If you are working towards a health or fitness goal, chances are you’ve heard or said a variation of one of the following phrases:
"I’m just not built for running."
"My family gain weight easily; it’s in the blood."
"I’ve never been able to build muscle."
While genes certainly influence height and bone structure, modern research offers a far more empowering reality. Genes are not a fixed set of instructions. Instead, they behave like dimmer switches - and exercise is the hand that turns them up or down.
The "Software Update" for the Body
The DNA someone is born with doesn’t change, but the way the body reads that DNA does. This process is how people dramatically transform their fitness and health at any age. Think of it as a software update. Certain genes - the ones that matter for fat loss and muscle growth - respond directly to lifestyle. These ‘adaptation genes’ control:
- How efficiently the body burns fat.
- How quickly lean muscle is built.
- How well the body regulates blood sugar.
- The amount of energy available for daily life.
Whether looking at elite athletes or those just starting their fitness journey, the science is consistent: the body rewires itself, and at Vision, our personalised programs and group classes are designed with the following insights in mind:
- Strength Training: This ‘flips the switch’ on genes responsible for muscle repair and growth.
- Interval Training (HIIT): This triggers the genes linked to metabolic health and ‘energy factories’ within the cells.
- Consistency is Key: One study showed that long-term athletes had over 1,000 genes behaving differently than those who were sedentary. Even those with a family history of Type 2 diabetes saw their genes shift back toward a healthy pattern after 6–12 months of regular exercise.
Do genetics matter? Yes - they might determine the starting point. However, lifestyle determines the finishing line. One might not be destined for the Olympics, but the range of what the human body can achieve is far wider than most realise. When you train consistently, you are effectively turning off the genes linked to poor health and turning on the ones that build a stronger, leaner, and more energetic version of yourself. Every single rep and every minute of cardio is a message being sent to the DNA. It’s time to start sending the right signals.
