eli5: why do we need to workout to be jacked, why cant our bodies make us naturally shredded
In: 90
“Shredded” and “jacked” are two different things.
“Shredded” is normally seen as a very low body fat percentage. This is mainly done in the kitchen.
“Jacked” is usually seen as someone that has large muscles. This can only be done through resistance training. Our bodies can acclimate to a lot of different conditions. If you sit on a couch all day, every day, your body will acclimate. If you lift heavy things often, your body will acclimate to that.
An animal that is shredded in nature is emaciated. Think of how easy it would be to starve in nature if you were shredded and ran out of food. Your muscle mass requires higher caloric intake than fat and isn’t the preferred fuel for the body.
And shredded is relative, if the circumstances in nature required us to be more shredded we would be
You need a lifestyle that promotes strength. Lumberjacks tend to have strength because they are constantly lifting climbing, pushing, etc. Go be a lumberjack…. be strong… Be free…
The bodies goal is and will always be to maintain homeostasis. This means balance. So if you’re just chilling at home doing nothing in bed your muscles have absolutely no reason to be bigger/stronger/jacked etc. You will actually start to get atrophy, wasting away, especially in your legs if you do absolutely nothing all day.
Once you start hitting the gym your body gets thrown out of homeostasis. The muscle fibers get damaged, lactic acid is released. The body then repairs that damage and adds a little bit extra so that next time you work out you are more prepared. This is why you get super sore the first few days. But the more you work out the less soreness you get. This is the body being able to maintain homeostasis even when working out.
But once that starts to happen you have to up your game and add more weights, more sets, longer running time. To throw yourself out of homeostasis again so when the body repairs itself it becomes even stronger.
Why would you want your body shredded? Like just to be better looking or stronger? Humans have actually evolved away from large muscles compared to say a chimpanzee. Muscles mean you have to eat more and they slow you down actually. If your plan is to run down your prey over 10 miles and maybe climb a few trees you want a runner’s body not a body builder’s. Smaller muscles may help with speech and fine motor control of the hands . But it might just be more efficient.
Muscles require a lot of energy. Why waste the time to build and then maintain muscles that you don’t need? That’s why after a while (time May vary) if not using muscles they will atrophy.
Some peoples are. It’s genetics. Some people have pit bull bodies and some have hound dog bodies. My ex husband is a freak of nature for example.
On top of the comments saying massive muscles are a huge energy drain, I’d add that we can only use a small percentage of our total strength. If you could use 100% if your strength you’d break your bones. We’re already incredibly strong out the gate, extra muscle isn’t necessary for survival so its hard to get.
The jacked look is for aesthetics and a form of body modification like anything else we do to ourselves to look a certain way. It requires dedication to a diet and activity that isn’t necessarily natural unless we provide the right circumstances.
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