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Absolutely. To continue this line of thought I would even say that most "muscles" of the so-called body builders are to a large extent swellings of lymphatic sy

by yakster 10y ago

Absolutely. To continue this line of thought I would even say that most "muscles" of the so-called body builders are to a large extent swellings of lymphatic system and interstitial space. When one eats so much protein, the body does not know what to do with it and simply stores it as junk everywhere it deems safe (least dangerous). Where is the least dangerous? Well, it is not the brain, not the heart, not the organs. So, it deposits them in the muscles and other tissues.

usaphp 10y ago
But if their body only stores protein as a junk and muscles don't have a real use in "so-called bodybuilders" as you say, why are bodybuilders able to lift insanely heavy weights and most of them successfully compete in powerlifting events setting records?
- gaius 10y ago
  At competitive levels the physiques of bodybuilders and powerlifters are VERY different.
  - usaphp 10y ago
    Not really, bodybuilders tend to have less fat thus their muscles look bigger. Also Powerlifters lift heavier weights in big part due to a much better technique than bodybuilders. Saying that bodybuilder's muscles are just a junk of stored protein is wrong, they are strong, very strong
    - gaius 10y ago
      Of course they are strong, but they are different sports. A powerlifter would never "cut" before a competition, for example. A bodybuilder doesn't just want to be big, he or she is after a very specific, balanced physique. A powerlifter wants to be strong in the 3 big lifts and doesn't care about any ratios, etc etc.
      - usaphp 10y ago
        I agree with you but I was arguing with a different comment that said "so-called bodybuilder's muscles are just useless junk of protein deposits"
- yakster 10y ago
  Have you ever heard of Golgi apparatus? Well, it is the thing in your cells that is responsible for estimating how much stress it can take (roughly speaking). Human strength is limited not by the muscles but by the tendons and nerve signals. Here is an explanation. When you try to lift something your body knows instantly whether it is able to do it or not. If you do not believe me, go try and deadlift an impossible weight. As soon as you start lifting it after setting up, your body will relax and will not let you. It is a protective mechanism. Now, it the weight is close to what you can handle it will let you fight the weight and attempt the lift. Similarly, there are many occurrences where a mother will lift (with ease) concrete blocks of several hundred kilograms to save herself and her child. Perhaps the more famous one was of a man who was stuck under a huge boulder after an accident in the mountains. As far as I recall, the boulder was about 600kg. He threw it off with ease. You know what happened with him? He tore every single muscle off his bones while doing that. I am giving these examples to illustrate why such protective mechanisms exist. If they did not, we would be tearing muscles off bones daily. Now, when it comes to powerlifters, they use low repetition and high weight precisely to increase the limits of their tendons and the power of their nerve pulses. In addition they are working the creatine-phosphate (ATF) energy capacity of their body that is responsible for very short-term work. This has nothing to do with protein. I assure you that any person is physically capable (speaking of muscles) to lift huge weights. It is just that your body will not let you. When it comes to bodybuilders, they train their strength (tendons and bones) as well, but as a side-effect to trying to bloat their muscles.
  - gaius 10y ago
    Have you ever heard of Golgi apparatus? Well, it is the thing in your cells that is responsible for estimating how much stress it can take OK but there is also neuroactivation - at any time your nervous system can "drive" about 30% of the fibres in a muscle. If you could achieve 100% neuroactivation you would be 3x stronger instantaneously - at the risk of as you say destroying connective tissue. But it is not "with ease", it is at great cost, so the body will only unlock this feature as a last resort.
jacques_chester 10y ago
This is not correct at all. Some surplus protein is converted to sugars (glyconeogenesis), from there it has a good shot at being converted into triglycerides and stored as fat. If it was as simple as raw physical storage, bodybuilding would be dominated by eating-contest winners.

by yakster 10y ago

usaphp 10y ago

But if their body only stores protein as a junk and muscles don't have a real use in "so-called bodybuilders" as you say, why are bodybuilders able to lift insanely heavy weights and most of them successfully compete in powerlifting events setting records?

gaius 10y ago
At competitive levels the physiques of bodybuilders and powerlifters are VERY different.
- usaphp 10y ago
  Not really, bodybuilders tend to have less fat thus their muscles look bigger. Also Powerlifters lift heavier weights in big part due to a much better technique than bodybuilders. Saying that bodybuilder's muscles are just a junk of stored protein is wrong, they are strong, very strong
  - gaius 10y ago
    Of course they are strong, but they are different sports. A powerlifter would never "cut" before a competition, for example. A bodybuilder doesn't just want to be big, he or she is after a very specific, balanced physique. A powerlifter wants to be strong in the 3 big lifts and doesn't care about any ratios, etc etc.
    - usaphp 10y ago
      I agree with you but I was arguing with a different comment that said "so-called bodybuilder's muscles are just useless junk of protein deposits"
yakster 10y ago
Have you ever heard of Golgi apparatus? Well, it is the thing in your cells that is responsible for estimating how much stress it can take (roughly speaking). Human strength is limited not by the muscles but by the tendons and nerve signals. Here is an explanation. When you try to lift something your body knows instantly whether it is able to do it or not. If you do not believe me, go try and deadlift an impossible weight. As soon as you start lifting it after setting up, your body will relax and will not let you. It is a protective mechanism. Now, it the weight is close to what you can handle it will let you fight the weight and attempt the lift. Similarly, there are many occurrences where a mother will lift (with ease) concrete blocks of several hundred kilograms to save herself and her child. Perhaps the more famous one was of a man who was stuck under a huge boulder after an accident in the mountains. As far as I recall, the boulder was about 600kg. He threw it off with ease. You know what happened with him? He tore every single muscle off his bones while doing that. I am giving these examples to illustrate why such protective mechanisms exist. If they did not, we would be tearing muscles off bones daily. Now, when it comes to powerlifters, they use low repetition and high weight precisely to increase the limits of their tendons and the power of their nerve pulses. In addition they are working the creatine-phosphate (ATF) energy capacity of their body that is responsible for very short-term work. This has nothing to do with protein. I assure you that any person is physically capable (speaking of muscles) to lift huge weights. It is just that your body will not let you. When it comes to bodybuilders, they train their strength (tendons and bones) as well, but as a side-effect to trying to bloat their muscles.
- gaius 10y ago
  Have you ever heard of Golgi apparatus? Well, it is the thing in your cells that is responsible for estimating how much stress it can take OK but there is also neuroactivation - at any time your nervous system can "drive" about 30% of the fibres in a muscle. If you could achieve 100% neuroactivation you would be 3x stronger instantaneously - at the risk of as you say destroying connective tissue. But it is not "with ease", it is at great cost, so the body will only unlock this feature as a last resort.

jacques_chester 10y ago

This is not correct at all. Some surplus protein is converted to sugars (glyconeogenesis), from there it has a good shot at being converted into triglycerides and stored as fat. If it was as simple as raw physical storage, bodybuilding would be dominated by eating-contest winners.