Muscle developmentm in aspies.

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Stop trying to play the smart and the wise master and stop lecturing me , there's no scientific study that links AS to physical weakness. The only explanation why most aspies are not physically fit is because they are either not interested in sport and physical activities or either lack the the social will to engage in such activities or even either are too obsessed in particular non-physical activities. Yet, some members here are very physically fit ...so firefox's theory is wrong.

This possible comorbid condition is just a fallacy.

There's big truth in some stereotypes.

LPP said:

This isn't a movie.

I am slim ectomorphic somatotype, don't like sports, look very weak like typical nerd,
but strength runs in my family and I seem to be evidence of a theory
that ectomorphic somatotypes can more efficiently use muscle mass
because there are stronger impulses in their nervous systems.
I can carry people heavier than myself in my arms and climb with only
my arms, and I've seen even skinnier (skeleton like) people on farms lift and move
things so heavy that I couldn't even nudge them. My legs are so
strong that I could operate leg machines with ALL of the weights
on it, since the first time I ever tried to. As a child I was less than average
strong, but now more than average. Maybe because I moved away from farms.
Even since then, I usually WIN at arm wrestling, and people challenge me because
of my "obvious weakness". But, I never passed physical fitness tests in school.

LPP, enough of your lectures trying to dictate what is said... really, it's getting to be sad.

I asked a question, because your statement was a blanket assertion with no substance - so I'm questioning its' validity and basis in fact. That you choose to evade the question does not reflect on me... only on you. There are some studies that link hypotonia to those on the spectrum. Not a conclusive connection, not if one then the other, but there has been evidence. From personal experience, I've had students on the spectrum who could likely carry my giant arse on their shoulders. I don't see anyone in this discussion saying that it is due to their ASD, or that everyone on the spectrum has low muscle tone or growth. Some do, and for a lot of reasons - some not identified beyond the possibility of a connection. Here, you've latched onto your personal belief and attempted to turn it to fact. The co-morbidity of hypotonia is a possibility, and people are discussing that. Your opinion is noted, but if you're not going to contribute beyond such flat words and being unwilling to explain or support your claims, then.. well, it's really just a waste of time. Stereotypes are just that; flat images unable to capture the detail or reality of what is being examined.


M.

Spend a few moments on the parents board and you will discover that a very high percentage of our AS kids have issues with loose joints and / or motor skills. Disgraphia is a huge problem among AS kids, although not all have it. Many tie shoes late, ride bikes late, etc.

And then you have the ones who are super-star musicians or amazing basket-ball players. Or who tied their shoes at age 3.

As with so many things, muscle formation among AS seems to be an area of extremes. Either far above average, or far below. Neither characterizing the group. Although the relative non-existence of "average" does seem to be the AS norm. I don't have the data for it, perhaps someone will take the time someday to gather it, but I think I've read enough from various AS to have an idea on the sum of it.

Muscle development is like memory. If people can't remember something, they figure they have some problem. The fact is that MOST people forget! Likewise, MOST people have trouble building Muscle. Look at arnold swartzenegger! He was a veritable PRODIGY! Yet HE wasn't perfect. He STUDIED! He NETWORKED! He STRUGGLED! He ate a LOT! And it STILL took a long time! It STILL required calf implants and steroids!

Some "STRONG MEN" of yesteryear are VERY weak now because laws and/or cancer or damage prevent their using steroids, and their testicles atrophied so they have less ability than normal males.

When I was young, I WAS stronger than others, though I didn't play any sports. When I got older, I WAS weaker, but I proved I could do FAR better. Maybe not as well as arnold, but I ALSO didn't study so hard, didn't network, didn't struggle, didn't eat a lot, or get calf implants or take steroids.

Hard to say, I'd say. I seem to have long muscles, (i.e. my biceps disappear into my armpits and also overlap my elbow to disappear into my forearms) and I'm VERY gaunt, lanky and boney, but that could just be me and my lifestyle.

