The Role Of Genetics In Muscle Building
I have decent genetics for muscle growth.
But let me tell you this:
I was never good at running long distance in my life.
I hated it in school. I was the only one training for running exams and I still barely passed them.
In 11th grade, I had to run 10 kilometers and trust me, after the first minutes I was so drained that I honestly considered throwing myself in front of passing cars.
I ended up not throwing myself at a car, as you can probably think.
And I’m glad, because nowadays I can run a decent amount without breaking a sweat. Did I say breaking a sweat? I meant considering breaking my neck.
Is it enough to be a professional marathon runner? Probably not.
Is it enough to release stress, improve cardiovascular function and alertness? Hell yes.
The reason I tell you this? The same system can be applied on building muscles.
Depending on your build you can be classified into three different body types.
Ectomorph, Endomorph and Mesomorph.
Aka thin, chubby and muscular.
You find out what type you are by using the Heath-Carter Formula.
Sport institutes and researchers use these measurements to predict your strengths and talents.
But do you realize something? This formula is only minorly affected by genetics.
The skinfold measurement is bigger, when you got more body fat. And body fat is lifestyle dependend.
Your bone and muscle diameter is bigger, when you experience physical stress on those areas, aka working out. Too, lifestyle dependend.
The formula to determine if you’re an endomorph is similarly to the one that is determining your body mass index, therefore nearly 100% lifestyle dependend.
Which means your body types can actually change.
Zac Efron is definitely an ectomorph, but he turned himself into a mesomorph.
Arnold is definitely a mesomorph, after he stopped using performance enhancing drugs he looks like an endomorph.
And there are multiple factors that affect muscular hypertrophy.
Such as stress level, sleep duration and quality, eating behaviour, training intensity, training frequency, psychological health and yes, genetics.
But Genetics only play a minor role.
Yes they can affect the other factors, maybe you’re a bad sleeper or susceptile to stress.
And genetics also determine your maximum muscular potential, by determining your myostatin level.
But in my eyes, the factors that you can control far outweigh the genetic component.
Do genetics matter? Yes they do.
Are you able to be a fitness model or perform at the top level? Probably not.
But are you able, to increase your attractiveness, your posture, your self esteem? Hell yes and isn’t this amazing?
See, there’s something scientists call Learned Helplessness. When an animal or a person, like you and me, assumes to have no control over their circumstances.
I think this is an epidemic in our day and age.
Maybe you clicked this blog post to give yourself an excuse to never start working out.
To keep watching TV because you’re just not made to achieve anything because of a stupid formula or a body type that a scientists made by photographing thousands of naked freshmans. Yes, this is the origin story of the Heath-Carter Formula.
Realize this, we have to act like there is always something that we can do about it. That’s the best way to live our life.
You might say now: “Well it’s an easy thing to say for you, you got good genetics!”
Let me tell you something personal, that even most of my friends don’t know. I nearly died when I was born. I had to spend 2 weeks in the incubator to survive.
When I finally made it out the doctors told my parents that I would either die or spend the rest of my lifetime profoundly disabled.
I’m here to tell you, that you are in control. Don’t ever let genetics be an excuse for everything you want to do.You’re an endomorph and want to lose weight? Watch your nutrition, start a plant-based diet, implement low intensity cardio exercises 2-3 times a week along with a workout plan full of compound exercises.
If you’re an ectomorph and want to build muscles, eat healthy calorie-dense foods, such as dried fruits and smoothies. Eat more calories than you burn. Start lifting weights consisting of heavy compound lifts.
If you need help with any of those feats, contact me or sign up for one of my plans.
If you’re a mesomorph and are happy with what you are, or what you became? Keep going then.
Get out and make stuff happen, you got this.
