Fast Twitch or Slow Twitch? Let your body dictate your workout

When I was in undergrad, my boyfriend suggested we play tennis. I stood with my racket at the end of the court and waited for him to hit the ball to me. He hit the ball to the side. No no no. You must hit the ball RIGHT to me. No, you're supposed to run for it. Well forget that. Tennis for me lasted about 4 minutes and it was 4 minutes too long. 

Many years later I read an article about fast twitch and slow twitch muscle and how everyone has some of both but some people have more of one type than the other. If you have a greater proportion of fast twitch muscle compared to slow, you're naturally good at moving quickly so sports that require speed and agility are your game. But if it's the reverse, more slow twitch rather than fast twitch muscle, endurance activities are your thing. Training can influence the proportion but not substantially and never to the extent of inverting what you have naturally. So basically, Mostly fast twitch = Always Mostly fast twitch and Mostly slow twitch = Always Mostly slow twitch. Thank your parents for how you're made.

If you detest your workouts, maybe you should have a close look at your heritage and see what they were good at in their time. Chances are you'll take after one of them and a similar activity today will be a good match for you. If you take a little time to narrow your workout options, you may save yourself some agony and find an enjoyable activity that you look forward to rather than dread. 

What were you good at as a child? That younger, smaller body of yours had the same proportion of fast twitch and slow twitch muscle that your body has today. What was your favourite game in the school yard? Were you good at tag or were you always the first one caught? Was standing around and skipping your thing or running the bases? Spending some time thinking about it critically will give you a good idea if the adult you would rather go to the gym and lift weights or jog a few times around the block.

What's your personality? Are you a social type? Then maybe going to the gym with a friend and chatting while you do your circuit is more your speed. Or suffering with a group through a spinning class. Not so social? Then going to the pool and swimming laps probably sounds very appealing. People are around but you're basically working out alone.

As for yours truly, that unfortunate brush with tennis told me all I needed to know and a quick look at Dad reinforced it. Slow twitch from top to bottom.