What weighs more - muscle or fat? How much do muscles weigh? Which muscle is the largest, fastest and strongest?

Analysis problem muscle mass is that, on the one hand, muscle mass is a kind of constant value, and in healthy people it approximately fits into one range of values.

On the other hand, muscle mass and its increase mean an increase in body weight. Accordingly, you need to be sure that a person is “getting fat” because of muscles, and not because of fat. And finally, there is a direct problem with calculation as such: all available methods are quite approximate.

Let's talk about this.

When we're in Once again started testing the MGB scales, first of all, as you remember, we again turned to the problem of the accuracy of calculating the mass of fat in the body. This parameter is really important for all categories of people, while muscle mass seems to be of interest to “jocks” or, at a minimum, gym regulars.

And this is true: muscles are strength, endurance, the ability to lift heavy things and the aesthetic component, or appearance. Not everyone follows this and not everyone needs it. However, for example, for those who want to lose weight, they still need to monitor their muscle mass! For example, if you eat a low-calorie, low-protein diet, there is a high probability that a person will lose weight due to loss of muscle, not fat.

What's the trick?

Simply put: you can, in fact, assess changes in muscle mass only by eye. Seriously! In other words, we are back to the problem of burning fat, and not gaining muscle mass as such.

If you are trying to give your body definition, then you first gain some weight, eat it up, and then the “drying” process begins, and thus it turns out that you are not gaining muscle mass, but burning off excess fat, which is why analyzer scales are primarily are valuable to us because they help control this parameter with sufficient accuracy.

The second trick is that muscle mass is a certain constant value, the range of values ​​​​of which for a healthy person is approximately the same:

For men: normal muscle mass is about 45% of total body weight
For women: normal muscle mass is about 35% of total body weight

For those who work out systematically in the gym, the figure can increase to 50-55%, and for “regular” bodybuilders, up to 70%, but there are pills, injections and a lot of money. This is not our method!

On a smart scale this can be expressed this way:

On the left is the measurement of a person who regularly visits the gym, on the right is an ordinary office worker.

Is there a system in these dimensions? Yes, I have. For example, if we compare the indicator of a person who simply systematically works out in the gym, pursuing his own interests, with the data of a martial arts coach, the picture will be different:

How accurate is this?

And here is the second trick. There is nothing to compare it with! More precisely, not even like that. The thing is that in most sources, one word is removed from the phrase “Muscle mass”, which is the secret. There are two muscle masses: Lean Body Mass And Skeletal Muscle Mass.

They cannot be compared, and modern diagnostics, primarily bioimpedance analysis and DEXA analysis calculate different meanings! DEXA shows “Lean”, and bioimpedance “Skeletal”, hence the difference:

Three values: bioimpedance in the clinic, smart scales MGB, DEXA

In other words, on an x-ray you see a complex figure for the content of muscles, water in muscles and cells, which can constitute a significant proportion, and this also does not characterize the relief of the body in any way!

If you set a goal, then, of course, it is possible to adjust the values, since bioimpedance analysis shows both extracellular fluid and general fluid, which can be divided into muscles, but this is already a so-so story.

In other words, according to this parameter: skeletal muscle mass bioimpedance can only be compared with bioimpedance, and “Lean Body Mass” can be calculated at home completely impossible, despite the formulas for calculating muscle mass, of which there are plenty on the Internet.

Bioimpedance analysis in the clinic and MGB smart scales

The skeletal muscle mass with which we are dealing is a certain conditional indicator of the body’s health, endurance and physical development. Lean Mass is largely “gained” due to fluid and connective tissue; it is difficult to say exactly what percentage of skeletal muscle mass in this indicator. As a result, it must be said that neither of the two indicators characterizes the relief of the body! Although, judging by the data, the indicator of scales is closer to “lean muscle mass” than an x-ray.

What does the Internet say?

