Converting Slow-Twitch to Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers

I was on boxingscene, and someone said that the ratio of slow to fast twitch are set in every person. Is this correct? cuz I heard you can change the ratio of slow to fast twitch muscle fibers through plyometrics, sprinting, and other anaerobic exercises. Could anyone confirm this? Also, could you create fast twitch muscle fibers without gaining muscle mass?

Also is hand speed in correlation with fast twitch muscle fibers? In the same thread on boxing scene, people think that hand speed is natural and "you're born with it" but 'im just wondering if it's in correlation with fast twitch muscle fibers, and you can develop those type IIb (super fast) fibers, then wouldn't that dispell the myth?

I stopped believing people on boxing scene long ago, as they are generally stupid. Just along with that information that they have given you. You can most defently change the ratio through plyometrics or endurance running. You have to be specific about your training though, you train how you play is my favourite moto. More plyo with less endurance and your fast twitch muscles will develop more with your slow twitch fade. Research ATP and how muscles get their energy on how to target fast twitch muscles in your training.

Saltys correct, but genetic memory helps for sure and its origanal base. You will notice that sea level Blacks living in tropical climates are genetically good sprinters, Kenyans living at over 3,ooo metres are good at endurance events. But with the help of science and hard work you can achieve good results. As far as Boxing I believe its down to knowing what you are doing Biomechanically Bit Part Whole, more so than reflex as Ive noticed in the field coaching. Theres a field of thought of return Technique which Im a believer is the way forward incorperating Isometic Stretching.

ohh alright, as for plyometrics, don't you have to squat at least 1.5x your weight and bench your bodyweight? seeing that i can't do that yet, for safety should i achieve that first?

Don't quote my on this but I'm pretty sure that it's 60% or lighter than your one rep max for that particular exercise.

Plyometrics, we were doing 40 years ago, and the shock to the body for the Athletes well being left a lot to be desired. Theres a line if crossed can cause Problems, in safety. Im talking Injury and the memory you get with the cause. The problem is timing, rushing to get fit before the mechanisam is in place to acqiure fitness before injury stops progress. If you are injured you cant get fit thats a truth. What that does gives a mental block to the Athlete which is hard to recover from and Ive seen many good Sports People have problems thereafter with form Ability and Posture when that goes Gravity wins they loose :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by nutrick

ohh alright, as for plyometrics, don't you have to squat at least 1.5x your weight and bench your bodyweight? seeing that i can't do that yet, for safety should i achieve that first?

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Originally Posted by AdamGB

Don't quote my on this but I'm pretty sure that it's 60% or lighter than your one rep max for that particular exercise.

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Yeah I think if you read up on it a bit the literature generally agrees more with using lighter weight than your max as Adam says. Using at least 1.5 X your body weight sounds a bit extreme to the point where injuries like the ones Scrap is talking about are pretty likely!

To be honest when I do plyometrics like for example burpies I feel fine not adding any extra weight at all! I think you might get better info in this if you can say specifically which plyometric exercises you were thinking of?

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Originally Posted by nutrick

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Also is hand speed in correlation with fast twitch muscle fibers? people think that hand speed is natural and "you're born with it" but 'im just wondering if it's in correlation with fast twitch muscle fibers, and you can develop those type IIb (super fast) fibers, then wouldn't that dispell the myth?

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Although some people may be born with quicker hands than others, that doesn't mean that you can't develop your handspeed so that it's quick as theirs. In other words, some people just have a 'headstart' if you will. ;)

well the plyo's i were lookin for are low intensity plyometrics for upper and lower body.

Why low intensity? I don't know any low intensity plyo/ exercises, that's generally reserved for endurance events not a sport like boxing.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Plyometrics, we were doing 40 years ago, and the shock to the body for the Athletes well being left a lot to be desired. Theres a line if crossed can cause Problems, in safety. Im talking Injury and the memory you get with the cause. The problem is timing, rushing to get fit before the mechanisam is in place to acqiure fitness before injury stops progress. If you are injured you cant get fit thats a truth. What that does gives a mental block to the Athlete which is hard to recover from and Ive seen many good Sports People have problems thereafter with form Ability and Posture when that goes Gravity wins they loose :rolleyes:

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I'll buy that... When I injured my wrist last year it did eventually heal... what took me longer was being able to throw my hooks and crosses like I was able too... the technique hadn't gone because I was doing a lot of work on the double end bag... but it took me a good 2-3 months after the injury had healed to be able to throw them on the bag like I used to be able too.

