Developing Fast Twitch muscles?

RaggedyAnnazon
RaggedyAnnazon Posts: 183 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How do you work fast twitch muscles?
My slow twitch are really developed, but I'm slow..like, movement wise.
Did zumba and it was like my muscles didn't even want to respond when I tried to move quickly.

If running, jumping jacks, etc are the answers: I have bad knees and a bad hip, not bad enough I can't walk to stand for a while or need surgury but I could really injure myself if I do to much jumping or quick running. So if there's anything else that can help develop them until I feel strong enough to attempts the running or jumping please let me know.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    You're a bit confused. Being slow at Zumba has nothing to do with a fast-twitch fiber deficiency. In your case, it sounds like your painful joints are inhibiting movement - basically your body's way of preventing you from doing more damage. Until you get that resolved, you probably won't be able to move faster. I suggest seeing a doctor. If you did that and they were of no help, see a physical therapist. They'll give you a customized plan. Following generic workouts on the web may do more harm than good.
  • RaggedyAnnazon
    RaggedyAnnazon Posts: 183 Member
    bump
  • RaggedyAnnazon
    RaggedyAnnazon Posts: 183 Member
    You're a bit confused. Being slow at Zumba has nothing to do with a fast-twitch fiber deficiency. In your case, it sounds like your painful joints are inhibiting movement - basically your body's way of preventing you from doing more damage. Until you get that resolved, you probably won't be able to move faster. I suggest seeing a doctor. If you did that and they were of no help, see a physical therapist. They'll give you a customized plan. Following generic workouts on the web may do more harm than good.

    I've seen both, been given exercises to do which I incorporate into my workouts.
    Sadly, my insurance wont cover anything that would actually tell me if it's a real problem (like cartalidge or ligaments. I believe it's a overstreached ligament on my one knee, it wants to hyperextend all the time and even with the exercises likes to go loose on me).
    At this point I think a big part of it is my weight. 6'ft and 280-something isn't exsactly tender on the joints.

    But still, I'd really like to get those fast twick muscles worked.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Muscle fibers are recruited in order and always in order. Slow twitch muscles are always recruited first, and with increased intensity, fast twitch fibers are then recruited. This means that it's impossible to recruit fast twitch muscle fibers without already recruiting slow twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers are recruited from lifting heavy weights that are very difficult for your muscles to lift and require large amounts of relative strength.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,022 Member
    Moving quickly in Zumba has more to do with actual coordination and repetition speed, not fast twitch or slow twitch muscle fibers. Some people are just slow because they are.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • RaggedyAnnazon
    RaggedyAnnazon Posts: 183 Member
    Muscle fibers are recruited in order and always in order. Slow twitch muscles are always recruited first, and with increased intensity, fast twitch fibers are then recruited. This means that it's impossible to recruit fast twitch muscle fibers without already recruiting slow twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers are recruited from lifting heavy weights that are very difficult for your muscles to lift and require large amounts of relative strength.

    So as long as I'm seeing results with lifing and increasing my weights the fast twitch will get there?
  • chrispholt
    chrispholt Posts: 3 Member
    As said above, muscle units (which stimulate muscle fibres) have an extraordinary precise order of recruitment - S > FI > FII.
    It does this because : S (slow) fibres are fatigue resistance, but have low power.
    FA (fast type A) are fatigue resistant and have a medium power
    FB (fast type B) are fatigable, but have a higher level of power

    It is also important to understand that (obviously) your muscles adapt to increased work, however they increase the S fibres more than FI which is before FII. Compared to elderly people who lose S and FI fibres more than FII - hence they cannot walk very far...

    So you have to worked very hard to use your FA and FB fibres, but I wouldn't think about it too much.

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