Why Some People Recover From Workouts Faster
You and a friend do the exact same workout. The next morning, you’re stiff but functional, ready to go about your day. Your friend, meanwhile, is wincing every time they …
Why Some People Get Way More Sore Than Others After Exercise
You take a rest day for a week, ease back into the gym with a moderate leg workout, and the next morning you can barely walk down stairs. Meanwhile, someone …
The Genetics of Why Some People Build Muscle Faster Than Others
Walk into any gym and you’ll spot them: the person who started lifting three months ago and already looks noticeably more built, standing next to someone who’s been training consistently …
The Genetics of Why Some People Cramp Up More Easily
You’ve probably heard the standard advice for muscle cramps: drink more water, eat a banana, stretch it out. And sometimes that advice works. But if you’re someone who cramps up …
The Genetic Reason Some People Get Shin Splints and Others Never Do
You ease back into running after a break, following all the standard advice: new shoes, gradual mileage increases, proper warmups. And yet a dull ache creeps up your shin bone …
Why Some People Are Naturally Better at Balance-Based Sports
Put ten beginners on a balance board, a surfboard, or a slackline, and you’ll usually see the same thing: a couple of people find their footing almost immediately, while everyone …
Sprinter or Marathoner? What Your Genes Say About Your Muscle Type
Some people take up running and immediately fall in love with the mile repeats and the burn of an all-out 100-meter sprint. Others find their groove somewhere around mile 10 …
Why Some People’s Bodies Respond Better to Strength Training Than Cardio
You start a new fitness routine that mixes lifting and cardio, and after a few months, something interesting happens. Your strength numbers climb steadily, but your mile time barely budges. …
The Genetics of VO2 Max and Natural Endurance
You’ve probably met someone who took up running or cycling and, within weeks, was keeping pace with people who’d been training for years. It’s not always about grit or discipline. …
The Genetic Link to Being “Naturally Skinny” No Matter What You Eat
There’s always one person in the friend group who eats an enormous plate of food, skips the gym for weeks, and somehow stays exactly the same size. It’s easy to …