Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below I know there is a difference in muscle fibers (fast, slow, etc..) My question is that; Do some people have more of one kind than the other. For example, I have been training for about ten years and in that time I have been doing pyramids 12,10,8,6 and also straight sets of 6 to 8. I used to feel that I only grew with heavier weight at less reps. This is definately true with my legs. For some reason my upper body doesn't respond the same. So, after so many years I have now switched to doing no less tham ten reps at any given weight and no more than 13. I am an average build... not real thick in the upper body but big lower body. I guess it is from all of those years playing Hockey in college. Now, my lifting partner was a football player with a few extra pounds or fat...you could say. Now in football, everything is based on power movements such like power lifters. I feel that this gives a great base to the skeletal and muscular system as well as the vascular systems of the body. Since his football days he had dieted down and looks amazing. HE is vascular as shit and has a huge muscular look. He is about 220 and 6%bf. I feel that he has such an advantage over me now because my dumb ass was walking around the gym during my teens like the other assholes that you guys poke fun at. Unfortunately I had no one to show me what to do. Now I am 207 and my bf is on the lower end but by no means am I cut up. My question is, How in the fuck do I put on massive size without having to be a fat ass. I want to keep my tone. I upped my caloric intake to about 4000 for over two months and I looked like shit! So how do I grow without getting all fat. Should I stick with my buddy's ten rep workouts or should I pyramid. We are not overtraining. we hit one bodypart at about ten to twelve sets a week. Any advice. My diet is pretty good three solid meals and three supplemented meals. Any advice is appreciated. I need a good workout. Is four days a week good? I am doing cardio four times a week at 25min. About the muscle fibers..... I am hard pressed to do anything over eight rep. No matter how much weight is on the bar I end up dying after 8. Should I be forcing myself to do reps of ten and no less to kick my fast twich fibers back in? Is it better to be explosive (but in control) on the basics? Tell me I am crazy just please let me know what you guys think.
Muscle fibers
- Thread starter hippy
- Start date
I cant offer you a program because i dont know you or no anything about you. The only thing you will get of this board is some helpfull hints and tips.
If your training for power for football then keep you reps in the 1 to 5 range provided that you are competant at the movement. Stick with the basics such as bench press, deads squats and cleans and focus on improving these. For example if your triceps are weak and is stopping you from improving on the bench then concentrate on increasing your triceps strength. As for putting on weight, it is more a function of your diet, to ber honest at your bodyweight 4000 kcals is about right to maintain.
Also drop the cardio and instead concentrate on sprinting and stretching instead.
Other people will most probably have different views, take the advice for what it is worth and make your own decisions.
If your training for power for football then keep you reps in the 1 to 5 range provided that you are competant at the movement. Stick with the basics such as bench press, deads squats and cleans and focus on improving these. For example if your triceps are weak and is stopping you from improving on the bench then concentrate on increasing your triceps strength. As for putting on weight, it is more a function of your diet, to ber honest at your bodyweight 4000 kcals is about right to maintain.
Also drop the cardio and instead concentrate on sprinting and stretching instead.
Other people will most probably have different views, take the advice for what it is worth and make your own decisions.
thanks tuna guy
What I was saying was that I don't want to do low reps. I feel that slow twich fibers are what is holding me back. if I take a week off of the gym I am toast the next time I go in. People with fast twich fibers are much more prone to keeping their muscle. At least that is what I have observed in the gym. I need to build endurance so that I can keep some muscle. Hence build fast twich by doing high reps with about 80% max. does this make any sence or am I talking in circles. I am having a hard time putting this into words.
What I was saying was that I don't want to do low reps. I feel that slow twich fibers are what is holding me back. if I take a week off of the gym I am toast the next time I go in. People with fast twich fibers are much more prone to keeping their muscle. At least that is what I have observed in the gym. I need to build endurance so that I can keep some muscle. Hence build fast twich by doing high reps with about 80% max. does this make any sence or am I talking in circles. I am having a hard time putting this into words.
bignate73
New member
alright....
fast twitch.....responsible for your explosive movements, power, strength etc.
slow twitch.....endurance fibers.
you can put 2 different people on a leg extension machine...both use the same light weight and depending on the ratio of slow to fast twitch. person a might be able to only do 3 reps and person b 25.
you have a ratio of both, it depends on your training how well developed and conditioned they become.
fast twitch.....responsible for your explosive movements, power, strength etc.
slow twitch.....endurance fibers.
you can put 2 different people on a leg extension machine...both use the same light weight and depending on the ratio of slow to fast twitch. person a might be able to only do 3 reps and person b 25.
you have a ratio of both, it depends on your training how well developed and conditioned they become.
Cackerot69
New member
It doesn't matter...
bignate, Thanks I think you were the only one to understand the question
So you can build a Higher ration of fast twitch fibers by doing higher reps with faster/more explosive movements? That was my major question. It seems to me that people with fast twich fibers are more lean and have better endurance hence better muscle retention. I must have more slow twich fibers because I can lift very heavy but not for many reps. For the longest time I had only done six to 8 reps and never any more. If I miss a bodypart for mre than ten days I lose maybe 3 reps with the same weight that I had done previously. Sucks. I guess it's back to the basics with higher rep ranges.
