Muscles are what we use to move around, grab a cup of coffee, or keep our bodies stable as we’re sitting in a chair to read articles like this one. They cover the body from head to toe and provide us with the strength that we all need to get through the toughest of days.
1. Muscles Are Heavy
The muscular system makes up about 40% of the average person’s body weight. Muscle tissues are much heavier than fat tissues, so it isn’t uncommon for someone who was overweight to actually weight more after they get strong and trim.
2. Muscles Last a Long Time
Muscles will last twice as long as the amount of time that it took to build them up. If you spend 6 weeks weight training on your arms, then those muscles will retain their bulk for up to 12 weeks, including the added strength.
3. It’s Not Hard
Muscles can train very easily. Most of them can get back into shape within 3 weeks, which is the same amount of time that it takes to create new habits. You might not be able to take an afternoon run because of your joints, but any exercise will increase your stamina and make your muscular system happy.
4. It’s In Your Ear
The smallest muscle in the human body is in your ear. They are important muscles too because they control the ear drum, the sounds that you hear, and actually hold your ear together.
5. How Many Muscles?
For every step that you take during the day, you’re exercising 200 muscles at the same time. If you walk 5 miles during the day, which means you’ve taken 10,000 steps, then you’ve also given 200 muscles 10k reps to make you lean and mean.
6. It’s a Pulling Thing
What makes the muscular system so unique is the fact that they do not have the ability to push at all. Even if you’re pushing against a wall or shoving a door open, it’s because your muscles are pulling somewhere else in your body. The back muscles in the back of your arm, for example, will pull your elbow.
7. You Don’t Get New Muscles
When a human is born, they get all of the muscle fibers that they’ll have throughout their life. What gives people different shapes and sizes of muscles is actually damage. The fibers can get micro-tears and has the body heals up, it gives these fibers added strength so that they won’t tear again.
8. Where Is Your Strongest Muscle?
The strongest muscles aren’t actually found in your legs, your arms, or even in your hands. That honor belongs to the tongue, which is pound for pound the most worked and strongest muscle in the body. Anything that involves the mouth is going to involve a tongue movement.
9. It Really Does Work to Frown
When someone smiles, they are using 17 muscles. When someone frowns, they are using over 40 muscles. If you want a good facial workout, then make sure to frown all of the time. If someone comments on your expression, just tell them that you’re exercising.