot of muscle. Protein shakes are a great way to get in your daily protein. The time immediately following a workout is a good time for a protein shake, and so is bedtime. If you're looking to lose weight, restrict yourself to one shake per day. However, gaining mass together with muscle means up to about three shakes per day.
Make room in your regimen for plyometric exercises. This type of exercise targets fast-twitch muscle fibers. Targeting these fibers improves overall muscle growth. Like ballistic moves, plyometrics require acceleration. For example, plyometric push-ups require you to propel your hands off the floor, pushing your body into the air.
Take this advice and apply it to your life. Stay motivated and your goals will be within reach. Remember that change isn't going to happen right away, it takes time to build muscle mass and get your body strong.
People who want to build muscle need to know the best ways to go about accomplishing this difficult task. This article will teach you some proven ways to build muscle effectively. Read the article carefully to ensure that you understand and can correctly apply the advice.
Don't bother lifting for more than an hour at a time. The body begins to produce more cortisol, a stress hormone, after sixty minutes of working out. Cortisol will block the production of testosterone and will make your efforts wasted and not build muscle. Keeping your workouts under an hour should provide optimal results.
Are you trying to bulk up? If so, your focus needs to be on performing dead lifts, squats, and bench presses. Adding these to your routine will help you reach your goals quickly. You can add more exercises to your workout regimen, but those three exercises should make up the core of it.
Make sure that you are consuming enough calories. There are various online calculators that may help you find your needs for how much muscle you want to gain. Use a calculator, and then adjust your diet accordingly.
Take a break between sets to let each muscle group relax by doing a little stretch. This relaxes your muscles and allows them to recover quickly. Although these stretches may be difficult to do, it will end up making a big difference in developing your muscles.
While you are doing a muscle building workout, be sure you are training to failure on that last set. By working the muscles you are targeting until you absolutely cannot finish your rep, you will reach the point of the most beneficial muscle growth. Once you reach this point where you can't perform anymore reps, you should stop your workout because trying to keep pushing can cause injury.
If you are trying to build up muscle mass, be sure to get plenty of protein in your diet. Protein is the primary building block in muscle building, and consuming too little could cause your muscles to diminish, making your efforts in bulking up useless. You might even require a daily gram of protein for each pound your body weighs.
Make short-term goals that are realistic. Although you would like to squat several hundred pounds in only a month, this is just not possible, and you are likely to injure yourself. Once you know what your baseline is, try to beat it moderately each time you exercise. Sometimes you might even surprise yourself and reach your short-term goals faster than you thought possible. Anytime you meet or beat your goals, you will feel even more motivated, and the results will carry forward.
Stop working out right away if you begin to feel pain. It is easy to injure your muscles and tendons, so don't push yourself too hard just to build muscle. When feeling sore, take at least a day to rest, so that your body can return to full-strength.
It is important to remember that certain groups of muscles are more difficult to build than others. To target these areas, try using a fill set. A fill set of 25 to 30 repetitions should be performed on the targeted muscle groups about three days prior to the last workout.
Protein is the foundation of any muscle building diet. Muscles rely on protein to perform all of their major functions. If you don't eat enough, you will have a hard time getting more muscle mass. Make sure that two or more of your larger meals, as well as a couple of your daily snacks, contain protein.
A healthy diet of fresh foods is best when you are trying to increase your muscle mass. Avoid processed and packaged foodstuffs, as you can expect additives, chemicals, fillers and preservatives that harm your immunity and engender disease. Your muscle workouts will be more effective when your immune system is strengthened by healthy nutritious food.
Making sure that you are getting a lot of protein will help you build a lot of muscle. Protein shakes are a great way to get in your daily protein. The time immediately following a workout is a good time for a protein shake, and so is bedtime. If you're looking to lose weight, restrict yourself to one shake per day. However, gaining mass together with muscle means up to about three shakes per day.
Make room in your regimen for plyometric exercises. This type of exercise targets fast-twitch muscle fibers. Targeting these fibers improves overall muscle growth. Like ballistic moves, plyometrics require acceleration. For example, plyometric push-ups require you to propel your hands off the floor, pushing your body into the air.
Take this advice and apply it to your life. Stay motivated and your goals will be within reach. Remember that change isn't going to happen right away, it takes time to build muscle mass and get your body strong.
