Muscle hypertrophy is an adaptation that our body makes in response to a stimulus given by an overload. The increase in volume, however, is not determined only by an increase in the number (hyperplasia) and thickness of myofibrils. There are other components within the muscle that contribute to increasing its volume: ATP, glycogen, phosphocreatine, connective tissue, capillaries and mitochondria. We should also take into account the fact that, in every muscle, both fast fibers (FT) and lens (ST) and that the two types of fibers should be trained differently. This brief introduction should make us understand that there is no effective method for hypertrophy, but there are different methods of muscle stimulation, each of which will produce modifications that globally will lead to hypertrophy.
Let's analyze what are the methods to train the muscle as a whole. In the following table it is possible to observe how much the various cellular components contribute to the total volume and the specific training mode:
Contribution in%
to cell volume
Training method
Myofibrils
20-30
Strength work - 6-12 repetitions. Rest
Mitochondria
15-25
Endurance work - 15-25 repetitions. Rest
Sarcoplasm
20-30
Strength and endurance work
Capillaries
3-5
Resistance plus sustained voltage
Fat deposits
10-15
Rest and diet
Glycogen
2-5
Diet
Connective tissue
2-3
Power
Other substances
4-7
Strength, endurance, rest and diet
As can be clearly seen, almost 90% of the muscle volume is given by: myofibrils, mitochondria, sarcoplasm and capillaries. To stimulate the increase in both number and size of myofibrils it will be necessary to work with loads ranging from 75% to 85% of the maximum on one repetition. The white fibers (FT) will respond better to loads of 80-85% of the maximal with fast, explosive movements and a low number of repetitions. The red fibers (ST) will instead be maximally stimulated by loads between 70 and 80% of the maximum. maximal with slower movements and a greater number of repetitions. Training with loads on the order of 60% of the maximum, slow movements and a high number of repetitions will result in an increase in both the number of mitochondria and the capillaries surrounding the muscle cell. From all this it is therefore evident that training with overloads MUST necessarily INCLUDE long series (15-30 repetitions) especially for large muscle groups.
Obviously, in order for a workout to be effective, it is necessary to take into account numerous other variables that would each need a separate treatment. For the moment I limit myself only to focusing on the "INTENSITY" of the training and on the EXECUTIVE TECHNIQUE of the exercises. Following an intense workout, there is an increase in blood lactic acid. The consequent lowering of blood pH leads to a notable increase in GH (growth hormone). Lactic acid also causes micro-lesions in the muscles which in the recovery and supercompensation phase they lead to increased protein synthesis. Considering that the energetic substrate of the lactacid system is glycogen, we will see a supercompensation in terms of retention of the same. Movement performed slowly, especially in the eccentric phase, produces a mechanical deformation at the level of the muscle cell nucleus. This has a very positive effect on the increase in protein synthesis. In addition, eccentric movement and isometric contraction cause significant damage to the muscle cell leading to the release of muscle specific growth factors such as IGF-1.
So when you train seriously, we try to understand what we are doing and above all why we are doing it in a certain way. There are no "magic" cards or miraculous exercises. Always rely on competent people who will be able to teach you "how to train" and will be able to advise you on the most suitable exercises, since the training schedule is ABSOLUTELY personal and is built exclusively on you.
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