What Is Muscle Memory?

The phrase “muscle memory” might make you think every muscle has a little brain that helps you exercise. That's not the case. But recall and automation play a huge part in how muscle memory works.

When you learn new movements –– either through bodybuilding or trying a sport –– your brain and muscles work together to help you make those moves without consciously thinking about them. Some evidence suggests that trained muscles "remember" past workouts. This allows them to grow faster than untrained muscles after a period of inactivity. That's muscle memory. And it may be related to how strength training affects muscle cells. 

How does muscle memory work?

People often use the term muscle memory to describe physical tasks that they never forget how to do. Think of riding a bike, swimming, or throwing a ball. You don’t use muscle memory in these cases. Instead, these are examples of how motor learning works. 

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Motor learning occurs when you learn how to perform a movement through repetition. Nerve pathways from the brain to the muscles — known as motor units — are recruited for the task. The movement pattern is continually encoded in the brain. And eventually, it becomes automatic. You can do these tasks without consciously thinking about them, even if it’s been a long time since you’ve done them. 

But muscle memory is a bit different. It refers to how your muscles respond to resistance exercises after a break from training. Essentially, muscles trained through consistent, repeated strength or resistance workouts experience cellular changes. And those changes make it easier for muscles to adapt, grow, and strengthen when you start working out again. 

What does science say about muscle memory?

Unlike motor memory, muscle memory occurs in the muscles and not the brain, Rocky Snyder, an author and certified strength and conditioning specialist, told GoodRx Health. So, much of the research on muscle memory focuses on what happens to your muscle cells during exercise. 

A 2019 animal study showed that strength training creates more nuclei in muscle cells. This helps muscles adapt, grow, and get stronger. Previously, scientists thought that those additional nuclei would die if you stopped training. But the study found that they may remain in the cells even when you’re inactive. 

Another more recent study also looked at muscle memory in mice. And the findings were similar. Trained mice experienced cellular changes that remained even after they stopped being active. Those same mice built muscle faster than untrained mice when they started exercising again. 

Benefits of forming muscle memory

The most obvious benefit of forming muscle memory is that it may help you get back in shape quickly. Regular resistance exercise may trigger lasting cellular changes in your muscles. These changes can make it easier for your muscles to respond to training even after long periods of inactivity. 

Researchers tested this theory in a 2018 study. Adults completed a 7-week strength-training program. The program altered genes in muscle cells and helped participants build muscle. Then, they stopped training for 7 weeks, which made them lose the muscle they gained. But the cellular changes remained. And when participants began retraining for another 7 weeks, they were able to gain muscle faster than before. 

That's good news for anyone who has to take a break from their fitness routine due to injury, illness, or other reasons. It may only take 2 weeks of inactivity to undo progress like increasing muscle strength. So getting back on track quickly is helpful. 

How long does muscle memory take to form?

It's hard to say exactly how long it takes to form muscle memory. The time frame may depend on various factors, including workout complexity. 

"If you're focused on one exercise, like a bicep curl, it might only take weeks," Snyder says. But more challenging exercises, like lifting a heavy barbell, could take longer.

Fortunately, you can shorten the time needed to develop muscle memory by regularly practicing an activity, Reda Elmardi, a certified strength and conditioning trainer, told GoodRx. Try doing the same strength-training workout every other day for a month. This gives you time to perfect your form. And by the time you're done, Elmardi says, the exercises might be shuttled into your muscle memory. 

"As you repeat these actions, your brain learns the movement while your muscles adapt and get better at performing them."

How long does muscle memory last?

Experts aren't sure how long muscle memory lasts. But it might be long term or permanent. Studies have shown that muscle memory after resistance exercise may last 12 to 22 weeks. An older study suggests that muscle memory causes muscle cell changes that last for at least 15 years. 

But how long muscle memory lasts likely depends on several factors, including exercise intensity and frequency.  

Can muscle memory help you get in shape?

Muscle memory is about how previously trained muscles respond to strength training. It won't help you get in shape if you've never been active. But it can help you get back in shape if you've ever committed to a fitness routine or sport. 

"The sooner you start working out regularly, the more muscle memory will help your fitness," Snyder says. 

That's because repetition is key to creating those muscle cell changes that help you form muscle memory. "Repeating the same [exercise] makes it easier to bounce back after injury or to return to a previous level of fitness," Elmardi says. 

Does everyone have muscle memory?

Everyone has the capacity to develop muscle memory. Of course, some may have a greater capacity for muscle memory than others. A professional weightlifter, for example, may build muscle faster after a break than someone who’s not a professional athlete. 

While you can create muscle memory at any age, starting younger is better. Research suggests that strength training when you’re younger could make it easier to restore age-related muscle loss.  

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Written by:

Elizabeth Millard, CPT, RYT

Elizabeth Millard, CPT, RYT, is a Minnesota-based freelance health writer with 25 years of experience. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, apps, and patient education materials.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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