I am also confused, because I run every day in college, and my legs are still so thick after training. Let's analyze whether stretching can stovepipe.
1. Determinants of leg thickness.
First of all, I have always believed that genes are king and exercise is the supplement. People are born with all muscle fibers. With the increase of age, muscle fibers will gradually thicken, but the total number of muscle fibers will not increase or decrease. Because the total number of muscle fibers cannot be changed.
So what makes our muscles increase or decrease? It depends on the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers in your muscle. So what does the cross-sectional area of muscle fiber depend on? First of all, muscle fibers can be divided into three types: 1a (red muscle), 2a (red and white muscle) and 2b (white muscle), in which the cross-sectional area of 2b is larger than 2a and1a.. These three muscle types are difficult to transform into each other through acquired efforts. The red muscle is thin, the contraction speed is slow, the output strength is small, and the endurance is strong; Thick white muscle, high output power, fast contraction and high output power.
Excellent sprinters have more type 2b white muscles than ordinary people, and correspondingly, excellent long-distance runners obviously have more type 1a red muscles. Secondly, when the muscles are put into use and discarded, the muscles at the fracture site will contract obviously after plastering, which is the second factor of muscle reduction. If it is not used, it will naturally fade and the cross-sectional area will be reduced. Since different types of muscles are difficult to transform into each other, stretching obviously can't change your muscle type, and stretching won't leave your legs in a state of disuse and help us change the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers.
2. Is there no way to lose muscle except congenital?
The method is always much more difficult than it is. Of course there is a way. The human body is the most complex machine in the world. It can adjust its shape to suit the environment with different environments. Marathon runners are not born that thin. Bodybuilders are not born so strong, but different forms of exercise have changed their figure. When we do aerobic exercise for a long time, carbohydrates (sugar), fats and protein will decompose and act as energy substances. Carbohydrates provide energy first, followed by fat and a small amount of protein. If you continue to exercise for a long time (preferably more than 2 hours), your protein decomposition will also increase, and at this time, your muscle weight will start to decrease. Obviously, stretching after exercise is not a long-term aerobic exercise with high heart rate, nor can it effectively decompose protein.
3. So what's the use of stretching after exercise?
Stretching can increase the flexibility of the body and reduce muscle stiffness. Many people who don't stretch can't touch their backs in the shower, which is very embarrassing. Modern people play mobile phones a lot, often bow their heads, turn their shoulders inward and shrug their shoulders. The muscles around the neck and shoulder, such as trapezius and levator scapulae, are very tense. Failure to relax these muscles for a long time will lead to shoulder and neck pain and even compression of nerves. This is the biggest role of stretching. It can make your posture return to normal, make your life relaxed and comfortable, improve your sports ability, make your body more coordinated, and make the oppressed blood vessels and nerves return to normal.
4. Many girls say that they have lengthened their stovepipe by running, in fact, it is because the fat content of girls is higher than that of boys. Through exercise, their overall fat content is reduced, and the fat in their calves is also reduced, and the volume of fat is very large, so they look thinner in their calves. Muscle is elastic, even if you stretch it, it will contract back.
For women with thick calves, my idea is:
1. Do more aerobic exercise and reduce body fat, and your calves will naturally lose weight.
2. Strengthen the training of muscles near the hip joint and reduce the force of leg muscles when walking.
3. Change the movement of the corner of the eye when walking. This action will make your calf muscles such as soleus and gastrocnemius more powerful and increase calf muscles.
4. The quickest way: gypsum plaster, wheelchair, effective in three weeks. I'll bounce back, honey. Don't really put on a plaster. Of course, stretching is still necessary. Even if you can't lose your legs, you can at least improve your posture. (PS: People who often wear high heels will use the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles of the calf. Long-term contraction equals muscle exercise. Such people generally have well-developed calf muscles. )
Author: Yang (WeChat official account: Yang's own cabin)
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