> Sam wrote: > My point with gymnast is they are usually a lot stronger than guys > three times their size. >
I don't think that's true. The strength vs. bulk factor proves itself out in your muscle fibers: 1.) Slow twitch "type I" - These are for endurance. They use oxygen for power and, due to their greater amount of mitochondria and myoglobin, are more efficient at generating ATP (the source of all muscle power) without lactate acid build up. 2.) Fast twitch "type IIa & b" - These are for strenth and speed. They use glycogen for power which is stored in the muscles and liver and is synthesized by the body using carbohydrates. Strength training (sprinting or doing the iron cross) will cause your muscles to grow due to an increase in intracellular protein fibrils. So, if you're doing high intensity short bursts of work that overload your current muscles, you're going to grow AND increase strength. Endurance training, however, causes more intramuscle blood vessel formation which produces an increased capacity for aerobic metabolism within your muscle. This is the argument for cardio in fat loss: the enzymes that metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins double when you do cardio (they peak after about 3 months). So the bottom line is, based on the studies I've read, when you start to do any work you talk to slow twitch. If they can't handle the work they pass it over to fast twitch. They have about 2 minutes of power. If your work out takes those fast twitch past 2 minutes, you'll bulk. On the other hand, if you don't cross those 2 minutes you won't bulk, but you'll likely increase your aerobic capacity at doing that work. So what is strengh? A body builder would crush a gymnast at lifting force within 2 minutes. But a gymnast would probably crush a bodybuilder at moderate force over 1/2 hour. Punching is fast twitch, running away is slow twitch; I say work 'em both. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Introducing the Fusion Authority Quarterly Update. 80 pages of hard-hitting, up-to-date ColdFusion information by your peers, delivered to your door four times a year. http://www.fusionauthority.com/quarterly Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:217052 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
