Detraining

Retained Myonuclei: The Cellular Engine Behind Muscle Memory and Faster Regrowth

The leading explanation for muscle memory is the myonuclear permanence hypothesis: resistance training adds nuclei to muscle fibers via satellite cells, and these nuclei are thought to be retained during detraining, priming muscle for faster regrowth upon retraining. While this cellular mechanism is actively investigated, evidence in humans remains mixed.