Experienced competitors and striations???

TooPowerful4u · Jun 2, 2004

Ok i was curious about something. Some people have striations in some areas, others dont. I personally have them (when lean) in back, VMO, delts, and chest.

I was wondering if any of you experienced guys noticed you didnt have straitions in some areas when you were younger, but developed them over time as you got older and more muscle mature??? Pretty much what im lookin for is to develope (if possible) striations in my entire quads. Decent seperation, only striations in my lower VMO tho.

xcelbeyond · Jun 2, 2004

Striations AND separation are a result of low body fat. The lower the BF, the more that separation and striations will show. You must get extremely low BF for striations in places like glutes and lower back.

xcel

TooPowerful4u · Jun 2, 2004

I know they all lie beneath, but i also know some ahve them more pronounced than others. Some just have deeper striations. I saw Mike Morris guest pose one time, fat as all heck n bloated, BUT striations in his quads. Is that something that can be developed with time, or is it genetics?

Dad · Jun 2, 2004

Xcel said it...

Striations are a matter of levels of bodyfat. bodyfat is not a uniform thickness throyghout the entire body, so it is possible to have some visible striations showing in some areas and not in others.

If there were any genetic advantage for this, it would simply be in having lower bodyfat levels to start with.

MikeS · Jun 2, 2004

Sort of what Dad said-some people hold onto (or have less) bodyfat in certain bodypart areas, compared to others.

Look at various obese/fat people-some carry fat in the butt and legs. Then, some carry it in the upperbody and face while the legs are semi-tight in comparison.

What I wonder about - is there any difference in the type of fat held in different areas? ie...brown fat in legs as opposed to regular fat in thighs (for example)?

Dad · Jun 2, 2004

Not sure, but...

My understanding, though I've not researched this, is that Brown fat is almost nonexistant in adults. It is presemt in infants, especially in the upper mid back, but disappears within the first 2 years.

Most subqutaneous fat is plain, old ordinary fat trapped in CT just below the skin. Most of these fat cells a person is born with, but they can be increased in number at certain times in life (adolescence), or if bodyweight in fat exceeds 150% of what's considered "normal" for the individual's height, etc.

Many obese people not only have bigger fat cells, but more of them. So if you have 1/2 the number of fat cells that another person has. even if the size of the cells is the same, they carry more fat by virtue of having increased numbers of fat cells.

And, as Mike points out, people carry varying amounts of fat in different body sites. Some of this is hormonallly regulated.

TooPowerful4u · Jun 3, 2004

i know striations come from being lean and dry. That is a given. My question was. . .

Is it possible to develope striations better than others and in different places, or is it purely genetic?

I know dexter jackson is always ripped to the bone, shreaded striated glutes, no striated quads tho. . .

instynct999 · Jun 3, 2004

yes genetics as always plays a huge factor
Your Dexter point is a good indication
it really can not be developed IMO if it ain;'t htere to begin with and low bodyfat will not bring out straiations if they are not of any depth to speak of

TooPowerful4u · Jun 3, 2004

Iv read everthing i can find. I havent found ANYTHING that even slightly explains where striations come from, what part they play in muscular shape or contraction or anything. What exactly ARE striations, other than the simple answer.. those lines you get in a muscle when you are lean and its fully contracted.

TooPowerful4u · Jun 3, 2004

And yes, iv asked THIS question more than once, but never got an adequate answer. Anyone wanna take a stab at it, id appreciate it.

Dad · Jun 3, 2004

You just...

Answered your own question.

Got Juice · Jun 3, 2004

yeah its not exactly brain surgery, not trying to be rude. like you stated though when your skin is paper thin and with no water and fat you skin is basically pressed against your skin so tight you actually see your muscle shape and countour.

its kind of like chicks that wear tight ass jeans either with or without thongs.. you can see the striations of her panites through her pants(or skin in our case)if they are really tight.

hope that helps,

Todd

Mr Pickels · Jun 3, 2004

VMO = vastus medialis???

Big A · Aug 15, 2004

High rep breathing leg presses do the trick for me for quads striations.

homonunculus · Aug 15, 2004

TooPowerful4u said:
Iv read everthing i can find. I havent found ANYTHING that even slightly explains where striations come from, what part they play in muscular shape or contraction or anything. What exactly ARE striations, other than the simple answer.. those lines you get in a muscle when you are lean and its fully contracted.

Striations = "stripes." The striping is caused by the shape of the outer fascia covering the muscle (the epimysium).

Basically, its just the shape of the muscle that usually can't be seen b/c there is fat (and skin) covering it.

-Randy

P.S. Striations in the context of muscle tissue (histology) has a different meaning.

1badboy · Aug 15, 2004

Posing

I get more striations from intense pssing practice. Even though I don't plan to compete again, I still try to pose a muscle group for 10 min or so after I work it (not at gym!). This really seems to help add quality to the muscle too as you are developing a stronger mind-muscle connection.

Just my experience...

msclonly · Aug 16, 2004

Cross Striations!

Ever see those?

Now we are talking cuts!

TooPowerful4u · Aug 16, 2004

homonunculus said:
Striations = "stripes." The striping is caused by the shape of the outer fascia covering the muscle (the epimysium).

Basically, its just the shape of the muscle that usually can't be seen b/c there is fat (and skin) covering it.

-Randy

P.S. Striations in the context of muscle tissue (histology) has a different meaning.

First time i got the answer i was looking for. So now the next question has to be, striations are genetic.. not developed right, since its the shape of the fascia covering the muscle?

homonunculus · Aug 16, 2004

TooPowerful4u said:
First time i got the answer i was looking for. So now the next question has to be, striations are genetic.. not developed right, since its the shape of the fascia covering the muscle?

Yes, the shape is genetic, but how prominent the striations appear is a matter of development: a muscle will have more prominent striations when it is hypertrophied (and of course minimal fat obscuring it), than if it is small.

A guy who is 120 lb soaking wet, but lean will not have striations that are as visible (if at all) as if he were 240lb and just as lean.

This analogy may help: Imagine the bricks on a wall. From a distance, when the bricks are small and the wall is small, the surface of the wall appears smooth (no striations). When the wall gets larger, b/c the bricks get larger, the outline of each brick becomes more visible and there is a pattern (striations) that is apparent: the surface now appears striated, not smooth. (FYI: striations are *not* due to individual muscle fibers, which are much smaller than the irregularities in muscle belly shape that give the striated appearance.)

-Randy

msclonly · Aug 16, 2004

Muscle Striations

I have pictures of guys taken on stage, I worked with in the 1970s and 80s, that show individual CROSS striations of the muscle fibers. A rare sight, indeed!

That would be equilvalent to seeing the patterns on each brick versus just seeing the morter between each brick!