Potential normal person without drugs and doctors, as noted, this is up to 12 kg of muscle per year with uniform sports loads, decreasing from year to year to 6 and 3 kg, respectively. Instant recruitment is almost impossible without additional stimulation, but the effect of this is quick and not always useful.

Good example quick effect- actors who can afford to quickly gain weight and muscle mass and quickly get rid of it, and then gain it again.

It's expensive and unhealthy, but Hollywood stars they have money and they just can afford it. Most ordinary people they strive to correct their figure much more systematically, and the system gives results, but in our system it is enough to stick to values ​​close to the normal range, and this can be observed in trends using smart scales.

Also, we must not forget that myostatin is responsible for muscle growth, and some people are genetically limited in their ability to endlessly grow muscle.

Somehow else? Yes! Let's try with a caliper

When we were just starting to talk about scales as a way to analyze the body, experts immediately appeared who (partly and rightly) questioned the bioimpedance method in principle.

A truly in-depth, detailed analysis of body composition is only possible with the help of X-rays - DEXA. However, mathematics is also suitable for tracking trends: and somewhere, a regular calculator.

Do you want to compare a study for 10,000 rubles on average with the results of a centimeter for 10 rubles on average?

For such calculations, just use this calculator. Of course, there is a difference, but not so catastrophic, it is clear that the person is thin, everything is within the normal range.

To calculate skeletal muscle mass, you can also use a calculator, albeit a little more “demanding”.

Something like this…

Lost in translation?

The first thing that came to mind: Lean Body Mass can be translated in different ways: both as “muscle mass”, and as “lean” or “dry” body mass, or as fat-free. And it would be very logical. Indeed: everything that is not fat must be muscle.

Everything speaks in favor of this version, except for one tiny discrepancy: in the DEXA study there are two columns: lean body mass and Lean Body Mass, and there are slightly different numbers: that means they are not the same thing.

In general, this indicator - beige body mass - DEXA is already comparable to the bioimpedance measurement.

As a result, we must admit that when designating “Muscle mass”, different studies and analyzes imply different data. Secondly, it should be noted that muscles, muscle mass is not the same as relief, and this term should rather be understood as a certain indicator of body strength, endurance and physical fitness: close to athletic or, conversely, to obesity. And here everything is inseparable from the fat mass: how much is it? Weight is gained both from fat and from muscles, and with a weight of 100+ kg, muscle mass can be calculated proportionally, but with a round belly instead of abs - you, unfortunately, are not an athlete.

We also note that analyzer scales, since they are based on bioimpedancemetry technology, measure skeletal muscle mass, which has a certain normal range, where it is not so difficult to get healthy person.

And, perhaps, today this particular indicator cannot be approximately calculated in any other way except with hands and a caliper. However, in order to calculate this data with a caliper and a centimeter, you still need to know your own weight, and then the circle is closed - it’s time to buy scales.

We suggest using: lightweight, compact and comfortable, which have passed a number of tests and comparisons on different people, including in comparison with classical clinical studies using a bioimpedance meter and a DEXA device.

The scales were primarily tested for their ability to calculate fat mass, and in this regard they were very convincing.

And the second dimension with another participant:

Data	MGB	DEXA
Fat mass in %	37	38,6
Fat mass in kg	38,7	37,8
Lean mass in kg Add tags

It's a "science-based myth" among gym goers working to increase muscle mass that they always aim for 8-12 reps for maximum hypertrophy and rarely do 1-3 reps for strength. Zozhnik explains why they are right in the short term and wrong in the long term of muscle building.

“Why are you only doing three reps?” — one young guy asked me recently at a sports club, after he friendly agreed to help me on the bench press. "Why not?" - I asked. “Well, you won’t gain muscle mass this way,” and added another phrase that has almost become mandatory, that muscle mass gain occurs within 10 repetitions and that, they say, you cannot do less than 6 repetitions. Anything less than 6 reps makes no sense to a bodybuilder.

These are the categorical features that scientifically based knowledge is gradually acquiring among. It was already published on Zozhnik - the optimal number of repetitions, approaches, speed of lifting weights, pause size, etc. were studied. However, this does not mean that it is always more effective to do only this kind of training.