It was weird... despite the injured wrist I'd trained myself in other ways and was undoubtedly fitter... but there was like a block in my mind... I just couldn't throw my right hook properly any more.

hmm, does someone have some science to back this up? I'm sure I've read that you can't change the ratio you were born with BUT you can train to enhance one or the other. Perhaps that is what you meant.

Nut how do you perform low intensity plyometrics? Afterall even skipping is plyometric

Its the reflex you have is the one thats very hard to alter other than that most things can be altered. As silly as it sounds reflex isnt a big thing its so minute. Its having the concept of motion to the reflex signals where the problem lies, understanding feel your fastest response unit.

you want to run that by me again?:)

"Its having the concept of motion to the reflex signals where the problem lies, understanding feel your fastest response unit."

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Originally Posted by Missy

hmm, does someone have some science to back this up? I'm sure I've read that you can't change the ratio you were born with BUT you can train to enhance one or the other. Perhaps that is what you meant.

Nut how do you perform low intensity plyometrics? Afterall even skipping is plyometric

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yeah... if we're talking low intensity plyos then we're basically talking calisthenics, right?

To my knowledge, you can't change the amount of muscle cells that you have... you can simply make those cells grow bigger/have better neurological responses etc... different exercises may target certain muscle types and develop those more than others.

That's why I think it's mostly untrue when people say that an increase in muscle mass automatically means a decrease in speed... if done wrong then definitely... but I think that's getting more into the realms of physics - on a cellular level training your slow twitch fibres isn't going to magically slow down your fast twitch fibres... I can't think of any biological reason why it would.

It's neglecting to train the fast twitch fibres to improve that is the problem... and adding dead mass which doesn't do anything... again this is to do with physics rather than the make up of the muscles.

Everything I used to do was fast twitch... plyos and sprint training etc. Fast twitch muscles contract to their maximum output faster than slow twitch but if you don't increase your max strength with that you're going to plateau.

If you can propel 50kg X mph during a plyo exercise but you can only lift up to 6okg properly doing the same exercise then your fast twitch training will not progress as quickly as it could in my opinion because no matter how much one exercise targets certain muscle types they are all required and support each other... the same goes for energy systems.

Good post Adam

Missy,If someone nips my arse Ill move in response fast. If someone puts a live electric wire on my arse Ill move faster response to feel which is the bodys fastest response system other than taste its got the longest memory. Eyes have only a 1/6 of a second memory and slow you down they get to much information. The clues are there who lives in this House ;D

i guess by low intensity, maybe just exercises you could start out with, cuz i don't wanna do like advanced plyo's, just something that you can begin with and progress from there.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Its the reflex you have is the one thats very hard to alter other than that most things can be altered. As silly as it sounds reflex isnt a big thing its so minute. Its having the concept of motion to the reflex signals where the problem lies, understanding feel your fastest response unit.

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I was Bourne with slow reflexes. Looks like I"m screwed. :(

a lot of knowledge in this post and a lot of good takes.

but im pretty sure missy is crrect. you cant convert slow to fast, but you can enhance fast AND convert type IIA to IIB, or something like that.

IMO, NOBODY knows for sure. a lot of theories out there but none conclusive. the so called expert can't generaly agree...their claims are often contradictory.

this is simply my take. you do something as explosively as possible. if it's your body weght, fine. as long as you do it as powerfully and quickly (explosively) as possible.

this is also my opinion. i call it regressive weight training. you start out heavy, do things as expolisvely as you can, and reduce the weight over your sets. what this does it bring the true feeling of the motion back and re-establish your form and muscle memory. (AND reminds your muscles that the true motion, the one you want, is the fast one.)

with that said, you want to do the plyo movements as close to the real motion as possible. that's why overloading is good, because most movements don't start from a static position, but the muscle is overloaded and then the desired movement kicks into effect. what's that calles, ecentric, concentric, or whatever.

so what type of exercises would be closest to the real motion in boxing?

I like clap push ups for the upper body.

My other favourite is to get a mat and from standing drop onto my back as quickly and as smoothly as possible (bending knees a lot) then by using a fairly strong contraction of my abs spring up again without allowing my feet to go out to the side (that would strain my knees).

Once I'm up I immediately add a jump straight upwards at the end of the movement.

When i'm tired I sometimes fail to get enough power out of my abs to get up with enough momentum and I have to roll back onto my back and try again. it's a hardie but a goodie :).

woww i know for sure i can't do that yet. my abs are the weakest thing i have (which is probably bad, since that's where the power comes from), i think i'll work on my core so i'll actually be able to do that