So you can build a Higher ration of fast twitch fibers by doing higher reps with faster/more explosive movements? That was my major question. It seems to me that people with fast twich fibers are more lean and have better endurance hence better muscle retention. I must have more slow twich fibers because I can lift very heavy but not for many reps. For the longest time I had only done six to 8 reps and never any more. If I miss a bodypart for mre than ten days I lose maybe 3 reps with the same weight that I had done previously. Sucks. I guess it's back to the basics with higher rep ranges.
bignate73
New member
you got it backwards.
fast twitch = lift more weight, less endurance
slow twitch= lift weight for more reps, higher endurance
the ratio doesnt change, its the conditioning that matters. the stronger you train your fast twitch, the more you can lift with those particular fibers. take into consideration that not all of your muscle fibers are firing off, hence the term fiber recruitment. you need to develop a strong nervous connection to ensure maximal recruitment. its not a matter of just lifting heavier, its a matter of lifting in periods to develop coordination and neuromuscular connections and then on to a strength and conditioning program.
fast twitch = lift more weight, less endurance
slow twitch= lift weight for more reps, higher endurance
the ratio doesnt change, its the conditioning that matters. the stronger you train your fast twitch, the more you can lift with those particular fibers. take into consideration that not all of your muscle fibers are firing off, hence the term fiber recruitment. you need to develop a strong nervous connection to ensure maximal recruitment. its not a matter of just lifting heavier, its a matter of lifting in periods to develop coordination and neuromuscular connections and then on to a strength and conditioning program.
Cackerot69
New member
Well, you can change the ratio of fibers a bit. Cuz there are these fibers called Myosin heavy chain IIX...and these guys are just lying around waiting to be converted to either Type I or Type II and depending on how you train they will convert one way or another. For this reason it's best to start out with heavy weights as these fibers will turn to Type II rather than I...as long as you know the lifts and don't be an idiot of course. So, if you want more Type II fibers train the type II's, want more Type I's then train them. There are also these other fibers called IIC which are laying around waiting to be converted to either IIA or IIB and the same basic process goes with these as the IIX's. By training more aerobically (i.e. high rep) Type IIB fibers can become more IIA-like in that they increase their oxidative properties, this happens no matter what kinda training you do but moreso if you focus on higher rep training. This isn't really an issue bcuz even though the fibers become more oxidative they don't lose their ability to produce maximum force...hence it's actually a good thing...as it can also go to prevent irrational hypertrophy (when actin anf myosin density "outgrows" mitochondrial density causeing an ATP debt in the muscle cell and resulting in a plateau).
See What I mean! You guys are Fucking awesome!
You guys kick ass! I ask some simple questions and you find every conceivable answer to help me out. Thanks a lot!
Now that I jusst finished a cycle of sustanon I am standing at about 210 with a little water weight in the mid-section. I already lost the weight in my face and neck. I am going to start clomid this week. I am wondering about HGC though? DO I need it or not. I did 500mg/week of sus for about 9 weeks. I went from about 187 to 215. My last shot was about a week and a half ago and I seem to be losing the water. I am not as vascular which would seem to the contrary because I am "losing water". Anyway, what now...How long till my next cycle...how much....WHAT?.....these are all questions that I am asking myself. I think that I am done with test. It seems to really make me come off. whether or not I do clomid really makes no difference to my body. I feel that I should have put on more weight but oh well. The reason I was asking about the fibers was because of muscle atrophy and how long it takes for each respective fibers. I went real heavy and did a lot of low rep shit on my cycle. Now I am trying to do about 10-15 reps at 80%max. I am hoping this will help my body stick with some of the weight. Anyway, thanks guys. any advice is appreciated. I know I reiterate a lot of questions but everybody is different and I treat my training habits accordingly.
You guys kick ass! I ask some simple questions and you find every conceivable answer to help me out. Thanks a lot!
Now that I jusst finished a cycle of sustanon I am standing at about 210 with a little water weight in the mid-section. I already lost the weight in my face and neck. I am going to start clomid this week. I am wondering about HGC though? DO I need it or not. I did 500mg/week of sus for about 9 weeks. I went from about 187 to 215. My last shot was about a week and a half ago and I seem to be losing the water. I am not as vascular which would seem to the contrary because I am "losing water". Anyway, what now...How long till my next cycle...how much....WHAT?.....these are all questions that I am asking myself. I think that I am done with test. It seems to really make me come off. whether or not I do clomid really makes no difference to my body. I feel that I should have put on more weight but oh well. The reason I was asking about the fibers was because of muscle atrophy and how long it takes for each respective fibers. I went real heavy and did a lot of low rep shit on my cycle. Now I am trying to do about 10-15 reps at 80%max. I am hoping this will help my body stick with some of the weight. Anyway, thanks guys. any advice is appreciated. I know I reiterate a lot of questions but everybody is different and I treat my training habits accordingly.
