Muscle Memory: What it Is, How it Works, and How Long it Lasts

If you have been physically fit in the past, will you have an easier time getting fit again in the future?

According to those who defend the existence of muscle memory, yes. But what does this concept consist of? It is a type of memory “localized” in our muscles, which allows us to more easily do exercises that we had already practiced in the past.

In this article we turn to scientific research and different experts in the field to shed a little light on the different aspects surrounding this topic: Does muscle memory really exist?

How does it work? What does it depend on? What factors determine whether it appears sooner or later? How long does it last? We will answer these and other questions in this article.

Muscle memory: what is it?

Many years ago, there was a tendency to think that muscles that atrophied, either as a result of disuse or as a result of an injury, would never recover. However, today we know that this is not the case, thanks to the concept of muscle memory.

But what is muscle memory? It is about the memory that our muscles “have”, that is, that ability that allows us to repeat movements more easily when we have already performed them before

In this way, our muscles can “retain” the memory of certain exercises, and even our previous muscle growth, as stated by Robert Seaborne, one of the researchers of a study developed by Keele University (United Kingdom). about muscle memory, and which we will discuss later.

Muscle memory can be appreciated especially in athletic people that, even if they temporarily abandon sport, they recover their physical shape more easily, and have an easier time than other people who have never done sport when it comes to doing certain exercises again.

Thus, this type of memory It helps us when we abandon our sports routines and get back to it, since it allows us to recover physical shape more easily. But does muscle memory really exist? What does science say about it?

Neurosciences and muscle memory

Science has tried to answer the question of whether muscle memory really exists and, if so, how it works. One of these answers, according to recent research, would be found in genetics (that is, the origin of muscle memory would be found here).

Along these lines, research published in the journal Scientific Reports of Nature and developed by a team at Keele University (United Kingdom), suggests that human skeletal muscle has an epigenetic memory that is determined by earlier growth which allows our body to recover more quickly.

However, the results of this research “clashed” with what other theories say in relation to muscle memory. One of these theories is the one developed by the biologist Kristian Gundersen, according to which there is an increase in myonuclei (the nuclei found within muscle fibers) in the cells of our muscle fibers which would explain (roughly) how muscle memory works.

Returning to the topic of genetics, experts have found specific genes related to muscle memory and, therefore, to a better return to the physical shape of our body.

These genes could improve certain rehabilitation treatments to which professional athletes undergo when they are injured, for example. It has also been seen how these genes could also prolong the effects of certain drugs that some athletes take to improve their muscle construction.

Other investigations

Another study along the lines of genetics, this time developed by Moberg et al. (2020), revealed that Various regulatory genes, as well as some proteins involved in the adaptation that muscles make to resistance exercises, are related to muscle memory (i.e. they are influenced by each person’s previous training history).

One of the notable results of this study is that the cells in the leg exercised by the participants, after 10 weeks of training and 20 weeks of rest, were more prepared to develop volume and strength, at a genetic and metabolic level.

Specifically, the researchers found a wide range of genetic markers, as well as biochemical signals, within the participants’ muscle cells, related to the proper functioning of the muscles and their growth.

According to research, muscle memory clearly does exist, and it appears as a consequence of sports training However, the researchers emphasize that more research is needed in this regard.

Beyond genetics

However, muscle memory is not only believed to be due to genetics. Francisco Ozores, anthropometry technician and physical education teacher, explains that muscle memory is a broad concept, which It encompasses (or is explained by) three essential aspects: the organic, the psychological and the physiological

According to him, people who are used to playing sports (especially professional or high-performance athletes) have different abilities than “ordinary” people as a result of their work, beyond the physical ones.

These abilities have to do, for example, with a “strong” mind capable of training to the limit, or with the fact of being able to develop new capillaries for that muscle mass that once had protein assimilation.

Thus, according to Ozores, muscle memory would be that ability that allows us to develop past physical exercises much more easily (which is an advantage for athletes compared to non-athletes); Later, according to him, genetics would also act, but for athletes and non-athletes alike.

How long does muscle memory last and what factors does it depend on?

According to experts, this depends on various factors, such as the age at which you stopped playing sports, the age at which you exercise your body again, the time elapsed between one moment and another, the type of diet, the own activity, genetic and metabolic factors, etc.

Ana Chezzi, nutritionist specializing in anthropometry, explains that muscle memory lasts approximately 72 hours; This means that the ideal would be that if we do sports on Monday, we should do it again on Thursday, since if not, all the preparation that our body has done (and therefore, our muscles) will deteriorate and even be lost.

The importance of sport (and youth)

It is not news that sport is so healthy for our body (and be careful, also for our mind!). Thus, experts agree to point out the importance of staying active and training our muscles as much as we can throughout our lives, although especially when we are young. This is because, as our body ages (as do our muscles), building muscle becomes increasingly difficult.

In this way, although muscle memory seems to exist and can help us a lot in this sense (in our physical recovery, for example, or simply being in shape), we can always “make things easier” for it by doing our part. Besides, Let’s not forget that without training, muscle memory does not exist