How to Build Muscle: an In-Depth Look at Gaining Mass
This article is all about the latter - how to build muscle. Something that should be rather straightforward has been overly complicated. Everyone claims they have a better way and it can be downright confusing! We’re going to go over the fundamentals of muscle hypertrophy and concentrate on the foundations that have been working ever since the first person picked up a weight. What Is Muscle Hypertrophy? "Hypertrophy" simply means the enlargement of an organ or tissue. Therefore, "muscle hypertrophy" means the enlargement of a muscle. Two types of hypertrophy can occur. Sarcoplasmic: Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy refers to the enlargement of the sarcoplasm and non-contractile units. Myofibrillar: Myofibrillar hypertrophy consists of the addition of contractile units, which can increase muscle density. This can make you bigger AND stronger. Both types of muscle hypertrophy occurs by training with multiple rep ranges. So, what triggers muscle growth? This question isn’t as simple as you would think, especially considering how much we talk about it.
The truth is, we don’t know for sure. In fact, there seems to be several factors that can influence muscle growth. 1. Mechanical Tension seems to be the most influential factor of muscle growth. 2. Metabolic Stress refers to the build up of metabolites in a working muscle during vigorous activity.
This article is all about the latter - how to build muscle. Something that should be rather straightforward has been overly complicated. Everyone claims they have a better way and it can be downright confusing! We’re going to go over the fundamentals of muscle hypertrophy and concentrate on the foundations that have been working ever since the first person picked up a weight. What Is Muscle Hypertrophy? "Hypertrophy" simply means the enlargement of an organ or tissue. Therefore, "muscle hypertrophy" means the enlargement of a muscle. Two types of hypertrophy can occur. Sarcoplasmic: Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy refers to the enlargement of the sarcoplasm and non-contractile units. Myofibrillar: Myofibrillar hypertrophy consists of the addition of contractile units, which can increase muscle density. This can make you bigger AND stronger. Both types of muscle hypertrophy occurs by training with multiple rep ranges. So, what triggers muscle growth? This question isn’t as simple as you would think, especially considering how much we talk about it.
The truth is, we don’t know for sure. In fact, there seems to be several factors that can influence muscle growth. 1. Mechanical Tension seems to be the most influential factor of muscle growth. 2. Metabolic Stress refers to the build up of metabolites in a working muscle during vigorous activity.