Strength has never been an issue for me, but, I was VERY active throughout my life. I was always outside doing stuff while growing up, and when I started working, it was very physical labor. I still am in pretty good shape muscle-wise today, and haven't done much for the last year and a half. I consider myself lucky because I have always built muscle very rapidly, and it doesn't take much to keep tone. Genetics plays a good part in this, as both of my parents are from athletic families.

So, I don't think AS has anything to do with strength or muscle tone. I would say that lifestyle and genetics are the major contributing factors.

I have an unusually strong and broad bone structure so naturally my muscles are quite strong despite a lack of exercise *shrugs* i guess some aspies might be underdeveloped from a lack of sport's as a child as someone else suggested.

There's too many different aspects to physical strength to claim that aspies are physically weaker.

I will not argue that, with effort, there are many who would find benefits in regular activity. Hell, I've lost seventy pounds in the past 10 months, and have another 30+ before I hit my target weight to be within a healthy range for my size. Depression and apathy was winning, and I gave in. It's been a tough year, but I'm thankful for the progress. To change where I was took effort, determination, and focus. At the worst stage, I was over 300 pounds... when I reach my goal, I will end up around 65% of what I was. That said, I still do not create muscle mass at the same rate as others in my age bracket and other demographics. It isn't a matter of mere strength, but of muscle mass and tone - the two are different things entirely. I'm not arguing that there are underlying and additional causes; only that LPP's assertion that it is solely the result of a disinterest in sports is not complete or fully accurate. Again - there are plenty, on and off the spectrum, who have allowed ourselves to fall dormant, to become sedentary - however, that does not mean that there are not also those affected who have difficulty making the conversion.


M.

Is there anything that they didn't link it to autism yet?

The opening is much too large here... *whistles*

There is much to be learned; to dismiss so easily is to entreat error.


M.

Well... there are some old news about studies linking autism to mitochondrial disease , a mitochondrial disease may cause great muscle weakness but it's far different than just "physically weak" , a mitochondrial condition is usually a serious one and easily detectable.

However, no documented study was published about this study yet , it was only mentioned in the news.


Talking about "factoid", many people babble tons of "factoids" everyday about linking autism to X thing yet you are not bothered by them Mr. Maku.


I am not strong myself but hey ......I rarely work out and when I was kid I was not interested in sports and I was barely able to play sports anyways because of my abdominal migraine for 13 years. http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt78084.html


I think that autism is linked to lack of interest in physical activities and not weakness.... *CORRECTED*

Last edited by LePetitPrince on 04 Oct 2008, 11:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'm physically strong, but my coordination skills are poor. My fine motor skills were also delayed (I couldn't walk before I was two years old).

So what's your point exactly? You just confirmed my theory.

You are slim but you are strong because you were used to work in a FARM! Really , slim doesn't equates to weak. Most martial artists look slim and not very muscly yet they can break any buff's neck. Working in farm make your bones and nerves stronger as well your muscles' components.

Where I live there are 2 mainstream schools of working out, the french program of exercising (and there's also the Swedish style which is similar to the french one) and the American program of exercising.
The ones who follow on the french style rely on mere strength training activities without machines and weight lifting like push-up, Sit-up , tummy-up. ...etc . Those take much more time to make you little but but they improve strength, anaerobic, stamina , endurance and size of skeletal muscles, so you become stronger for very long-term.

While the American program of exercising rely mostly on weight lifting and weight machines , you can build huge muscles quickly with those but not much stamina and endurance and once you quit you quickly become weak again.

Working in the farm / martial arts / Army training / sport games give results similar to the french training program. Many sportsmen would follow both techniques too.

One of my best friends was slim , yet one of the strongest guys in arm wrestling , he works out without machines.

dont really notice

Interesting - just now I took a moment, searched, and found several articles specifically mentioning hypotonia with autism on the first page of many. I don't think your last sentence came out with the meaning that was intended, but the gist is there... but I don't agree. There are such a range of interests for those on the spectrum that what you suggest doesn't make sense to me. I'm not bothered by people asking questions about what possibilities there are - but it does get my attention when the ideas and questions are dismissed out of hand.


M.