Muscle Growth and Sailing

Sailing athletes on the Camper boat are being constantly faced with physical challenges every day, but these challenges will keep them in shape. Although it is common knowledge that skeletal muscles grow through exercise, it is not commonly known just exactly how they grow. That is why this blog entry will provide you with an explanation.

Let us start from the beginning. During the stage of embryonic development, primitive muscle cells called myoblasts fuse and form muscle cells that are multinucleated (Panno 154). These muscle cells then join together to form muscle fibres, which then combine to form a muscle.

 Since skeletal muscle cells could last through the life time of a human being, the number of skeletal muscle cells that we have will remain relatively the same throughout our lives. Therefore when skeletal muscles grow in response to exercise, it does not mean that hyperplasia, or the increasing in the number of cells has occurred. What has actually happened is called hypertrophy, the process of increasing the size of existing cells ("Hypertrophy." 1550).

"Compensatory hypertrophy: an increase in the size of a tissue or an organ in response to an increased workload placed upon it ("Hypertrophy." 1550)." The reason that muscle cells grow with increased exercise is that the strength of the cell is directly related to its size. Increased workload stimulates the muscle since it demands more strength and the muscle cells will grow to accommodate this need. The cell may do this by increasing the number of mitochondria and give the cell higher endurance or by growing the size of the muscle contractile machinery (Saadat). The excessive amount of steering that these athletes have to go through definitely contributes to the growth of their biceps and triceps.

Unfortunately, the reverse of hypertrophy- atrophy can also occur when muscles are not being used ("Hypertrophy." 1551), this causes muscle size to shrink and it's always a good reason for motivating yourself to exercise.  

References

"Day 1 into the south china sea." CAMPER WITH EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE. CAMPER, 22 Feb 2012. Web. 25 May. 2012. <http://www.camper.com/en/day-1-south-china-sea>.

Espoz, Justine Bayod. "Lifespan of Muscle Cell." eHow Health. Demand Media, 1999. Web. 27 May 2012. <http://www.ehow.com/about_6713884_lifespan-muscle-cell.html>.

"Hypertrophy." Magill's Medical Guide. Ed. Brandon P. Brown, et al. 6th ed. Vol. 3: Fluids and electrolytes - Kidneys. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2011. 1550-1553. Salem Health. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 May 2012.

Panno, Joseph. THE CELL: Nature's First Life-form. Revised ed. Facts On File, 2009. 154-58. Print.

Saadat, Victoria. "The Science Behind Exercise." USCience Review. N.p., 2011. Web. 27 May 2012. <http://www-scf.usc.edu/~uscience/exercise_science.html>.