How Microtears help you to Build Muscle Mass
It seems counterintuitive to purposely injure yourself during a workout, but that, in essence, is what you must do to build muscle mass. That doesn’t mean you should reach for the heaviest barbell at the gym and attempt 100 repetitions daily, orthopedic surgeon Michael Karns, MD says. Instead, it’s important to understand how these tiny injuries to muscle fibers, called microtears, help athletes build mass. "Microtears are what happen after a muscle gets physically worked," Dr. Karns says. "Once these occur, the body sends good nutrition and good blood to the area to heal. You have to break muscle down to build it back up stronger," he says. The process of repairing and adapting to microtears to increase muscle mass is called hypertrophy. Seek guidance: If you’re new to strength training, ask a strength coach, athletic trainer or gym teacher to model safe techniques and monitor your form. Going it alone may cause you to develop bad habits, which can lead to injuries that set back your efforts.
Remember weightlifting isn’t a standalone activity: Skipping the warmup or cooldown may sideline you. Begin your workout with a few minutes of cardio to increase your heart rate and get blood flowing to the muscles. After strength training, perform static stretches to prevent cramping. Go heavy: Achieving hypertrophy means lifting heavier weights and performing fewer repetitions. "Lifting heavy weight results in the microtears needed to build muscle mass," Dr. Karns says.
It seems counterintuitive to purposely injure yourself during a workout, but that, in essence, is what you must do to build muscle mass. That doesn’t mean you should reach for the heaviest barbell at the gym and attempt 100 repetitions daily, orthopedic surgeon Michael Karns, MD says. Instead, it’s important to understand how these tiny injuries to muscle fibers, called microtears, help athletes build mass. "Microtears are what happen after a muscle gets physically worked," Dr. Karns says. "Once these occur, the body sends good nutrition and good blood to the area to heal. You have to break muscle down to build it back up stronger," he says. The process of repairing and adapting to microtears to increase muscle mass is called hypertrophy. Seek guidance: If you’re new to strength training, ask a strength coach, athletic trainer or gym teacher to model safe techniques and monitor your form. Going it alone may cause you to develop bad habits, which can lead to injuries that set back your efforts.
Remember weightlifting isn’t a standalone activity: Skipping the warmup or cooldown may sideline you. Begin your workout with a few minutes of cardio to increase your heart rate and get blood flowing to the muscles. After strength training, perform static stretches to prevent cramping. Go heavy: Achieving hypertrophy means lifting heavier weights and performing fewer repetitions. "Lifting heavy weight results in the microtears needed to build muscle mass," Dr. Karns says.