Why muscle matters

I think it’s pretty clear that I’m a meathead. I actually don’t see that term as derogatory as some of the smartest people I know are self-proclaimed meatheads. We all just also share a love of all things training and an obsession with one thing: building muscle. Men, women, non-binary folk, children, and dogs can all benefit from more muscle. Not cats though. I don’t trust muscly cats. Sounds like a domestic tiger and we know how it turned out for folks in Florida.

While the calorie burning effects of muscle are wildly overblown, maintaining a heavier weight will allow for more calories to maintain that weight. From a body composition standpoint, 200lbs and 8% bodyfat looks a hell of a lot different than 200lbs and 30%. If both of these people can eat 3000 calories per day to maintain weight that’s a pretty decent lifestyle; they get to eat a lot. But one has abs and one... doesn’t. 

Of course, that only matters if it matters to you. But if you engage in a sport, maximizing your muscle within a certain weight range will likely never be a detriment. But who really engages in sports after high school or college? Nowadays, almost all of my clients. They may not realize it but Crossfit and marathons and Peloton rides are all competitive endeavors that push us to constantly better ourselves. If we aren’t competing against others, we are in competition with ourselves. And man I hate losing to that sonofabitch in particular!

Building muscle is also going to help develop both the training and nutritional habits that will help you to maintain body composition goals long term. It takes time, it’s hard, and requires consistency. You must have an eye on progressive overload and food wise you’ll need to eat a diet rich in protein and with an eye on caloric content. These are two simple (not easy) strategies that can go a long way.

Last, having more muscle will help to build that intrinsic motivation that we all work for. It is both a visible indicator of hard work but the strength gains from greater muscle are even greater. While being more muscular won’t “fix” you (neither will having less fat) it helps you to realize that some things will only come through hard work and perseverance. You can’t buy it. You’ll need to put in the work. And that is rare these days.

Growth comes in all shapes and sizes. Emotional growth is very important. But so is muscle growth. We don’t want to wind up dead because we fell down due to sarcopenia at 75 years old. We want to go out on a flaming chariot with a barbell on our backs at the gates of Valhalla. Or in our sleep at like 85. That would be nice. So stop thinking of being less. Be more. Develop a growth mindset. A model of expansion. Get fluxed.

Check in tomorrow as I dive into what an expansion model means.