It is important to sometimes look at familiar things from a different angle and include training for maximum muscle strength in your training process, especially since science is on the side of versatile training to achieve results over a long distance.

Types of Muscle Hypertrophy

It is very important to know that there are two main types of muscle hypertrophy. The goal of a typical bodybuilding training is usually the so-called sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. It is trained with a fairly high number of repetitions. It is usually advised to train in the range of 5-15 repetitions.

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy characterized by an increase in volume sarcoplasma, which surrounds the so-called myofibrils. Despite the fact that this type of training also affects myofibrils, since otherwise a person would not become stronger by training in high range repetitions, the growth of muscle strength, however, with this type of training, it happens much worse than with training in the range of 1-5 repetitions.

At myofibrillar hypertrophy thickening of muscle fibers occurs due to an increase in the number of myofibrils. Myofibrils play a critical role in the development of muscle strength and respond best to very hard training. To fully utilize the full potential of myofibrils, you need to train maximum muscle strength.

A picture showing 2 main types of muscle increase in volume: either due to an increase in the number of myofibrils (occurs mainly during strength training), or due to an increase in the sarcoplasm around the myofibrils (due to classic bodybuilding - “mass”).

For bodybuilders, training with maximum weights is almost considered a mortal sin, as they are afraid that they will injure themselves while doing so. large scales, and also simply waste your time - because with this type of training, muscles do not increase in size as effectively as with other types of training.

However, to achieve maximum results, strength training has an important effect on overall muscle hypertrophy in the long term.

But in fairness it is worth noting that training with maximum weights are indeed more traumatic than training with lighter weights, so Zozhnik strongly does not recommend training with maximum weight for beginners.

Intermuscular coordination

However, most often those bodybuilders who get injured are those who test their maximum strength, rather than train it. Because they are simply not used to such weights, they do not have the intermuscular and intramuscular coordination they need to successfully perform this type of training. (and even more so for beginners. - Zozhnik’s note).

While intermuscular coordination- it is only an improved interaction between all the muscles that are involved in the exercise, and therefore it can be improved by constant repetition of a particular exercise, then intramuscular coordination- This is an improvement in the functioning of individual motor units within one muscle. It is this that is of great and decisive importance in training for maximum muscle strength.

Improved intramuscular coordination is caused by best job central nervous system. As intramuscular coordination improves, the central nervous system becomes able to recruit more muscle fibers simultaneously, increase the frequency at which muscle fibers fire, and recruit as many muscle fibers as possible. Only when the maximum number of muscle fibers work synchronously can maximum muscle force be produced. , .

The goal of training for maximum muscle strength is to maximize muscle potential through its maximum activation.

To specifically increase intramuscular coordination, you need to work with the appropriate weight and appropriate intensity. You need to work with 90-100% intensity, which is equivalent to 1-3 repetitions. The number of approaches in the exercise is 3-6.

Since the goal is to work almost all muscle fibers at the same time, you should train more with basic exercises and less with insulating ones. In addition, for better activation of the central nervous system, exercise should be performed in an explosive style (lift the projectile quickly and powerfully).

At such a high intensity, it is necessary to take long pauses between sets - from 4 to 10 minutes, recovering well between sets. The amount of work in one workout, on the contrary, should not be large. We should try to conduct such training more often than once a week to enable our central nervous system to adapt to such loads.

In addition, such training can be combined with your usual hypertrophy training. Thus, it has been proven that such “mixed training”, performed over four weeks, leads to a significant increase in strength.

An option for combining training could be this: after warming up, you gradually approach the required working weight, do 3 heavy sets of 1-3 repetitions. Then the weight is reduced and a couple more approaches are performed with 6-8 or 8-10 repetitions each. Next exercises for this muscle group They are also performed in the “classical style” so as not to overload the muscles and central nervous system.

