Building muscle is both a science and an art. The science
allows us to understand how 650 muscles and more than a quarter-billion
individual muscle fibers conspire to set a human body in motion. The art is the
magnificence of movement itself as well as the result of that movement-strong,
lean, healthy, energetic muscles, the very image of the ancient gods and
warriors.
This book is the first to combine the science of muscle building with the art of
muscles themselves. The book comprises:
Three total-body muscle-building programes, one each for beginner, intermediate,
and advanced exerciseers-a total of 18 month's worth of workouts.
Complete descriptions of more than 100 exercises.
Vital advice on warming up, stretching, and recovering between workouts.
The latest and best information on how to eat to make muscles grow.
The Book of Muscle does more than just explain how muscles work. It also gives
comprehensive muscle-building programes from a world class trainer (Ian King).
Exercise is often recommended as a means of improving motor skills, fitness,
muscle and bone strength, and joint function. Exercise has several effects upon
muscles, connective tissue, bone, and the nerves that stimulate the muscles.
Various exercises require a predominance of certain muscle fiber utilization
over another. Aerobic exercise involves long, low levels of exertion in which
the muscles are used at well below their maximal contraction strength for long
periods of time (the most classic example being the Marathon). Aerobic events,
which rely primarily on the aerobic (with oxygen) system, use a higher
percentage of Type I (or slow-twitch) muscle fibers, consume a mixture of fat,
protein and carbohydrates for energy, consume large amounts of oxygen and
produce little lactic acid. Anaerobic exercise involves short bursts of higher
intensity contractions at a much greater percentage of their maximum contraction
strength. Examples of anaerobic exercise include sprinting and weight lifting.
The anaerobic energy delivery system uses predominantly Type II or fast-twitch
muscle fibers, relies mainly on ATP or glucose for fuel, consumes relatively
little oxygen, protein and fat, produces large amounts of lactic acid and can
not be sustained for as long a period as aerobic exercise. The presence of
lactic acid has an inhibitory effect on ATP generation within the muscle though
not producing fatigue, it can inhibit or even stop performance if the
intracellular concentration becomes too high. However, long-term training causes
neovascularization within the muscle, increasing the ability to move waste
products out of the muscles and maintain contraction. Once moved out of muscles
with high concentrations within the sarcomere, lactic acid can be used by other
muscles or body tissues as a source of energy. The ability of the body to export
lactic acid and use it as a source of energy depends on training level.
Humans are genetically predisposed with a larger percentage of one type of
muscle group over another. An individual born with a greater percentage of Type
I muscle fibers would theoretically be more suited to endurance events, such as
triathlons, distance running, and long cycling events, whereas a human born with
a greater percentage of Type II muscle fibers would be more likely to excel at
anaerobic events such as a 200 meter dash, or weight lifting. People with high
overall musculation and balanced muscle type percentage engage in sports such as
rugby or boxing and often engage in other sports to increase their performance
in the former.[citations needed]Delayed onset muscle soreness is the pain or
discomfort often felt 24 to 76 hours after exercising and subsides generally
within 2 to 3 days. Once thought to be caused by lactic acid buildup, a more
recent theory is that it is caused by tiny tears in the muscle fibres caused by
eccentric contraction, or unaccustomed training levels. Since lactic acid
disperses fairly rapidly, it could not explain pain experienced days after
exercise.[5]
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