muscle
"Transverse abdominis: The best way to visualize your transverse abdominal muscle is like a corset or a back brace that you might wear if you are doing heavy lifting; next time you go to a big warehouse store notice that a lot of the employees wear a back brace."
"A muscle gets injured when it is taken forcibly beyond it's threshold for elasticity. You see muscle is like a telescoping sausage. First, muscles are like sausages because each muscle group has a casing, which they call the fascia, much like the skin of your favorite deli sausage, it allows for the muscle to move within it's specified boundaries while decreasing the chances of the muscles tearing. So in a way this fascia is crucial the the strength of a muscle group while keeping them organized for a specific use "
"Always stretch warm muscles. A cold muscle is like a frozen elastic band, it will snap and cause injury. For best results, perform a light movement warm up for 3 to 5 minutes prior to stretching because this will add fluid and mobility to the joints and to bring blood flow to the surrounding muscles. "
"Tensing all your muscles when you're trying to solve a problem is like having the police block off vehicle access to Times Square. Times Square is where all the hubbub is! It's where all the problem solving action takes place. A tense muscle is like a barricade blocking ideas' access to the problem solving center. So, while we can appreciate the body has the best of intentions and is only trying to help, the result can be quite the opposite."
"And while you're practicing, keep a watchful eye and ear out for metaphors around you. When you find one that really works for you-maybe it clarifies something definitively, maybe it sums up something perfectly, maybe it just sticks with you-take the time to consider why it works so well. Building your metaphor muscle is like any other kind of training regimen-you can learn a lot by listening to the pros. "
"Muscle is less efficient than fat. Muscle is like a Dodge Viper, and fat is more like a Toyota Prius. Another words, muscle burns through the gas (calories) faster than fat."
"Muscle cells are like a balloon which is filled with water and lots of little components, including creatine kinase and myoglobin "
"Electrically, the cardiac muscle cells are like loaded springs. When a small impulse sets them off, they depolarize and contract."
"In fact, the connective tissue can actually limit the size of your muscle cells. Your muscle cells are like a pet goldfish attempting to grow in a restrictive bowl of connective tissue"
"Muscle tissue is like a sponge, with big holes, and it's wide open right after your workout. You need to fill the holes (with carbs) right after, or the next workout will feel "crunchy." It won't work as well."
"Muscle tissue is like a rubber band that you want to keep supple and elastic. Unfortunately, it tends to get knotted up with spasms over time. If you put 20 knots into a rubber band, it cannot store nearly as much energy"
It is an all or nothing mechanism.
"Lean muscle tissue is like a furnace that is cooking away at a higher temperature than body fat ever does, so it requires significantly more calories just to maintain."
METAMIA is a free database of analogy and metaphor. Anyone can contribute or search. The subject matter can be anything. Science is popular, but poetry is encouraged. The goal is to integrate our fluid muses with the stark literalism of a relational database. Metamia is like a girdle for your muses, a cognitive girdle.