A gentleman came up to me after a recent show and said, “Be honest. You’re juicing, right?” (it must’ve been arm day). I gave the guy a hug and thanked him. Such a nice compliment.
The truth is, after the two surgeries, two rounds of chemo, and roughly four months out of the gym, I am shocked at how quickly my muscles have been growing (Now, if only my hair would do the same thing).
Part of this is attributed to muscle memory. I know what you’re thinking, “Half the time you can’t remember to take out the trash. So, how does your muscle remember anything.” It is, more or less, just a term that describes two things: your procedural memory and your myonuclei.
Do you know the expression, “just like riding a bike”? Well, that saying comes from a part of your brain known as procedural memory. This memory records movements that the body has learned over time. Movements like dancing, playing an instrument, workout movements (squats, curls, etc), and yes, riding a bike. Doing movements correctly and efficiently is certainly part of the battle, so remembering how to perform an exercise would save sometime during the rebuild. But it is second in importance when it comes to muscle memory.
I know, just the word myonuclei makes you feel sleepy, like you’re sitting back in science class. But I’ll keep it as simple as possible. During exercise, your muscles get stronger and bigger, partly due to the addition of more myonuclei. When you stop working out, these myonuclei stay inside the muscle cells, even when your actual muscles shrink. What does that mean exactly? It means that when you do decide to work out again your body doesn’t have to waste time rebuilding more myonuclei, since they already exist.
So, if you’re still awake, you are probably wondering what the point of me telling you all of this is. Am I telling you to take a break from working out? Not at all. What I am saying is this: don’t be scared to take a break. Don’t feel defeated if you had to take a break. Most importantly, don’t let that break turn into forever because it feels too tough to start over.
Working out is an investment. One that the body will remember forever, “just like riding a bike.” So, don’t be discouraged if it has been a long time since you stepped foot in a gym. Your body will remember what it needs to do. You just have to get it there.
PS: the only juicing I do is with my NutriBullet. If you’d like to use one of my favorite recipes, click here.
See also:
Our Rebuild: Finding Inspiration In Frustration
Our Rebuild: Make Yourself A Priority
Our Rebuild: The Journey Begins Today
Comedian Buddy Harris To Write Column For North Penn Now
