Maximize Your Gains with Proper Muscle Fiber Recruitment

Are you activating all the muscle fibers in your workout, or are you leaving gains on the table?

Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue their deep dive into the Principles of Exercise Design. In today's episode, they break down muscle fiber recruitment; why it matters, how your body decides which fibers to use, and what that means for your strength. They cover the Size Principle, the importance of continuous muscular loading, and how to structure your workout to reach the fibers that actually drive growth and performance.

• Dr. Fisher explains the All-or-Nothing theory and why your muscles are either fully "on" or fully "off."
• He breaks down how your body only recruits the exact fibers needed for the task in front of you. Knowing this helps you understand why you need higher effort to see real strength gains.
• Dr. Fisher explains that Type 1 fibers are cheap to use, so your body loves using them first. They handle endurance but don't give you the strength you want. He shows how pushing harder in the gym is what finally taps into Type 2 fibers.
• Learn why Type 2 fibers are powerful but expensive for your body to use. They fatigue quickly, so your system avoids them unless you give a strong stimulus. But once you activate them, that's when real growth and strength improvements happen.
• Dr. Fisher explains how your nervous system recruits muscle fibers from smallest to largest. It's your body's way of protecting energy while still meeting the force demands of your workout.
• Amy highlights how the body is constantly trying to conserve energy. That means it avoids using high-cost muscle fibers unless absolutely necessary.
• Dr. Fisher shares why multiple-set training often fails to push you to true effort. When you simply count reps, you usually stop far short of full muscle recruitment. So, you're leaving huge results on the table without even realizing it.
• Amy covers why resting between sets resets the whole muscle recruitment process.
• Once your Type 1 fibers recover, your body goes right back to using them first. And that makes it harder for you to reach those high-impact Type 2 fibers that drive strength.
• Amy highlights that if full muscle fiber recruitment is the goal, you don't want to stop and restart the process over and over. Every pause delays that final layer of activation. And that delay means slower strength gains and less efficient workouts.
• Dr. Fisher covers why eccentric loading is such a game-changer in strength training. We're naturally stronger on the lowering phase, but most equipment doesn't challenge us there. When you finally load that phase properly, you maintain deeper fiber recruitment for longer.
• Dr. Fisher shares how exerbotics devices keep you working harder during the eccentric phase instead of giving you a break.
• Amy and Dr. Fisher cover the biggest benefit of working with a personal trainer. With expert guidance and efficient workouts, you can achieve better results more quickly than you might on your own.
• Dr. Fisher explains why walking and jogging are great for general health but not enough for full muscle recruitment.
• Amy highlights that losing Type 2 fibers is the real reason people feel weaker, less balanced, and less stable over time. These fibers are the ones responsible for power and functional strength.
• Amy covers the importance of eccentric training and how it helps you get more out of every rep. When you challenge the lowering phase, you keep more fibers active for longer. And that translates into faster progress with less time spent working out.
• Dr. Fisher explains that strength training only works when you recruit all available fibers. Multi-set training often delays this because you keep letting fibers rest between rounds.
• Dr. Fisher explains how a personal trainer can guide you to hit the right muscle fibers every time. Most people lift without fully recruiting the fibers that actually build strength and shape. With the right guidance, you maximize every rep for faster, noticeable results.
• Amy highlights that your main job in a workout is simple. Recruit the fibers. When you keep them loaded continuously at the right effort, everything changes.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Exercise Coach - Get 2 Free Sessions!

Submit your questions at StrengthChangesEverything.com

This podcast and blog are provided to you for entertainment and informational purposes only. By accessing either, you agree that neither constitute medical advice nor should they be substituted for professional medical advice or care. Use of this podcast or blog to treat any medical condition is strictly prohibited. Consult your physician for any medical condition you may be having. In no event will any podcast or blog hosts, guests, or contributors, Exercise Coach USA, LLC, Gymbot LLC, any subsidiaries or affiliates of same, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, or agents, be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to you or others due to any podcast or blog content.