Before & After Fitness Photos, Myostatin, & Human Fitness Potential
Last modified 2 weeks ago.
In Body By Science by Dr. Doug McGuff and John Little, there are NO before-and-after fitness photos.
As far as I know from Dr. McGuff’s interviews and social media, there are no such displays of fitness success, either.
I figured photos would be a good idea, but trying to appreciate the ethics behind Dr. McGuff’s work, I saw that the omission was for good reason. It’s because if someone makes a superficial connection between someone who is extremely muscular (or fit) and a particular fitness program, they’ve been deceived.
Take this quote from the book (p. 170):
“...the extremely muscular look that so many women fear they might acquire if they strength-train, and that so many men crave, would seem to be under the exclusive control of one’s level of myostatin. Those who have bigger muscles and those with the most potential to develop tremendous muscle mass are, like it or not, those who have slipped through the evolutionary cracks.”
Wait. Myostatin? Myo-what? Huh?
Myostatin is a protein produced by human beings (and other species) that limits the amount of muscle a person can develop and grow. It’s like the governor on an engine that limits the top speed that a vehicle can reach. Human beings produce their fair share of this protein, thus being limited to an average amount of muscle–no matter how hard or long they train.
Animals produce this thingamajig, too.
But here’s the catch . . .
Some species of animals have been bred to produce a deletion of the gene which causes myostation production, like cattle, mice, and even whippets (a very cool-looking dog).
What about humans?
Well, Dr. McGuff explains that although there are other factors affecting a human being’s musculature, it appears (no pun intended) that human beings with far-above-average musculature also have this gene deletion. This is likely what allows some people to obtain these physiques, as quoted above (see pp. 166-170). It has not been proven definitively yet, though. Research hit a snag finding ultra-muscled participants that were willing to find out whether or not their muscularity was caused by low myostatin levels. (An interesting story of its own worth reading in the book) (p. 167-169).
The Best We Can Do
Educating people (or ourselves) about the fundamentals of proper resistance training and exercise is about the best we can do. Then, through practice and application, people will be able to see what they can achieve given their own genetics, abilities, and effort. Trying to entice people to try high-intensity training (HIT), or any other form of resistance training, based on the extreme results of some individuals is deceptive and irrational. (Let’s not get started on steroids and drugs, either).
Photos are definitely cool, though!
Photos are inspiring, too. They can get you excited about getting into fitness and back into the gym. But that’s all they are–just cool photos. They don’t provide any legitimate information and education around what the average person could do to achieve their own potential and optimal fitness levels.
But don’t take “average” the wrong way. Most people are average, because that’s what average means! Average fitness results can be very satisfying. And most people (average people) are operating well below their potential. When they reduce their body fat and develop and condition themselves (mainly the heart, muscles, and skeleton), “the ultimate gain to the human body is literally ‘everything,’” according to Dr. McGuff (p. 97).
Results are typical. . . but extreme results are (very) atypical.
Perhaps it is true that a fitness photo is really worth a 1,000 words. . .
But to know what those words truly are, I recommend reading Body By Science. You don't have to become an expert, but you should have the working understanding and appreciation of fitness that the book does an excellent job of providing.