From: paul@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (Paul Lalonde)
Subject: Muscle cell memory: is there such a theory?
Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 06:37:19 GMT

Back in 1989, I was a diehard weightlifter (age 19). In about six months,
I'd increased my weight from 170 to 190, and was very well developed for my
age. Just for benchmark purposes (no pun intended), I was benching 315 (max)
and squatting 405 for eight reps. (Yes, I think somewhere along the line
somebody in my family tree inherited moose legs :)

Well, after reaching these hard sought-after goals, I ended up breaking my
right arm in an arm-wrestling competition. (To those arm wrestlers on the
net: this was my first defeat in organized competition, if you can call it
a defeat. You'd be surpised what injurious things can happen when *YOU
DON'T WARM UP THE BONES!*)

As you might expect, I no longer advocate arm wrestling. Face two similarly
successful arm wrestlers together, let them go at it, and watch what happens
when they give it their all and neither budges the other. Something is going
to give. In my case, I had to carry it to the ambulance with my remaining
good arm. Can't forget the rotator cuff injury sustained at the same time.
Two operations, twelve screws and one plate later, I'm not too
eager to think about arm wrestling.

Anyways, I started back up (working out) five days a week in October of
1992. When I started, I was 175 and was benching 155x8 and squatting
about 185x8.

Now, little over three months later, I'm benching more than I used to,
and have comfortably settled into a 315x8 deep squat routine.
I'm also back to my weight of 190, with very little body fat (hell, I can
see almost every vein in my body... and not much gut to pinch :)

Well, my question is this:  how is it possible for someone who has been
out of weightlifting for so long (including a dramatic weight loss to
155 in 1991 due to improper nutrition) to gain back this much ground in
such a short span of time?

One person told me that this is a phenomenon called "cell memory". Since
muscle mass increase is due to the fibres themselves hypertrophing and
not actual production of new muscle, he explained that since the muscle
fibres had been subjected to extreme stress repeatedly (and subsequently
becoming more massive) in the past, they were still somewhat receptive
to such stress/repair cycles. In short, he said that the body doesn't forget
physical stresses that physiologically alter its makeup, and when exposed
to them in the future, will revert to "ready-made" defensive techniques.
(Like the immune system).

Is there any basis in fact to this?  What other reasons might exist to
explain my fortunate rebound?

Regardless, there is no feeling that compares to the sense of accomplishment
and pride that comes as a result of seeing your own body being molded into
what it once was and what you always wanted it to be!

Thanks for your help!

Paul

-- 
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Paul Lalonde, Dept. of CompSci      |  "C'mon baby, don't fear the Reaper"
Laurentian University - Sudbury/ONT |                           -B.O.C.
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