Logan Steele
Muscle memory is a term used to describe the retention of motor skills. It is a form of motor learning that occurs in the central nervous system (CNS) rather than the muscles themselves. When you learn a new movement, that information becomes encoded in the brain, so that in the future, you can perform the movement automatically without conscious thought. Muscle memory is of particular interest to exercise physiologists, who have observed that previously trained muscles acquire strength and volume after a period of disuse much more quickly than untrained muscles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle memory is encoded, stored and retrieved | In the brain |
| Muscle memory is a type of | Motor learning |
| Muscle memory is not about | Muscle cells remembering exercise |
| Muscle memory is about | Muscle fibre nuclei increasing as muscle mass increases |
| Muscle memory is about | Previously trained muscles acquiring strength and volume after a period of disuse |
| Muscle memory is about | The retention of motor skills |
| Muscle memory is about | Motor skills being genetically pre-wired |
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What You'll Learn
Muscle memory is not about muscle cells 'remembering' exercise
Muscle memory is not about muscle cells remembering exercise. Instead, it is a type of motor learning that occurs in the central nervous system (CNS). When you learn a new movement, that information becomes encoded in the brain. This is why, if you haven't ridden a bike in years, you'll still be able to ride one after a few wobbly moments. Your brain remembers how to ride the bike, not your muscles.
Motor skills are acquired through practice, but we also learn most of our motor memory repertoire during our lifetime. For example, facial expressions are thought to be learned, but they can be observed in blind children, suggesting that some motor memory is genetically pre-wired.
When exercise physiologists talk about muscle memory, they are referring to the phenomenon whereby previously trained muscles acquire strength and volume after a period of disuse much more quickly than untrained muscles. This is because, as muscles are trained, the number of muscle fibre nuclei, or myonuclei, can increase as muscle mass increases. These nuclei stick around even when muscle mass goes away.
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Motor learning occurs in the central nervous system (CNS)
Motor learning is also referred to as 'motor memory' or 'motor skills'. Most motor skills are thought to be acquired through practice, but some are observed. Research suggests that we do not start off with a blank slate with regard to motor memory, although we do learn most of our motor memory repertoire during our lifetime. For example, facial expressions are thought to be learned, but they can be observed in blind children, so there is some evidence for motor memory being genetically pre-wired.
When exercise physiologists talk about muscle memory, they are referring to the phenomenon whereby previously trained muscles acquire strength and volume after a period of disuse much more quickly than never-trained muscles do when starting from scratch. Muscle memory doesn't have to do with muscle cells 'remembering' exercise. As your muscles are trained, the number of muscle fibre nuclei, or myonuclei, can increase as muscle mass increases. These nuclei stick around even when muscle mass goes away.
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Muscle memory is about the retention of motor skills
Muscle memory doesn't have to do with your muscle cells "remembering" exercise. As your muscles are trained, the number of muscle fibre nuclei, or myonuclei, can increase as muscle mass increases. These nuclei stick around even when muscle mass goes away.
Research suggests we do not start off with a blank slate with regard to motor memory, although we do learn most of our motor memory repertoire during our lifetime. Movements such as facial expressions, which are thought to be learned, can actually be observed in children who are blind; thus, there is some evidence for motor memory being genetically pre-wired.
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Muscle memory is genetically pre-wired
Muscle memory is not about your muscle cells remembering exercise. Instead, it is a type of motor learning that occurs in the central nervous system (CNS). When you learn how to perform movements well, that information becomes encoded in your brain. This is why, if you've ever taken a long break from riding a bike, you'll find that you can still ride one. Your brain remembers how to.
There is also a neural component to muscle memory. Research shows that muscles have a memory of their former strength level that may last indefinitely. When you've trained your muscles before, they will acquire strength and volume more quickly than untrained muscles. This is because the number of muscle fibre nuclei, or myonuclei, can increase as muscle mass increases. These nuclei stick around even when muscle mass goes away.
There is some evidence that muscle memory is genetically pre-wired. Facial expressions, for example, are thought to be learned, but they can be observed in blind children.
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Muscle memory is about the number of muscle fibre nuclei, or myonuclei
Muscle memory is not about the muscles themselves 'remembering' how to perform a movement, but about the motor learning that occurs in the central nervous system (CNS). However, there is a neural component to muscle memory, as previously trained muscles will acquire strength and volume more quickly than untrained muscles. This is because, as muscles are trained, the number of muscle fibre nuclei, or myonuclei, can increase as muscle mass increases. These nuclei stick around even when muscle mass goes away, meaning that muscles have a memory of their former strength level that may last indefinitely.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle memory is the retention of motor skills. It is the process by which the brain encodes, stores and retrieves information about how to perform certain movements.
Muscle memory is not about the muscles themselves 'remembering' exercise. Instead, it is about the brain remembering how to perform certain movements. When you learn a new movement, the information becomes encoded in the brain, so that in the future, you can perform the movement automatically without conscious thought.
Muscle memory helps previously trained muscles to acquire strength and volume more quickly than untrained muscles. This is because, as muscles are trained, the number of muscle fibre nuclei, or myonuclei, can increase as muscle mass increases. These nuclei stick around even when muscle mass goes away, so it is easier to regain lost muscle mass.
There is some evidence that muscle memory is genetically pre-wired. For example, facial expressions, which are thought to be learned, can be observed in blind children, suggesting that some motor memory is innate.
