different muscles fibers, different way of training them

[Karky]

I have heard that different muscles consist most of different fibers, if you understand.

like a biceps is mostly slow twitch and triceps is mostly fast twitch (dunno if that statement is true, just an example)

if so, wouldnt it be best to work the different muscles considering that?

if im right, fast twitch is few reps and heavy weights?
so i should work my tris with heavy weights and few reps
and i should work my biceps with more high reps and lighter weights?

i would like to know how much that factor matters when you train?
and i would like to take that into consideration with the assistance training on the bill starr 5x5 program.

so, i would like to know what muscles are mostly of what fibers, and how i would best train them considering the fibers they consist of.

and i still want str, so not like 15 reps for the slow twitch, but if i do like 5 reps for fast twitch and 8 reps for slow? or even less for fast and even more for slow?

sorry about the long post, hope you understand and try to answer your best, if i have explained it bad, just say so and ill try to explain it better.

 

[malkore]

All muscles contain both slow and fast twich fibers. I do believe different muscles contain different ratios of fast and slow fibers, but for the most part its a 50/50 split. For example, legs have a lot of slow twitch fibers to aid in endurance running, but also need fast twitch fibers for explosive movements like jumping up, and short sprints.

Fast = explosive moves
slow = endurance.

Slow twitch fibers are not designed to grow large, so even training for hypertrophy, you won't be building them up a lot. I mean, marathon runners need to train for slow twitch/endurance, but most marathon winners look starved and certainly aren't bulky...the opposite of a bodybuilder really.

Fast twitch fibers are actually two types...type 2a and type 2b. Fast twitch give you strength and explosive movements.

Ergo, if you want to get strong or gain lean muscle mass, you need to stick to reps no higher than 12, and I would only do 12 reps on muscle groups that get used a lot (like calves, traps) and stick to 5-8 reps for everything else.

you should also fluctuate...say do 5 reps per set this week/month, and then next week/month aim for 8-10 reps. 5 reps will build strength primarily, and some lean mass. 8-10 reps will build lean mass primarily ,with some strength.

Doing 15 reps per set will build endurance, but almost no strength or size, and gym rats will mock you

 

[Karky]

well i just heard that some muscles have more of fast twitch and that it was a good idea to work them with heavy weights and some had more of slow twitch and it would be smart to work them with higher reps and not so heavy weights, and i wanted to try it

 

[DeX]

Well, let me ask you this... are you more fast twitch or slow twitch? Kinda hard to figure out right? The 'crazy russians' tried "muscle fiber typing" of their youth to see what sports they'd be good at, but they failed to realize, 'oh hey... skill and love for the sport is a little more important'

 

[Karky]

is it different from person to person? i read that some muscles were more slow twitch and some where more fast twitch like my example with the biceps and triceps, and it was like that with all humans