muscle memory....fact or fiction?

[stillgrowing02]

TweetI've heard several things about supposed muscle memory. Is there any truth behind this? Or is this just a myth?

[bowbow]

TweetI replied to this on another board but will again here. I believe in it 100% from personal experience. As far as studys and things like that I don't have any.

[pigmeat]

TweetYour body will get used to added mass over time. So it is true. I hurt my back a few years ago and didnt lift, or really take care of myself at all for a good 6 months. I lost 15-20 pounds, and crazy strength. When i finally got back in the gym, i was back up to my weight before i got hurt, naturally in 4 months.All my strength was back too.
I dont like short cycles, for the simple reason that you put on a bunch of weight, but when you come off, usually it melts away. because your body isnt used to it. Now with long cycles, your body adapts to the added weight and it is easier to keep when you come off

[Testify]

TweetI believe it is fact, and has more to do with the neural pathways involved int performing a certain movement.

[O2BESOHUGE]

Tweetits fact, i was out with a broken wrist but im comin back nicely now. gettin back to my weights i was liftin

o2

[McKenzie]

Tweet

its fact, i was out with a broken wrist but im comin back nicely now. gettin back to my weights i was liftin

o2

Same thing for me as well.

[LOCO]

Tweetyes..... personal experience here as well...
broke my left shoulder last year... didn't move it for almost 3 months (was in a cast/sling) and even after that i didn't use it almost at all for like half a year... my left arm was 1/2 the size of my right one... after less than a year i started going to the gym again... within a month i could see a huge difference..... 2 months later my arms are almsot the same size now.....

[Sven]

TweetFact....personnal experience.

[Equalizer]

TweetIts a fact.....when you workout you are basically just tearing down the muscle then providing you give it the tools your muscle repairs itself and grows to prevent future damage....when you have a lay off your muscle will become smaller(weaker) but when stress is applied repeatedly again it will be more responsive to regain its loss strength,stamina,size...its more complicated but this is a quick simple understanding...good luck bro

[MemphisRAGe]

TweetIt's true, happened to me aswell.

[stillgrowing02]

Tweetdamn its weird how the human body works.....thanks for everyones input

[Stackt]

TweetYeah it seems to act quicker response .

[CHANGELING]

TweetIt is not actual muscle memory. What occurs is that when we train we stretch the fascia that surrounds the myofibral bundles(like cable bundles on a suspension bridge) that make up our skeletal muscles. That is how we grow. When the stimulus is removed for muscle growth( weight training) we shrink. But the fascia has "strtch marks" now and when we train again we seemingly grow very quickly. In fact we grow at a normal rate we just do not have the confining un-"stretched" fascia to battle with the second time around. Your growth will level off right where you left off and growth then slown and becomes more of a chore. The same holds tru for the neural pathways created and stimulated by resistance training. They are not stretched but they have been created and utilized and the body has a less difficult time re-establishing them ans using them to greates efficiency.