Re: Muscle memory and dieting after long layoff

[Guest guest]

> I've just started training again after a long layoff due to

injuries.

> Between December last year and February this year I only did very

light

> training and during the last three months I've have done no training

> whatsoever. My bodyweight has dropped 15 pounds and my bodyfat

measurements

> are about the same as before my layoff.

>

> I know muscle gain (or actually muscle re-gain) is usually quicker

after a

> long layoff due to the mysterious " muscle memory " effect. I was

wondering if

> this effect would allow muscle gain at a sub-maintenance calorie

intake. In

> other words, after a long layoff, would it be possible to go on a

diet and

> gain muscle and lose fat at the same time?

>

Is it possible? Yes. I've seen it happen many times. Is it

guaranteed? No - I've also seen just as many people gain little to no

muscle or even lose it when dropping weight despite " muscle memory " .

I suspect that " muscle memory " might be more tied to strength as a

function of the efficiency of the CNS rather than a function of mass -

i.e. I doubt protein is suddenly synthesized due to some memory of

having mass in the past, but rather the CNS finds it easier to

coordinate recruitment of motor units based on previously training

that is conjured up from memory. That is my opinion, but obviously I

have no scientific data to back this up so I will be excited to see

some more in-depth and concrete posts on the subject.

In health,

Likness

Atlanta, GA

[Guest guest]

Likness wrote:

> Is it possible? Yes. I've seen it happen many times. Is it

> guaranteed? No - I've also seen just as many people gain little to no

> muscle or even lose it when dropping weight despite " muscle memory " .

> I suspect that " muscle memory " might be more tied to strength as a

> function of the efficiency of the CNS rather than a function of mass -

> i.e. I doubt protein is suddenly synthesized due to some memory of

> having mass in the past, but rather the CNS finds it easier to

> coordinate recruitment of motor units based on previously training

> that is conjured up from memory. That is my opinion, but obviously I

> have no scientific data to back this up so I will be excited to see

> some more in-depth and concrete posts on the subject.

I know this is going out on a limb here, but if the above hypothesis

is correct in that " muscle/strength memory " might be caused by CNS

efficiency, then it seems plausible that losses in strength due to

decreases in CNS efficiency would be easier to gain back than losses

in stregth due to decreases in muscle size (atrophy). I have read, I

believe in Supertraining, that during layoffs strength associated

with greater CNS efficiency (increased fiber recruitment) was lost

quicker than strength associated with hypertrophy. Therefore, if is

it is easier to lose strength associated with CNS efficiency, then it

should be easier to regain this lost strength than strength losses

due to atrophy.

Roe

Winter Haven, FL

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[Guest guest]

>

> I know this is going out on a limb here, but if the above hypothesis

> is correct in that " muscle/strength memory " might be caused by CNS

> efficiency, then it seems plausible that losses in strength due to

> decreases in CNS efficiency would be easier to gain back than losses

> in stregth due to decreases in muscle size (atrophy). I have read, I

> believe in Supertraining, that during layoffs strength associated

> with greater CNS efficiency (increased fiber recruitment) was lost

> quicker than strength associated with hypertrophy. Therefore, if is

> it is easier to lose strength associated with CNS efficiency, then it

> should be easier to regain this lost strength than strength losses

> due to atrophy.

>

> Roe

> Winter Haven, FL

But what about " muscle memory " with regard to hypertrpohy rather than

strength? Certainly many of us have exerienced large drops in muscle size

during a layoff, only to gain that muscle back (and usually a little more)

in short order.

Regards,

Lester Long

NYC