Thanks to greater muscle strength, expressed in improved intramuscular coordination (increased number of myofibrils, more effective activation of muscle fibers), the athlete will be able to train with greater weight, but within the framework of classic volumetric bodybuilding training with big amount repetitions and ultimately be able to achieve better muscle (sarcoplasmic) hypertrophy.

And this kind of training is especially recommended for trainees who want to be as strong as they look. Maximum strength development can only be achieved by increasing cross section muscles and improve intramuscular coordination.

Sources:

1. Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky, PhD & William J. Kraemer, PhD – Science and Practice of Strength Training.
2. Dr. Jürgen Weineck – Optimales Training. Leistungsphysiologische Trainingslehre.
3. Dr. Tengler – Trainingsplanung für Bodybuilder.
4. Pavel Tatsouline – Power to the People.
5. http://www.team-andro.com/maximalkraft-im-bodybuilding.html

A person may encounter the need to determine muscle mass in a situation where he has decided to correct his figure and say goodbye to fat deposits. To do this, he needs to find out the percentage of fat mass and lean mass, the second includes muscles, skeleton, and organs. How to determine the percentage of muscles in the human body, and what is the norm for their content in the human body?

Proper nutrition for gaining muscle mass

Muscle weight determination

If a caliper is missing, it can be easily replaced with a caliper. Before you begin to determine muscle mass in the human body, you need to be aware of what body measurements will need to be taken to begin with and take into account all sorts of nuances of this process.

You should start the calculation by taking measurements using a centimeter, which will need to measure four circles:

• Shoulder.
• Forearm.
• Shin.
• Hip.

Measuring body volumes using a centimeter

It is very important to get correct result, and you can achieve it using the following tips:

• It is recommended to measure the shoulder only in a calm state, so you should not strain your muscles during the measurement process. You should try to measure the shoulder in the place where most of the muscles are located.
• When taking measurements from the forearm, care must be taken to ensure that the arm is not tense and hangs freely.
• To measure the lower leg, it is necessary to take measurements from the calves, preferably in the place where they are most visible.
• When measuring your hips, you need to stand straight so that your body weight is evenly distributed on your two legs. Then you should take measurements with a centimeter, covering the thigh under the gluteal fold

Body measurements in centimeters

After the required indicators have been taken, for further calculations you will also need to find out the subcutaneous fat folds. A caliper will help you do this. Based on the data obtained, it is possible to calculate what muscle mass a person has.

In order to understand the calculations, you can use the following decoding:

• M is the muscle mass of the body, which we need to calculate.
• L is an indicator that characterizes the height of men. For this formula, it is recommended to take height in centimeters.

M - this is muscle mass of the body

• r – to calculate this indicator, you need to perform three steps. The first step is to calculate the sum of the four indicators obtained at the very beginning of determining the mass - this is the coverage of the shoulder, forearm, lower leg and thigh. The resulting amount must be divided by 25, 12. The second step is similar to the first, because it also requires finding out the sum of the indicators and dividing it by 100. In the second step, measurements of subcutaneous fat folds are taken for calculation. The essence of the third action is to obtain the difference between the first action and the second. This difference and is the indicator r, which will need to be substituted into the formula given above.
• K is a constant indicator that is equal to 6.5.

This is how chest circumference is measured

Using this formula, provided that the calculations have been carried out correctly, it is possible to determine the weight of muscles in the human body. There is another formula with which it is quite easy to determine the percentage of muscle mass in the body of men and women. According to this formula, the percentage of lean body mass for men and women is calculated as the lean body mass obtained using the Matejka formula, divided by the P value. The resulting value is multiplied by 100 to obtain the percentage of muscles in the body of men and women. The number P in this formula indicates the person’s weight, which must be indicated in kilograms.

The percentage of lean body mass for men and women is different. So, for a woman, the norm is 35% of the total body weight. But the norm for men is slightly higher and is about 43%.

