Treadmills Effect Two Types of Muscle

There are two types of skeletal muscle.  There is the fast-twitch muscle and there is the slow-twitch muscle. No, one is not better than the other, they both have their own qualities and benefits. The only difference between these two type of muscles is the metabolic pathway that is etched throughout the muscle.  Metabolism, as you know, regulates energy and caloric burn and all that fun stuff.

Muscles burn energy by taking Oxygen and Sugar and turning them into electricity within the cells. Basically that is how it works anyway.  The process of conversion is called metabolism. Depending on how fast of slow the metabolic energy conversion is determines what the muscles will be best used for.

Let’s look at how these two types of muscles differ from each other.

• Fast-Twitch Muscle

This is the type of muscle that is generally developed through weight lifting or sprinting.  This muscle tissue is specifically designed to allow a lot of energy to course through it all at once. Thus enabling you to lift a 60 lb. dumbbell while wearing a muscle shirt and looking in the mirror.  This is the same type of muscle tissue that allows Usain Bolt to run at speeds of 20+ miles an hour.

• Slow-Twitch Muscle

This is the type of muscle that develops through aerobic activities like yoga, or jogging.  This muscle is specifically designed to regulate the amount of energy burned, so that you can keep your muscles feeling composed throughout long exercise routines.  This type muscle is developed largely by marathon runners who wear livestrong bracelets and sweat bands around their head.

For the most part people are about 50/50 on the slow-twitch fast-twitch split.  However people who train for Olympic sprints will have about 80 percent fast-twich muscle and people who train for marathons will have about 80 percent slow-twitch muscle.

Don’t worry about what type of muscle you are developing.  Just do what you do, and let the muscle develop naturally.

Posted by Thom Valadez