If I mention the words “muscle man” to you, what comes to mind? Maybe Speedo-clad weight lifters on Muscle Beach? How about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Universe days? Now what if I said that YOU are a muscle man (or woman)? That’s right – you are in possession of approximately 640 skeletal muscles grouped into 320 identical bilateral pairs that range in active function from moving your arms (the deltoids, biceps, and triceps) to raising your eyebrows (the occipitofrontalis). That’s a lot of muscle power!

Muscles are fascinating things. Merriam-Webster defines muscle as “a body tissue consisting of long cells that contract when stimulated and produce motion,” but of course, it’s much more complex than that. Muscles come in three types: 1. Cardiac muscle (the muscle of the heart, also called myocardium), 2. Smooth muscle (which controls involuntary actions, such as swallowing and focusing your eyes), and 3. Skeletal or striated muscle (which produces movement). Despite their varied jobs, all muscles are made of the same material – elastic-type fibers which stretch, relax, and contract during their performance duties. And when muscles are combined with the powers of nerves, blood, bone, and tendons, the result is the human body, a movement machine capable of infinite possibilities.

As with many things, muscle falls under the “use it or lose it” category. Underused muscles shrink, lose strength and endurance, become prone to injury, and in extreme cases, waste away in a process called muscle atrophy. This is why it’s important to include regular strength training as part of your complete fitness program. Performed 2-3 times a week (on non-consecutive days), strength training increases strength, endurance, and the size of your muscle fibers, and it also causes the growth of more capillaries around the muscle (which speeds the delivery of nutrient-rich oxygen). And perhaps best of all, because muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body, you’ll burn more calories throughout the day, not just when you exercise.

Strength training can be a complex topic, and while it’s not necessary to research every single piece of information out there, it is important to know a few basics. Next week, I’ll discuss how to safely add strength training to your fitness routine. Until then, keep moving, my friends!

- Alan