Issue No. 38: How Muscles Grow - The Science Behind Strength and Size

May 01, 2025

Good Morning! Welcome to this week’s edition of Morning Cowbell. Let’s take a look at the top stories and coolest trends shaping fitness and health.

💪  How Muscles Grow - The Science Behind Strength and Size: Understanding how muscles develop can help you train smarter, eat better, and reach your goals faster, whether you're looking to get stronger, more athletic, or simply stay healthy as you age.

IN THIS ISSUE:
1. Chest-Supported Row vs. Bent-Over Row
2. At 77, She’s as Fit as a 25-Year Old
3. Pump X Headphones Hit the Right Beat
4. Muscle Memory is Real
5. How Champagne Might Save Your Heart

🐄 🐄 🐄 — John, Nolan and Josh

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Chest-Supported Row vs. Bent-Over-Row

The ultimate pull-day face-off that’ll have your lats thanking you and your posture improving overnight.

  • The big picture: If you love lifting without worrying about turning into a human question mark, chest-supported is your jam. With your chest supported on a bench, you can laser-focus on your lats, traps, and rhomboids without recruiting your lower back or core to hold you up. It’s great for isolating those upper-back muscles, especially if you’re nursing an injury or just starting out and want to lock in good form without the wobble. The bent-over-row, a classic compound movement, calls in backup from your core, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, making it a functional powerhouse for total-body strength. But it’s not for the faint of form - sloppy technique here is a fast-track to strain city. Done right, though, it delivers brute strength, muscle coordination, and serious posterior chain activation.

  • The verdict: While the chest-supported row offers a safe, stable platform to build a sculpted upper back and the bent-over row brings total-body power with a side of core work, the smart move isn’t to choose just one - it’s to use both like a seasoned gym tactician and give your back the well-balanced love it deserves.

At 77, She’s as Fit as a 25-Year Old

Jeannie Rice is the 77-year-old marathoner proving that age is just a number, and hers comes with a world record.

  • The big picture: Jeannie Rice has shattered world records in the 75-79 age group across multiple distances, including marathons, and recently completed her 134th marathon at the Boston Marathon, finishing first in her age group. ​Her VO₂ max, a key indicator of aerobic fitness, matches that of a 25-year-old woman, making her a subject of scientific studies aiming to understand the limits of human performance as we age. Jeannie's regimen includes running up to 75 miles a week, strength training, a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fish, and an active social life - all contributing factors to her outstanding health and performance

  • The verdict: Jeannie Rice is not just running marathons; she's running circles around our preconceived notions of aging, proving that with dedication and passion, the golden years can be a time of peak performance.

Pump X Headphones

Pump X Headphones Hit the Right Workout Beat

Looking for headphones that can keep up with your high-intensity workouts? The BlueAnt Pump X over-ear headphones might just be your new gym buddy.

  • The big picture: ​ The Pump X headphones offer active noise cancellation up to 35 dB, an impressive 34-hour battery life (58 hours with ANC off), and IP54 sweat and splash resistance, making them suitable for intense workouts and outdoor activities. While the headphones come with swappable ear pads for everyday use and cooling during workouts, their single-size design may not provide a perfect fit for all ear sizes, potentially affecting comfort during extended use. Equipped with 40mm dynamic drivers and an "X-Mode" for enhanced workout audio, the Pump X delivers rich, dynamic sound. However, the difference with X-Mode activated is subtle, and the headphones' fit can influence the overall audio experience.

  • The verdict: The BlueAnt Pump X headphones are a solid choice for fitness enthusiasts seeking durable, feature-rich headphones, but potential buyers should consider the fit to ensure comfort during prolonged use.

Muscle Memory is Real

A groundbreaking study from Finland reveals that our muscles have a memory, and it's not just in our heads.

  • The big picture: Researchers discovered that muscles retain a "memory" of resistance training at the protein level, with certain proteins maintaining changes even after a prolonged break from exercise. The study involved participants undergoing ten weeks of resistance training, followed by a ten-week break, and then another ten weeks of training. Muscle samples analyzed showed that some proteins reverted to their original state during the break, while others, notably calcium-binding proteins like calpain-2, remained altered, indicating a lasting memory effect.​ This protein-level memory explains why individuals often regain strength and muscle mass more quickly after resuming training, even after extended periods of inactivity. It provides a molecular basis for the concept of "muscle memory."

  • The verdict: This study offers compelling evidence that our muscles don't just forget; they remember past workouts at a molecular level, making it easier to bounce back into shape after a hiatus.

How Champagne Might Save Your Heart

A new study suggests that sipping champagne might not only tickle your taste buds but also give your heart a helping hand.

  • The big picture: Researchers have discovered that moderate consumption of champagne and white wine is linked to a reduced risk of sudden cardiac arrest, challenging the long-held belief that only red wine offers heart benefits. ​The study, analyzing data from over 500,000 individuals, identified 56 modifiable risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest. Positive lifestyle choices - like eating more fruit, maintaining a healthy weight, staying upbeat, and yes, enjoying a glass of bubbly - could prevent up to 63% of cases. ​While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, the findings suggest that the cardio-protective effects of moderate alcohol consumption are more nuanced than previously thought, indicating that it's not just red wine that can be heart-friendly. ​

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