Of course, with regular physical activity And proper nutrition In the body of an athlete, the processes of increasing muscle mass are more activated than in a person who has nothing to do with sports. Therefore, the norm for an athlete is 50% muscle of the total body weight.

Measurement

In addition to calculating muscle mass, you can measure the progress of its growth, and this is quite simple to do. Moreover, this will not require fancy instruments and so on, because in this case the measurement will be carried out by observation. Armed with a centimeter and a camera, you can get started. In order to track the progress of muscle growth you need to:

• Measure your muscle condition every week. This will allow you to track even their slight increase. By recording the obtained indicators, the athlete will see progress every week. Measurements must be taken directly in the area of ​​those muscles to which the maximum load is directed.

Measure your muscle condition every week

• Using a camera you can also track the trend of muscle mass growth. By taking photos every week and comparing them with previous photos, the changes can be clearly seen.
• You should also pay attention to things like lifting more weight or working with equipment that weighs more than what was previously worked with in the gym. If an athlete notes that the weight of the barbell or dumbbell has increased, then this may also indicate that changes have occurred in the body, muscle mass has increased.

In most cases, people who direct all their efforts to increase their weight notice its growth when their usual clothes become tight for them. If we're talking about about shirts, T-shirts, then discomfort when wearing them occurs in the shoulders. The pants also become tight in the legs.

Most people know how much they weigh, if not exactly, then at least approximately. But how many people are able to say how much muscle, fat or bones weigh in their body, what percentage is fluid? Do you think this information is of any use? This is where you are mistaken, it is quite important to know this...

To explain briefly: a device for bioimpedance diagnostics measures the resistance of tissues and organs of our body. Svetlana Arkanova, head of the Health Center at the Regional Clinic of the State Budgetary Institution RO OKB, told Vecherka about how you can use this procedure to find out the composition of your body and what this information gives a person.

Why are patients given electric shocks?

The bioimpedance study procedure itself looks quite simple: the patient is placed on a couch, electrodes are attached to his body, using special apparatus conduct a study, and after a few minutes they allow him to stand up and tell him about what exactly his body consists of.

Electrodes pass a very weak current through the human body,” explains Svetlana Vladimirovna. – All tissues and organs have different densities, and therefore they produce different resistance. It is based on this parameter that the computer calculates the exact amount of fat, muscle and water in the body. And since data on the patient’s gender, age, weight and height are previously entered into the program, it produces a report and individual recommendations, suitable for a person.

The study is absolutely painless: the current in the bioimpedance apparatus is minimal. However, the procedure is not recommended for pregnant women, as well as patients with pacemakers or other implanted electronic devices. In addition, those who have metal structures in their arms or legs should not take risks. However, if the latter are installed asymmetrically (for example, they are present in only one arm), the doctor may give the go-ahead for the study.

In order for the results of bioimpedance diagnostics to be as accurate as possible, certain rules must be followed. The subject should not have inflammatory diseases, fever or severe swelling. It is better to take the study on an empty stomach or 2.5-3 hours after the last meal. If you drank alcohol, at least two days should pass before the procedure. And when it’s hot or frosty outside, before the test you need to spend five to ten minutes indoors at room temperature so that the body has time to adapt to it.

If the kilos don't go away

“Many people try to keep themselves in good physical shape, which is certainly commendable,” Svetlana Arkanova continues the story. – At the same time, people often focus on their weight. And they worry that they are training, but the weight is not decreasing... Bioimpedancemetry can show that despite the absence of changes in total mass body, its composition has changed, that is, body composition: the ratio and amount of fat and muscle tissue, fluid. And if the main weight is made up of muscles, then everything is in order with health.

Such a study will not prevent athletes, people leading active image life, and those who are fond of diets. It is enough to do this once every one and a half to two months: it is during this time that changes that are obvious to the apparatus occur in the body.

And, naturally, the procedure is indicated for people suffering from obesity or, on the contrary, from anorexia. Using the results of the study, the doctor will be able to give recommendations on how to improve your diet and, possibly, adjust your lifestyle in general.

