PERFECT FINISH
MUSCLE MEMORY
19% of gym-goers want to work out with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, according to a new health survey by Life Time, with Thor actor Chris Hemsworth second on the list. In other findings from the survey, 50% of gym-goers said they preferred to exercise in a group rather than solo, 25% reported using an app for stress relief and focus, 88% said exercise made them feel happier, and twice as many gym-goers now think their health is better than a year ago. That’s a major shift in results from the same survey a year ago, when the majority of people were still feeling the health effects of Covid-related gym restrictions. Things are looking up – even if you can’t get The Rock to spot you.
Rev your heart rate at the end of a workout with this hard-hitting finisher
If an unwelcome bout of Omicron, a niggling injury or a hectic work schedule has disrupted your gym training, don’t panic. A new study led by the University of Arkansas found that our muscles have a surprisingly long memory. The research confirmed that muscles develop a long-lasting molecular ‘memory’ of previous resistance exercise, which enables them to grow more quickly when re-trained after an extended break. This latest study involved mice, but it builds on previous studies involving human subjects, which confirmed similar findings.