Built to Last

Just like the long-running ad campaign for Ford trucks stated, we too, are built to last. 

Evolved for survival, our bodies are designed to take wear and tear and be ready for any condition. The qualities of longevity and endurance are built into our DNA and the capacity for power and reactivity are designed into the cellular structure of our muscles.

Our ancestors needed endurance to roam the earth and find food and shelter. Equally, they also needed the ability to quickly move away from threats or toward a food source. A more modern example of this is in track and field athletes. Marathon runners and their 100-metre-dash counterparts both train for the energy expenditure needed for their particular events. At the cellular level within their muscles, the required muscle fibre types are triggered for action. 

Slow-twitch fibers are built for endurance and sustained activity, while fast-twitch fibers are designed for short, powerful bursts of movement. Most of our daily activities and recreation such as jogging or walking at a quick pace draw on our endurance muscles, however, our power-producing fibres often don’t get the stimulation they need to maintain their role. 

We can feel this in our bodies as we age. Noticing changes in reaction time and strength and feeling more breathless with short cardio bursts are all signs that your sprinter cells need some attention.

As we age, our bodies shed or convert these quick-twitch fibres if they are not maintained. In the end, we’re built to last and walk to the ends of the earth if needed. This means our slow twitch muscles will support us in the long run, but if the quick twitch fibres are not stimulated, they will die back and convert into the more efficient and endurable slow twitch fibres. 

The good news? It’s never too late and you’re never too old to build strength. And here are three ways to keep your power and speed producing cells vital:

1. Practice reaction-time drills, like bouncing and catching a small ball, or doing foot drills either standing or seated.

2. Establish a twice-weekly resistance training routine with bands or heavy weight to challenge and fatigue your muscles.

3. During walks or jogs, practice short bursts of cardio until you feel breathless. 

Here’s the best news: Commit to training quick twitch muscle fiber types and you will see and feel quick results! They respond and develop faster under stimulation and within a few weeks you’ll feel faster, stronger and more reactive!

Join me June 16-July 9 for a four-week session of either Essentrics or Vital Moves Barre to workout all the twitches!