Strength May Depend on More Than Just Muscle, Study Finds

A new study explains why strength differs where muscle mass does not.

July 11, 2017 5:00 am
Whaseung Kim of Korea competes in the Men's 105kg Weightlifting on Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL on August 6, 2012 in London, England. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Whaseung Kim of Korea competes in the Men's 105kg Weightlifting on Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL on August 6, 2012 in London, England. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Brain may play a role in brawn, new research suggests.

Physical strength might come from improving the nervous system as much as the very muscles they control, according to a new study from theUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln. The findings could explain why some people can be stronger than others with equal muscle mass.

Previous research has shown that fewer repetitions of lifting heavy weights can build the same amount of muscle as more repetitions of lighter weight. Despite this, those that lift heavier weight tend to have greater gains in strength.

Nathaniel Jenkins and his fellow researchers at University of Nebraska-Lincoln believe this difference lies in how motor neurons, the nerve cells that control muscles, respond to weight training. Their findings, published the journal Frontiers in Physiology, show more motor neurons are activated when lifting heavier weights.

The increased neural activity would account for the differing strength levels in those that have equal muscle mass.

Researchers found a strength increase that was equivalent to ten pounds in those who lifted 80 percent of their maximum weight compared to those who lifted 30 percent over the six-week study.

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