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this was posted on the AST website, who are very strict with the content and opinions they give about most anything.
http://www.ast-ss.com/dev/qa_search/full_text.asp?ID=2294
Q: Do you think it???s possible to change the shape of a muscle with specific training?
A: For decades elite bodybuilders have suggested that the shape of a muscle or muscle group can be altered with specific training. Scientifically, this has never been directly examined. Due to my back ground in exercise physiology, I thought the notion that certain exercises can ???shape??? a muscle was a crock. However, the literature presented in an article by prominent bodybuilding researcher, Jose Antonio provides a fair case that ???site-specific??? training is capable of altering a muscle???s shape (J. Streng Cond Res. 14;102-113, 2000).
Muscle appears to be much more complex than a simple bunch of fibers that attach to bone and create movement. There are unique differences within each muscle and within single muscle fibers. Within a single muscle fiber there can be varying degrees of size, metabolism, contraction characteristics, and protein composition. Electromyographic activity (EMG) data shows that varying an exercise can alter the recruitment of certain fibers along an entire muscle. In other words, different portions of a muscle maybe called into play depending on posture, position of the limb and range of motion of an exercise.
From the research available on this subject, muscles do appear to adapt in a region-specific manner. Muscle is a very malleable component and the area that is stressed is the area that changes! From this point of view, varying exercise selection appears important to maximizing muscle growth.
With specific training, a bodybuilder may be able to alter the shape of their muscles. However, never forget that overload is the dominant principle that leads to size increases. Vary your exercise selection, but never at the sacrifice of maximal overload. The trick is to select only from those exercises that allow for maximal overload. See our Exercise Execution section and the Max-OT program for a definitive list of the better exercises to utilize.
Hmm..... shaping a muscle possible?
What are your thoughts?
http://www.ast-ss.com/dev/qa_search/full_text.asp?ID=2294
Q: Do you think it???s possible to change the shape of a muscle with specific training?
A: For decades elite bodybuilders have suggested that the shape of a muscle or muscle group can be altered with specific training. Scientifically, this has never been directly examined. Due to my back ground in exercise physiology, I thought the notion that certain exercises can ???shape??? a muscle was a crock. However, the literature presented in an article by prominent bodybuilding researcher, Jose Antonio provides a fair case that ???site-specific??? training is capable of altering a muscle???s shape (J. Streng Cond Res. 14;102-113, 2000).
Muscle appears to be much more complex than a simple bunch of fibers that attach to bone and create movement. There are unique differences within each muscle and within single muscle fibers. Within a single muscle fiber there can be varying degrees of size, metabolism, contraction characteristics, and protein composition. Electromyographic activity (EMG) data shows that varying an exercise can alter the recruitment of certain fibers along an entire muscle. In other words, different portions of a muscle maybe called into play depending on posture, position of the limb and range of motion of an exercise.
From the research available on this subject, muscles do appear to adapt in a region-specific manner. Muscle is a very malleable component and the area that is stressed is the area that changes! From this point of view, varying exercise selection appears important to maximizing muscle growth.
With specific training, a bodybuilder may be able to alter the shape of their muscles. However, never forget that overload is the dominant principle that leads to size increases. Vary your exercise selection, but never at the sacrifice of maximal overload. The trick is to select only from those exercises that allow for maximal overload. See our Exercise Execution section and the Max-OT program for a definitive list of the better exercises to utilize.
Hmm..... shaping a muscle possible?
What are your thoughts?