BY THE WAY: Even with intense physical activity, our body is not able to burn more than 150 grams of fat per day. Dramatic weight loss (with a loss of seven to ten kilograms per month) indicates that you are burning not only fat, but also muscle, which has a negative impact on your health. The norm for a person losing weight is to reduce their weight by no more than three to four kilograms per month.

...and other diagnostic options

Using a bioimpedance study, you can also find out the amount of fluid in the body. And, if there is more of it than necessary, the doctor may suspect a person has problems with the cardiovascular system or kidneys and order a study from a specialized specialist long before heart problems begin to cause inconvenience.

In turn, the amount of active cell mass (ACM) indicates the weight of muscles, bones, internal organs and nerve tissues. If this indicator is below normal, then with further examination the doctor may find problems, for example, with the thyroid gland. In addition, a low amount of ACM may indicate that a person is losing weight due to loss of muscle and excess fluid, rather than fat.

“During the study, we also identify the metabolic rate in the body,” comments Svetlana Vladimirovna. – The device calculates how much energy your body uses per day at rest. In other words, it determines the minimum energy required for you. Metabolic speed is necessary for those who are keen on diets to know. For example, a girl is on a diet whose energy value is 1000 kilocalories per day. And her body needs 1200 per day! Naturally, she will lose weight, but at the same time the condition of the body, which does not receive enough energy, will seriously worsen.

In addition, as mentioned above, the device determines the amount of fat and lean mass in the patient’s body. If your bone mass is too low, it may indicate an unbalanced diet. A lack of muscle indicates that the body will age too quickly. As for fat, no matter how much it turns out to be, it will not be the weight you need to lose. Fat must be present in the body, and it is the device for bioimpedance diagnostics that can provide information about what amount of fat, muscle, bones and water will be optimal for you.

Let’s summarize: bioimpedansometry is a study both for those who want to get their figure in order, and for everyone who strives to stay healthy for as long as possible. After all, knowing the composition of your body, you can prevent many problems in advance...

Photo womanonly.ru

HELP "VR": You can undergo a bioimpedance examination at the Health Center at the clinic of the Ryazan Regional Clinical Hospital. Indications for the study are the presence of obesity or anorexia in people under the age of 50 years.

Muscle tissue makes up about 40% of body weight. This means that 20-30 kg of an adult’s weight comes from muscles. In total, humans have more than 400 muscles.

Which muscle is the largest?

The diaphragm that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavity. This muscle is flat and thin, like a dome, and attaches to the ribs and spine.

One of the fastest movements is blinking the eyes. It occurs in just 40 milliseconds by contracting the orbicularis muscle. In the thickness of the cartilage of the eyelids there are special glands that protect them from sticking and promote the adhesion of dust particles. During sleep, this mechanism protects the cornea of ​​the eye from drying out the tear fluid that moistens it. Otherwise, when we woke up, we would not be able to separate our eyelids.

When a person is awake, reflex contractions of the eyelid muscles (blinking) moisten the outer surface of the eyeball. In this case, it is mainly the upper eyelid that moves. There are 100-150 eyelashes on it, and half as many on the lower eyelid. In addition, there are no muscles in the lower eyelid that could lift it.

Which muscles are the strongest?

The chewing muscles are the strongest muscles. A person has four on each side. The face has facial muscles and chewing muscles. They differ in their structure. The facial muscles begin on bone formations, and with the opposite end they are woven into the connective tissue, the mucous membrane and the skin. Therefore, when these muscles contract, folds and pits are formed on the face. The chewing muscles are attached to the bones, like all other muscles of the trunk and limbs.

You've probably seen at the circus how an acrobat hanging upside down under the dome holds in his teeth special device, the second end of which not only holds the partner, but also allows her to rotate around a vertical axis. By the way, trying to do this using outstretched arms rather than jaws is practically futile. Even those who do not participate in such tricks know that sometimes it is easier to pull a stubborn cork out of a bottle with your teeth than with your hands.