Muscle memory is a fascinating phenomenon that influences our ability to build muscle and maintain fitness. To better understand this concept and use it to our advantage, it is essential to learn how muscle memory works, its benefits and limitations, and how to leverage it to improve your athletic performance.
What is muscle memory?
Muscle memory refers to our body's ability to efficiently perform movements and actions to which it has been exposed before. Indeed, the nervous system and muscles work together to create and store "memories" of these movements. This memory allows muscles to more easily regain their shape and strength after a period of inactivity or when resuming exercise. Several explanations can be given to explain this phenomenon such as neuronal adjustments and changes at the cellular and molecular level.
How is muscle memory developed?
When learning a new movement or skill, the brain actively works to create connections between neurons responsible for muscle coordination and control. As these connections strengthen, the brain becomes more efficient at sending signals to the muscles to successfully execute the movement. This improvement reflects the nervous system's adaptation to that specific training.
The different types of muscle memory
There are several forms of muscle memory:
- Procedural memory: This concerns the learning of specific motor skills, such as learning to play a musical instrument, performing complex movements in dance or even playing a sport. This memory is stored in the brain and allows you to automatically execute the learned gestures without having to think.
- Strength memory: This is the ability of muscles to remember their previous strength after a break in training or a temporary stop. For example, after an injury, it can be difficult for some people to regain their initial strength, but with time and training, muscle memory helps to regain this strength more quickly than during the first workout.
- Muscle adaptations: In addition to changes in the brain and nervous system, repeated practice of a movement or exercise also causes adaptations in the muscles. These adaptations include the recruitment of new muscle fibers, strengthening of existing neuromuscular connections, and muscle growth (hypertrophy). All of these adaptations together contribute to the development of muscle memory.
How does muscle memory work?
The process of muscle memory relies on several interacting mechanisms:
- Neural adaptations: When we start a new exercise, our body must learn the movements and develop the appropriate neural connections. Then, as we practice the exercise regularly, these connections become stronger and more efficient, making it easier to perform the movements and increasing performance. These adaptations are maintained even if we temporarily stop practicing the exercise.
- Changes at the cellular level: Regular physical activity also causes changes in muscle fibers. Muscles produce and integrate more cell nuclei (called myonuclei), which allows for better protein synthesis and therefore an increase in muscle mass. These nuclei remain present even after a period of inactivity, which promotes rapid gain in muscle mass when training resumes.
- Role of genes: Some people have a genetic predisposition to develop muscle memory more easily. Indeed, certain genes are responsible for the faster development of nerve connections and cellular plasticity.
Harnessing Muscle Memory to Improve Performance
Understanding how it works allows you to take advantage of muscle memory to optimize your workouts and become more efficient. Here are some tips to help your muscles remember longer and better:
- Regular practice: The best way to strengthen muscle memory is to practice your physical activity regularly. The repetition of movements will imprint the motor pattern into the brain and muscle fibers.
- Variety of exercises: For a harmonious development of muscle memory, it is essential to vary the exercises in order to accustom your body to different types of stress. This will help refine your overall motor skills and preserve flexibility and muscle balance.
- Training periodization: Planning training cycles with periods of progressive loading, recovery, and intensification (increasing the number of repetitions or number of exercises) helps maximize neural adaptations and strength gains. The body learns to better manage the stress associated with exercise and perform movements more efficiently.
- Maintain adequate nutrition: To support your muscle memory, make sure you provide your body with all the elements it needs for muscle repair and growth. Focus on getting enough protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and don't forget the essential vitamins and minerals for a healthy nervous and immune system.
- Allow yourself time to recover: Neural and cellular adaptation processes require time to rest so that the body can properly integrate this new information. Taking the time to recover and take care of your joints and tendons is essential to avoid injuries.
- Specific training: To maximize the effects of muscle memory in a particular sport or discipline, it is essential to train specifically for that activity, reproducing the movements and coordination patterns required.
- Performance retention: When an athlete has to temporarily stop training due to an injury, they may worry about losing muscle memory and skills developed during this period. However, thanks to the neural connections already established, resuming training will usually allow these skills to be regained quickly, even after a long period of inactivity.
A concrete example of the importance of muscle memory is the ability of gymnasts to perform complex routines with great precision and optimal coordination.
The Limits of Muscle Memory
It is important to note that muscle memory also has some limitations:
- Time: The longer the break between workouts, the less likely it is to quickly return to your initial performance. Muscle memory lasts over time, but it gradually fades depending on inactivity or the distance from the training stimulus.
- Specificity: Muscle memory is very specific, only applying to movements performed during previous workouts. So, if you are used to running but have never cycled, your muscles will have little memory to help you pedal efficiently.
Muscle Memory: In Summary
Finally, muscle memory is an interesting tool to help your body perform and adapt to different types of physical activities. Understanding how it works and knowing how to use it can significantly improve your sports performance and make it easier to get back into it after a period of inactivity.
