The myth that lactic acid causes the ‘burn’ we feel during exercise is actually a long-lasting misunderstanding.
Articles on Muscles
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In today’s looksmaxxing culture, young men pursue a supposedly ‘ancient’ ideal that’s actually modern and pharmacologically constructed.
Protein powders and protein-fortified versions of all manner of foods line grocery store shelves. But just because something has added protein doesn’t necessarily make it better.
A long bath in brine is how deli meat gets its taste, texture and shelf life.
Coordination appears to emerge spontaneously from muscle fibres.
It takes an entire team of electricity, calcium, energy and proteins all working together to move your muscles.
People who did around 90 to 120 minutes of strength training each week have a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause.
What actually is ‘fitness’? Research suggests it’s not as straightforward as you might think.
The internet is awash with claims about injectable peptides for fitness, but there’s almost no human research showing they work or are truly safe.
Muscle is an endocrine organ. When it contracts during exercise, it communicates with your entire body.
Whenever you ride a bike or knit a sweater, you’re using your procedural memory. Two cognitive scientists explain what it is and how it works.
We need our joints to do everything from lifting groceries to climbing stairs. A physiotherapist explains how we can protect them, particularly as we age.
Peptides are being widely marketed as a “holy grail” for workout recovery and physical performance. But do they work?
Muscle strength is crucial for good health.
You don’t have to live in a special “blue zone” to be live longer.
Challenging the brain by exposing it to new situations, tasks and skills can improve its efficiency, much like strength training does for our muscles. But maximum efficiency requires optimal rest.
Are weighted vests more than a fitness fad? A health and exercise expert explains their potential benefits and limitations.
2025 was not the year protein finally got its due. It was the year protein was oversold, overvalued and overhyped. The science of protein has not changed; we just need to listen to it again.
What muscles feet have, how your brain controls them, and how humans evolved all play a part in why people can’t easily move individual toes.
A new study has highlighted how remarkably resilient human muscle is.
Top contributors
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Professor of Biomechanics, Edith Cowan University
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Ken Nosaka is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University
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Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology Across the Lifespan, Deakin University
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Senior Lecturer in Sport, Health & Exercise Science, University of Stirling
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Lecturer in Exercise Science, Adelaide University
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Senior Scientist Team Lead Nutrition Exercise Physiology and Sarcopenia Team Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Professor of Medicine, Tufts University
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Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton
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Assistant Professor in Anatomy and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Bradford
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Senior Professor, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong
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Professor in Neuromuscular Physiology and Head of Sport Sciences, Nottingham Trent University
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Head of Sport Science, University of Aberdeen
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Professor of Engineering Practice, Purdue University
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Professor of Exercise and Ageing, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Deakin University
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Professor of Nutritional Epidemiology, University of East Anglia
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Professor of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Durham University