The 3 Components Of The Muscle Cell

In order to be able to fully grasp the idea of the S.A.I.S. Training Principle, it is necessary for the reader to become familiar with the three individual components of the muscle cell and their characteristics. This is vital to ensure that once the training program is being put together, all three muscle cell components are thoroughly and completely targeted.

1. Fast-twitch white muscle fibers: The fast-twitch white muscle fibers primarily consist of myofibrils, and contain a great number of nerve bundles. This means that this type of muscle is used exclusively during heavy, brief, and explosive training. The fast-twitch white muscle fibers respond to a properly designed training with hypertrophy, i.e., a thickening of the muscle fiber and a related increase in myofibrils and nerve bundles. This means, that bodybuilders should use extremely heavy weights to perform a maximum of six reps to the point of muscle failure. The reps are performed in a powerful, explosive style, while pausing briefly for about a second between each individual rep in the extended arm or leg position. A five-minute rest should be taken between the individual sets due to the heavy weights and the maximum effort. This ensures that the fast-twitch white muscle fibers have mostly recovered and can again be stressed with maximum force in the subsequent sets. The pump is of secondary importance here.
2. Intermediate muscle fibers: The intermediate muscle fibers likewise consist of myofibrils and nerve bundles, but in considerably fewer number compared to the fast-twitch white muscle fibers. The intermediate muscle fibers have more mitochondria, which are responsible for cell respiration and ATP production. The intermediate muscle fibers have therefore greater endurance than the fast-twitch white muscle fibers, but their strength potential is lower. To stimulate growth in the intermediate muscle fibers, the workout should consist of 10 reps per set with medium weights. Again, each set should be carried to the point of muscle failure. The reps in this case should not be performed explosively, but rather at a normal, moderate speed, with only a very short pause in the extended arm and leg position between the individual reps. A three-minute rest between sets is sufficient here.
3. Slow-twitch red muscle fibers: The slow-twitch red muscle fibers also consist of myofibrils that hypertrophy as response to proper training and grow in width. The big difference between these and the other two types of muscle fibers is that the slow-twitch red muscle fibers have access to a lot of mitochondria and myoglobin. Capillarization and perfusion in the slow-twitch red muscle fibers is thus the most pronounced, which means that the slow-twitch red muscle fibers have the highest endurance of all three types of muscle fibers. The slow-twitch red muscle fibers respond best to high numbers of repetitions and constant muscle tension. The weight used for this is of secondary importance. Ideal are twenty reps performed at a slow and steady pace. It is important not to have any pause between the individual reps in the extended arm and leg position. All reps must be performed in a highly concentrated manner and carried out until muscle failure. The pump effect in this type of training is enormous.