5 Muscle Facts You May Not Know

muscle-facts

It’s true, building muscle takes weight training. But from there, too many people get lost or confused about their muscles.

Your muscles are critical and complex, yet understanding can help you get on track to developing, building and increasing your lean muscle mass.

FACT #1: Muscles Don’t Have to Be Bigger in Order to Be Stronger.

The amount of force you can exert with your muscles depends on both the size and the number of muscle fibers regularly used.

Every time you push your muscles to go the extra mile, your body learns to properly use already existing muscle fibers, and your carefully worked arms and legs won’t start bulking up until after you can activate most of your muscle fibers at once. By the time you reach that point, you’ve already gained a great deal of strength without necessarily adding size to your muscles.

Some people are disappointed when they don’t see rapid results after months of training, but the process takes time and a serious long-term commitment.

FACT #2: Repetitions Without Enough Resistance Won’t Build Muscle

Many women (and even many men) are afraid of lifting too much weight, thinking they’ll build big, bulky muscles, so they opt for lighter weights and seemingly endless repetitions to “stay toned.” However, you can’t really tone a muscle.

You can build up strength and endurance by “overloading” a muscle during strength training, but simply moving it without has very little benefit. The idea behind doing loads of reps with little weight to get toned is just a myth. The real goal most people are looking for when they want to tone is really they want to add definition. And the key to adding definition is to burn fat covering up your muscle.

To really get the definition you’re searching for, you need a combination of weight training (with enough resistance), cardio and a reduction in your calories so you actually burn fat.

FACT #3: Overdoing It on the Cardio Can Inhibit Muscle Growth

Any exercise is better than none at all, but many think that cardio can double up as strength training – after all, it works major muscle groups, right?

Unfortunately doing more than 45 to 60 minutes of cardio forces your body to breakdown muscle tissues and proteins in order to provide you with the extra fuel you need to keep going. Either alternate your cardio workouts every other day with strength training (so you can keep them separate), or keep the cardio to a short 15 to 20 minutes halfway into your strength training workout.

FACT #4: Lifting Weights Won’t Make You Look “Buff”

As much as we’d love to have that perfectly sculpted body we see on magazines and in fitness advertisements, it takes more than just hitting the weights to achieve amazing muscle definition (like we talked about above).

Much of your physical appearance depends on how much body fat sits on top of those muscles rather than how strong or big those muscles actually are. Very few of us have the genetics to be able to safely trim fat so much that the muscle shows through, but everyone can look fit and healthy through regular exercise (both weight training and cardio) and a balanced diet.

FACT #5: High Amounts of Protein Won’t Directly Build Large Muscles

Your muscles are made up mostly of water and protein, so it is important to get adequate amounts each day. However, your body also needs a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in order to stay healthy and not even bodybuilders need to exceed the maximum recommended amount each day.

The body can generally only digest so much protein every hour and the excess can either be stored as fat or excreted. Consuming more protein than recommended has little to no benefit. Protein is more of an indirect resource for building muscle as it helps to burn fat, post energy and speed the recovery process.

Additional Muscle Facts

  • Muscles are fibers that contract and relax to move your body.
  • Muscles are either voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary muscles are used when you decide to use them. Involuntary muscles work automatically.
  • The body’s longest muscle in the body is the sartorius muscle located on the inner thigh.
  • The body’s widest muscle is the external oblique located around the side of the upper body.
  • The Body’s biggest muscle is the gluteus maximus, or your buttocks.
  • The Body’s strongest muscle is the masseter muscle located in the jaw.
  • Muscle makes up around 40% of your body’s total weight.
  • You use 17 muscles to smile and 43 muscle to frown.
  • For every pound of muscle you gain, the body burns an extra 50 calories a day.
  • 75% of muscle mass is water.
  • Speaking takes 72 different muscles.
  • The tongue is actually 16 separate muscles.

Make the Most of Your Muscle!

Building muscle involves a great deal of patience, determination and flat out consistent hard work. Finding that perfect balance between cardio, strength training and dieting is never easy, but it is possible if you have the right muscle facts in front of you. Don’t let myths and rumors hold you back from making the most out of each workout.

The #1 Rated Protein Powder of 2024

Myotein is unquestionably the #1 protein powder that's ever been available. Myotein packs in 6 different types of protein to ensure your feeding your muscle throughout the day. There's never been a better protein powder to help you get the most out of your workouts!

Click To Learn More About The #1 Rated Protein Powder

Comments on "5 Muscle Facts You May Not Know"

Leave a Comment about 5 Muscle Facts You May Not Know here.

  1. Comment

    I’VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROTEIN NOR IS IT BLASTED ALL OVER THOSE MASS SELLING PROTEIN WEBSITES.

    DIEGO
    May 27, 2012 at 11:36 pm
  2. Comment

    The statement, “Very few of us have the genetics to be able to safely drop that fat so low that the muscle shows through”; does it mean it is unsafe for certain people to have low fat or it’s just not achievable by some people ?

    bhaven
    July 1, 2012 at 3:16 am
    • Comment

      It’s a mixture of both. Some people can’t achieve that kind of muscle definition even though they work out regularly. They could try to override their genetics through steroids and the like to achieve the effect, but that’s neither safe nor healthy.

      Jenni
      July 2, 2012 at 2:39 pm
      • Comment

        I do not agree that everyone is exempted from achieving the body they desire. If one is willing to put in the hard work and a lot of dedication; respectfully, diet and training, it is attainable. I have seen two separate individuals, considerably overweight, and get ripped; without steroids. One was through, a personal trainer, whom became a trainer and the other was through the military. Once again, both severely overweight, with bellies over the belt and drastically changed. A little about each ones fathers…overweight. Point, change your lifestyle, workout to live; injury free. (note: this statement is not to discredit any other beliefs or statements. Simply my point of view and encounters.) To add to the lifting for strength vs size. Size does not always determine strength! Most times, genetics plays a role with physic. I’ve seen and individual 19 year old basketball player with an amazing physic, nearly flawless, however, he could barely execute 7 pull-ups. His father on the other hand, still in decent shape to be 47. (Genetics). Either way, set your own goals and never lift to impress. Know your limits and have fun! GOOD LUCK

        blazecityinc
        August 2, 2012 at 12:48 am
  3. Comment

    prozac 20 mg price of prozac without insurance – prozac plavix drug interaction

    abMGlFYnmQ
    June 19, 2013 at 9:06 pm
  4. Comment

    generic paxil paxil side effects bruising – paxil and weight gain

    IxCUOiIvBp
    June 19, 2013 at 9:45 pm
  5. Comment

    read this generic hydrocodone yahoo answers – hydrocodone online no rx

    ZRXXHafYUF
    June 19, 2013 at 10:21 pm
  6. Comment

    my website viagra 100mg effects – buy real viagra no prescription

    lCPuPMFRnk
    June 19, 2013 at 11:23 pm
  7. Comment

    http://www.higherbalance.com/lp/femaleviagra/#24852 buy viagra online thailand – cheap viagra ebay

    CjLtaobqbS
    June 19, 2013 at 11:45 pm
  8. Comment

    More Info order valtrex online canada – herpes and valtrex daily

    NYwOGCLYZE
    June 20, 2013 at 12:38 am
  9. Comment

    tramadol overnight shipping tramadol 50 mg para que sirve – tramadol 50 mg strength

    BWAZNowPNL
    June 20, 2013 at 1:03 am

Leave a Comment on This Article