What is muscle memory? The phenomenon can help you get into shape at the beginning of the year

The more training you do, the more muscle memory your body builds, unlike someone who has just started exercising. Understanding the phenomenon

At the beginning of the year, after the end-of-year holidays, many people decide to embark on radical diets and “train non-stop” in the gym, to try to compensate for the binges and excesses typical of the month of December. However, there is a factor called muscle memory, which not everyone knows, but which can be important for resuming your routine after Christmas and New Year.

“Those who train and eat well all year round do not have to worry about lack of exercise and overeating at the end of the year, simply ‘get back to normal’ and the body will return too, because our muscles have memories”explains José Corbinistaff and partner of the Personal Virtual integrative healthcare app.

What is muscle memory?

According to Corbini, this is a phenomenon whereby the muscles of those who already practice bodybuilding, for example, gain strength at a much greater rate after a period without training compared to those of a person who enters the gym for the first time in their life. .

“When we talk about hypertrophy, the muscles are slightly damaged, allowing muscle growth. In this process, even if the person remains inactive for a while, the cell nucleus accelerates the recovery of muscle growth”Comments.

Importantly, this muscle memory is capable of remaining in our cells for long periods, and not just in the few weeks between holidays. This is why many athletes suffer serious injuries and are able to recover quickly, depending on the severity, of course.

“In short, the more you train, the more muscle memory you build, what is not yet known is whether this memory is permanent. It is worth remembering that it depends on how long it will take to regain fitness before stopping training. up what you were like before, age, sex and how long you did physical activity during your life”adds the professional.

Be careful when you return

Returning to activities is the only way to find out how much muscle memory you have, but you can never be too careful when returning. “It is important to remember that the return must be gradual, it makes no sense to want to pick up the same weights again and continue with the same intensity as before, this must happen little by little”explains the personal trainer.

“Monitoring by a physical education professional is essential to avoid injuries and other problems”concludes Corbini.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.