muscle building and genetics, special snow flake?

Mr_Knight

I don't think it's exactly earth shattering news that genetics is going to play a substantial roll in re to athletic performance and/or ability.

Add intelligence, motivation, etc to the list, too.

ummommyme

I've noticed often times someone will say I put on muscle easily or something along those lines and it seems many are quick to respond with you are not a special snowflake term. Or maybe just certain people say it a lot and it's not really a lot of people. Now i'm saying it a lot, lol. I just was putting another point of view out there so others can see genetics play an important role in our fitness too.

DavPul

Yeah, unfortunately lab control is unfeasible for a long term study... :-)

As a scientist in a related area, I'd be pretty confident with this study. I think it's reasonably well designed and that it's findings are described in a measured and sensible way. I think the implications are significant. We're comfortable with the notion that genetics influence our ability to learn music, to learn to dance, to achieve academically... why not weight lifting too?

It's a big sample for this kind of study. I'm not sure I see the kind of evidence of outliers influecing the interpretation unduly that you're suggesting. I do agree that it was sensationalised in the popular reporting, but that's not a comment on the science itself - it's bad reporting. (And trust me, that is super common. I've cringed about things the media have claimed I've said in my work!)

i think that's the part that leaves me completely flat. basically the article and the studies were a lot of words saying "genetics matter". I'm not sure where the news is here. yes, a lot of people here claim to be special snowflakes in one regard or another but i don't really see people arguing that genetics don't matter. they matter in everything else, from height to strength to speed to intelligence to medical anomalies so why wouldn't they matter when it comes to adaptation? i don't really recall people on the other side of this.

that said, everyone can make a change for the better or worse. we all have limitations but we can train and adapt to make quite a bit of difference within whatever genetic limits we were gifted from our parents.

mustgetmuscles1

Yeah, unfortunately lab control is unfeasible for a long term study... :-)

As a scientist in a related area, I'd be pretty confident with this study. I think it's reasonably well designed and that it's findings are described in a measured and sensible way. I think the implications are significant. We're comfortable with the notion that genetics influence our ability to learn music, to learn to dance, to achieve academically... why not weight lifting too?

It's a big sample for this kind of study. I'm not sure I see the kind of evidence of outliers influecing the interpretation unduly that you're suggesting. I do agree that it was sensationalised in the popular reporting, but that's not a comment on the science itself - it's bad reporting. (And trust me, that is super common. I've cringed about things the media have claimed I've said in my work!)

i think that's the part that leaves me completely flat. basically the article and the studies were a lot of words saying "genetics matter". I'm not sure where the news is here. yes, a lot of people here claim to be special snowflakes in one regard or another but i don't really see people arguing that genetics don't matter. they matter in everything else, from height to strength to speed to intelligence to medical anomalies so why wouldn't they matter when it comes to adaptation? i don't really recall people on the other side of this.

that said, everyone can make a change for the better or worse. we all have limitations but we can train and adapt to make quite a bit of difference within whatever genetic limits we were gifted from our parents.

It will definitely give some people the excuse they wanted to not even try. It also gives those, that believe they can somehow grow muscle easily, something to point at and say see we are all different.

jimmmer

i think that's the part that leaves me completely flat. basically the article and the studies were a lot of words saying "genetics matter". I'm not sure where the news is here. yes, a lot of people here claim to be special snowflakes in one regard or another but i don't really see people arguing that genetics don't matter. they matter in everything else, from height to strength to speed to intelligence to medical anomalies so why wouldn't they matter when it comes to adaptation? i don't really recall people on the other side of this.

that said, everyone can make a change for the better or worse. we all have limitations but we can train and adapt to make quite a bit of difference within whatever genetic limits we were gifted from our parents.

I think we're in agreement. Lets be honest: how many people are ever actually going to bump up against their genetic limits? Just because they're there doesn't mean you'll ever tap them out. Only people training to the highest level (olympians, NFL, etc) are going to discover their limits and they'll compensate for them by other means. Being strength limited outside of strongman or power/olympic lifting probably isn't going to hurt your chances too much. Most sports you just have to be "strong enough" so a certain amount of weakness is not a drawback. Then, all things being equal, skill at the game (and a whole host of other factors) will be the determinant between players

astronomicals

nvm

cwolfman13

I've noticed often times someone will say I put on muscle easily or something along those lines and it seems many are quick to respond with you are not a special snowflake term. Or maybe just certain people say it a lot and it's not really a lot of people. Now i'm saying it a lot, lol. I just was putting another point of view out there so others can see genetics play an important role in our fitness too.

I think you're missing context though...I would assume people making the snowflake comments are doing so because someone is claiming to be gaining muscle because they gain muscle easily...even though they're eating like a little bird and netting 800 calories per day or whatever. Energy surplus is still required to build substantial muscle. You gots to eat to have a shot at putting on any substantial muscle...and for the average joe/jane out there, it is a painfully slow process.

ummommyme

Yes you do need a lot of food to gain muscle. I suppose I just see that term often and i'm sure sometimes the individual just isn't willing to accept the fact that considering we may be eating the same amount and that the other person may have gained more muscle in the same amount of time. I'm sure many are using the term in the correct way though and I'm sure they will continue to use it. Again I just was wanting to show that we aren't made of one mold and our bodies react differently to different stimuli.