How to Train Each Muscle Group Depending on Fiber Type – Fast Twitch Vs Slow Twitch

Everyone at a gym is training specific areas of their body that they would like to develop. What they don’t know is that because of the different muscle fiber make up of each muscle group, they might not be training that muscle group properly and, therefore, slowing down their progress. This article will explain the how the predominate muscle fiber type found within a muscle should dictate how your training.

Muscle fibers are grouped into two basic categories, fast and slow twitch. They are grouped on their function and ability to perform specific types of work. Like their names describe, Fast twitch are used during more explosive type movements like jumping and Slow twitch for sustain efforts like distance running. All muscles are made up of different percentages of these two types of fibers; making some muscles more useful during explosive movements and some during slow sustain movements. For example your quads are predominately Fast twitch and your hamstrings are predominately slow twitch. Therefore, your quads are more useful for power movements and hamstrings for sustained efforts.

When deciding on how to train each muscle group, you should take into account the prevailing fiber type that muscle group consists of. Both types of fibers have the ability, if trained properly, to grow and become stronger. It just takes a program that caters to the natural function of the group being trained.

Predominately Fast twitch muscles will respond greater to high intensity, lower volume training. Lifting weights that are closer to your max will result in faster growth in both size and strength of your fast twitch muscles. Conversely, slow twitch muscle groups will respond faster to high volume, lower intensity training. Just remember that there are some slow twitch fibers in a Fast twitch muscle and vice versa, so an occasional high rep training session for Fast twitch muscles, and some high intensity training for slow twitch will target these less numerous fibers leading to a completely trained muscle.

Understanding the difference between the muscle fiber types and the muscles that each type makes up in the body will help you to organize your training and see results faster. Otherwise you might be overtraining or undertraining a muscle and not seeing the development you are looking for.

Source by Scott Edson

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