How muscle memory works
🏋🏻♀️Do you know what muscle memory is❓
💥Many people have had times when they had to go long periods without training due to work commitments or travel, or because of injuries and illnesses… I have two pieces of news… one bad and one good…😆
💥Let’s start with the bad news: The bad news is that this “break” naturally causes muscle atrophy… This atrophy can be even more accelerated in cases of immobilization due to some type of trauma…
💥Now for the good news: Don’t worry! NOT ALL IS LOST! Have you ever heard of muscle memory?? A recent study concluded that the phenomenon of MUSCLE MEMORY can largely be explained by the fact that muscles maintain the same number of muscle nuclei during muscle loss or lack of training.
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💥These muscle cell nuclei seem to act like “memory cells.” They “remember” how much muscle mass you had before you stopped training. THEREFORE, the longer you have trained in your life, the longer it will take to lose the fitness you have achieved.
Regaining muscle size
Regaining muscle size is faster for people who train, but it’s worth remembering: You should increase the load gradually to avoid the risk of injury!
By the way: aside from injuries or illnesses, I personally don’t think there’s any reason to stop physical activity completely, even while on vacation. In fact, with more free time on vacation, you could dedicate yourself to it even more! Always train, and do so mindfully! Your health will thank you! ✅
How long does it take to start losing weight?
The rate of muscle atrophy depends on your current fitness level and how long you have been inactive.
The more muscle mass you have, the harder it will be to maintain when inactive, and the more you will lose. In other words, healthy people tend to lose muscle mass faster than unhealthy people.
Some studies show that you can start losing muscle after a week of inactivity — if you can’t move around, you can lose up to 1 kg.
Another study showed that even if you are not bedridden, muscle size decreases by approximately 11% after ten days.
However, before you panic about losing muscle, remember the muscle memory I mentioned in the previous section! Vacations won’t hurt you, and besides, we all need physical and mental rest!
And you don’t need to stop your physical activities completely while enjoying your vacation! Remember, it’s a lifestyle! The important thing to understand is that the “worst” muscle atrophy usually occurs during an injury or when you stop using your muscles completely for a long time.
