What does muscle "firmness" signify?

[makedah]

Everyone has had the experience of starting to "firm up" within weeks of starting an exercise program. But when muscles that used to be soft when you "make a muscle" start to feel hard to the touch, does it necessarily mean that the muscle has grown? Or is it something else (fluid, swelling, better contraction somehow)?

(I'm getting some hard hammies and biceps and although I enjoy making my friends touch them, I don't want to get all excited if it's just water!)

 

[Intenceman]

Muscle-even small ones IS hard, its the fat that is soft- when your start to "TONE UP" it is because you are developing more muslce and less fat- ie changing your body composition- Water doesn't make you hard- water isn't hard.

 

[makedah]

The water thing was just an idea... but I meant the muscles themselves holding water - if there is even such a phenomenon.

My body composition hasn't changed significantly in 3 weeks, so I know that's not it.

 

[Ceebs]

Resistance training improves insulin sensitivity, which in turn improves glycogen storage, and to store 1 gram of glycogen intramuscularly requires 4 grams of water. So there's your answer.

 

[Puddles]

Resistance training improves insulin sensitivity, which in turn improves glycogen storage, and to store 1 gram of glycogen intramuscularly requires 4 grams of water. So there's your answer.

I don't like math!

 

[Ceebs]

I don't like math!

Moi non plus, it's my worst subject. I can balance my checkbook and double or halve a recipe, and THAT IS ALL THE MATH I NEED TO KNOW!

In plain English, weightlifting makes your muscles more efficient at storing glycogen. Think of an untrained muscle as a half-filled balloon, and air as glycogen and water. Weight training allows you to get more air into the balloon, making it fuller and harder. Make sense?

Anyway MrsPuddles, with that avatar, you're definitely doing something right. Never mind the physiology of resistance training.

 

[Intenceman]

If your body composition hasn't chnaged in three weeks, you either aren't training- which isn't the case , or you are doing someting wrong. Neither seems the be the case here. The very fact- by definition, that you are feeling harder muscles means something HAS changed. good work!!

 

[Puddles]

Anyway MrsPuddles, with that avatar, you're definitely doing something right. Never mind the physiology of resistance training.

Thank you, Ceebs. I owe it all to my husband...he's teaching me well!

 

[MS]

Technically speaking, a well trained and fed muscle IS mostly water. A well hydrated muscle will be harder than a dehydrated/undercarbed muscle.

 

[makedah]

Hmm. So I was RIGHT about the water guess?

Cool!

Thanks Ceebs and MS.