Muscle memory? Depression!

[rejray]

Hi, ~2 years ago I was around 8 stone (112lbs) and therefore underweight..anyway I started going to the gym and was eating 3,000 calories everyday without fail. Last summer I was up to 11 stone (154lbs).

I then got depressed and have since lost all I gained am back down to my starting weight. I'm better now and will be getting back into it.

I've lowered my calories to 2,500 a day, to minimise fat gain.

My question is how long will it take to gain the strength and muscle back that I gained? Is muscle memory broscience?

Cliffs:
- Was 112lbs
- Then got to 154lbs
- Got depressed, now back to where I started
- Is muscle memory real?

[AdamTrue85UK]

Muscle memory. It's a controversial subject. But let's look at some of the facts.

Such as:

When your body has experienced physical stress when working out your central nervous system creates pathways connecting to the muscles you have been exercising and your brain so that your body can better adapt to the stress when experiencing it again. This can be called "muscle memory".

Another thing to consider when it comes to making gains quickly when working out again after a long period off...

You have fibrous tissue called fascia that surround your muscles. The fascia stretches as your muscles grow and remains stretched even when the shrink when you fall off the wagon for some time. So when it comes to working out again, the muscles have more room to grow because they aren't as restricted by the fascia as before. Which can be another reason why old gains return more quickly compared to the time it took to achieve them before.

EDIT: How long will it take? Everyone grows at different rates of time to start with brother. But in my experience, along with getting my diet on point my muscles adapted and grew back to their size before very quickly compared to how long it took to build them before. I'd say in roughly half the time compared to when I worked out last and I hadn't lifted in over 3 years!

[JBisGod]

I know nothing about the science of muscle memory but in my experience, yes it is real. I have found it much easier to regain lost size/strength after periods like you described than to achieve new PRs.

[CanadianEric]

The phrase "muscle memory" seems like a convenient phrase used to describe the phenomenon of being able to quickly regain strength and mass that had previously been gained but since lost.

I don't know the science behind it, or the proper terminology, but "muscle memory" is in my experience a very real phenomenon. After a little while of being 'off', it only takes a couple weeks to get back into it and then my strength and size surges out of no where, fast and hard. It tapers off, of course, but its always good to know that if I want to get back into it, I can jump right into the deep end rather than having to wade in.

[rejray]

Thanks for the replies will +rep.

[lwjk12]

I'm no expert or scientist but yes I believe muscle memory is very real. I've had injuries before and gaining the muscle and strength back after I had recovered happened much quicker than it would have normally taken.