Are you curious whether you have a talent for slow or fast muscle fibers? Then do our DNA sports test. We look at your predisposition for muscle fiber type (type I (slow) and type II (fast) muscle fibers).
One of the aspects that influence our physical performance is the distribution of the different types of muscle fibers in our muscles. Muscle fibers can be divided into two categories, based on the rate at which they contract: slow-twitch (type I, also called slow or white) muscle fibers and fast-twitch (type II, also called fast or red) muscle fibers. Fast-twitch muscle fibers can be further subdivided into intermediate fibers (type IIa) and fast-twitch (type IIb) muscle fibers. The ratio of these different fibers in a muscle determines the maximum achievable performance of the muscle.
Our genes largely determine the proportion of each type of muscle fiber we are born with, but training can help boost the type of fiber needed for specific performance. It is known that training style can affect the ratio between type IIa and type IIb fibers, but it appears to have less of an impact when switching from type I to type II and vice versa.
Using a genetic marker (rs1815739 : ACTN3) we can see whether there is a predisposition for slow or fast muscle fibers. An outcome could be: Your genetic profile shows a genetic predisposition for more fast type II muscle fibers.
With our Sport DNA test you get much more insight into all aspects of your sports performance. Would you like to have more insight into the components below? Buy your Sports DNA test!
Based on your genetic profile, we can see:
