Can you stand on your hands? Well, hand-standing is not easy. However, if you can stand on your hands, can you walk on them? And if you can, for how long?
Unlike your legs, your arms aren’t created for the function of walking. The structure of each muscle is unique to suit the function it is created for.
DIFFERENT FROM WITHIN
Within each muscle, there are different types of fibers present in different percentages. In general, there’s type I, type II and mixed fibers. With each having its own unique ability to perform work and generate energy.
Let me explain more, your muscles that are meant to do easy work for LONG time are composed of more Type I muscle fibers. Type I is the type of fibers that uses oxygen to produce energy over a long period of time. One example is your back muscles which are known to be anti-gravity muscles; they have to keep you upright as long as you stand (NO MATTER FOR HOW LONG!). So, they have more type I muscle fibers than type II to stand the prolonged contraction.
On the other hand, when you lift a heavy weight, you need to generate high force. Here comes the role of your type II fibers. The type which allows you to generate huge force, but only for a very short time (a couple of seconds). For this type of contraction you don’t need oxygen; your body uses other already stored chemicals to produce energy real quick.
There’s also the mixed type, the type you use to do somewhat hard work for a pretty long period. Just like every moderate activity you do in your day.
EXERCISING DIFFERENT FIBERS
So, how can knowing these types be helpful? As per Jazz Alessi, our brilliant personal trainer Clapham, fibers can be converted from a type to another by training them correctly. Let’s take a marathon runner as an example; he runs up to his tolerance for a really long time. So, he ends up having more type I muscle fibers. On the other hand, a sprinter has more type II fibers because he runs very fast for short time. So, no matter what your goal is, fibers can help you achieve it.
Conclusion
Understanding how your muscle structure is affected by the type of exercise you do is important as you follow your training programme. In the next article, the best personal trainer West London will reveal you the type of exercise that trains all types of muscle fibers at a time. STAY TUNED!
