Q&A – The Nervous System and Nerve Fibers
1. Does strength training affect the nervous system?
Yes – and very deeply.
Strength training not only strengthens muscles, but also improves communication between the brain and muscles, activates the neuromuscular system and improves the quality of nerve impulse conduction.
This is "command system training" – not just physical strength.
2. What does it mean that a muscle needs a nerve to function?
Every muscle movement begins with a nerve impulse.
The brain sends a signal through the spinal cord to the motor nerve, which then activates the muscle fibers via the neuromuscular junction.
Without an active and healthy nervous system, even strong muscles cannot function efficiently.
3. What are nerve fibers and what is their role?
Nerve fibers (e.g., type Aα) conduct electrical impulses from the brain to the muscles. The thicker and more myelin-coated they are, the faster and more efficiently they conduct signals.
It's like cables in an electrical system - they must be well insulated and conductive for the muscle to work quickly and accurately.
4. What is myelination and does training support it?
Myelination is the process of covering nerve fibers with myelin, a fatty-protein substance that accelerates nerve conduction.
Research shows that regular training – especially strength training – stimulates myelination, especially in children and adolescents, and slows its degradation in older people.
5. Does strength training improve nervous reaction speed?
Yes – Resistance training improves:
impulse conduction velocity,
neuromuscular coordination,
synchronization of motor units,
motor reaction time.
This means better movement control, reduced risk of injury, better athletic performance and greater functional safety in everyday life.
6. What happens to the nervous system when we do not exercise?
Lack of exercise leads to:
degeneration of the neuromuscular junction,
decrease in conductivity quality,
reducing the number of active motor units,
decline in neuroplasticity.
This is the "silent aging of the nervous system" that can also affect young people if their bodies are not exercised regularly.
7. Can children and adolescents improve the quality of their nervous system through strength training?
Yes – this is the best time for the development of the neuromuscular system.
Strength training in children improves:
coordination,
conduction speed,
precision of movement,
integration between the hemispheres of the brain.
This is training not only for the muscles, but for the entire body command system.
8. Can older people “reverse” the degradation of nerve fibers?
No – completely – but they can slow it down significantly and partially reverse the effects.
Strength training improves the efficiency of the nervous system, even in people aged 60–80+, by:
activation of unused motor units,
better blood supply,
increase in BDNF levels,
improving coordination and balance.
This is natural neuroregeneration – without drugs.
9. What is the neuromuscular junction and why is it important?
This is the place where the nerve ending meets the muscle fiber.
This is where the nerve impulse is converted into a muscle contraction.
If the plate degenerates (e.g. due to age or immobility), the strength and precision of movement decreases.
Strength training keeps this structure in good condition.
10. Does strength training affect the brain?
Yes – muscle activity stimulates the production of:
BDNF (neurotrophic factor),
dopamine and serotonin,
NO (nitric oxide), which improves blood supply to the brain.