The Mechanism Pt. II - Hypertrophy, Lets Get Some
So Hypertrophy then, how do you get some? The three most important mechanisms for stimulating hypertrophy are Mechanical tension, Metabolic stress, and Muscular damage to create the micro tears in the muscle fibers for your body to repair. Focusing on all three creates the greatest stimulation for muscle growth.
Mechanical tension is achieved by using a substantial load and performing exercises through a full range of motion for a certain amount of time. The time you spend under tension creates mechanical tension in the muscles; the more significant the time, the more significant the mechanical tension. But, tension alone won't signal maximum muscle growth. Tension in addition to a full range of motion is what causes a substantial hypertrophic response. In other words, maximal muscular development comes from a foundation of strength. Greater strength allows for greater mechanical tension across all exercises - It is a one hand washes the other situation. The basics of it is that you should lift heavy at a relatively slow tempo through a full range of motion to promote muscle growth.
Metabolic Stress - Though some focus too much on this particular aspect, that pump you get in your muscles does play an important role in hypertrophy. That sleeve-splitting pump you feel after the end of an arms workout is the result metabolic stress. When you work out hard to achieve a pump, you build up lactate, hydrogen ions, creatinine, and other metabolites, but you also prevent blood from escaping. This metabolic stress in the muscle signals adaptation.
Muscular Damage - It's not uncommon to hobble out of bed the day after demolishing a workout that in turn, demolishes your muscles. Luckily, soreness isn't just a useless irritating part of the process; that damage to muscle tissue creates a temporary inflammatory response and releases the necessary signals for muscle growth. More damage instigates a great need for repair and nutrient delivery to the damaged area. This repairing process causes muscle fibers to recover and come back stronger in order to respond to future stimuli.
At this point you may be saying, that’s great, what is the best way to DO that? Well, as with most things in life there isn’t one simple answer. Generally speaking however, working in the 7-12 rep range with a weight that takes you to failure within this range (which is usually about 60-80% of your 1RM) is the best way to ensure you are maximizing hypertrophy.
The reason for this comes down to the different muscle types we have, which are basically type 1 and type 2 or slow twitch and fast twitch, respectively which activate at different times, depending on the level and type of effort required.
Slow twitch muscle fibers are the muscles with the most endurance, and are consequently also the smallest. When you first pick up a weight, the first muscles called into action are your type 1 fibers. If the load is too heavy for them to handle, your brain will signal more of them into action. If the muscle still provides insufficient force to move the resistance the brain will call the type II muscle fibers in.
Your type II fast twitch muscle fibers are the bigger, stronger of the muscles and have the greatest potential for growth, but because they require so much more energy to use, have much less endurance compared to its type I counterpart.
Your brain will activate as much of these fibers as needed to successfully complete the task at hand. Of course, all of this takes place at lightning speed to the point that there is no way you could that all of this is happening when you go to pick up that dumbbell.
The reason 7-12 reps is ideal is that it allows you to stimulate all of these muscle fibers while creating significant metabolic stress. When using a heavier weight with which you can only perform 3-6 reps, you activate both type 1 and II fibers since the weight is close to your max and you will require most of your muscle to move it from the start. Where the disadvantage of this range comes in is that you obviously cannot complete as many reps with it, which decreases your overall time under tension and creates less metabolic stress.
Using a lighter weight to complete reps in the 15-20+ range can create significant metabolic stress and muscular damage, but isn’t going to improve your strength any. You can work both type 1 and II muscle fibers if you push yourself to failure, but since the overall load is lighter, your body has no need to respond with an adaptation to handle heavier weight.
Using higher reps is also not a best practice for gaining muscle because in addition to not helping it the strength arena, it also has the drawback of burning more calories, since you will be performing more reps which increases your total exercise time and muscular time under tension. Though it isn’t going to make a huge difference in your progress, you will be burning more calories for fewer results and can slow your progress down.
The 7-12 rep range is your home for hypertrophy because at this in between range, you get the benefits of both heavier weight and higher rep training. With a range of 7-12 you can lift enough weight to effectively work the type II fast twitch fibers to make some strength gains as long as you are taking your sets to failure. You are also performing enough reps with this weight for significant metabolic stress.
Mechanical tension is achieved by using a substantial load and performing exercises through a full range of motion for a certain amount of time. The time you spend under tension creates mechanical tension in the muscles; the more significant the time, the more significant the mechanical tension. But, tension alone won't signal maximum muscle growth. Tension in addition to a full range of motion is what causes a substantial hypertrophic response. In other words, maximal muscular development comes from a foundation of strength. Greater strength allows for greater mechanical tension across all exercises - It is a one hand washes the other situation. The basics of it is that you should lift heavy at a relatively slow tempo through a full range of motion to promote muscle growth.
Metabolic Stress - Though some focus too much on this particular aspect, that pump you get in your muscles does play an important role in hypertrophy. That sleeve-splitting pump you feel after the end of an arms workout is the result metabolic stress. When you work out hard to achieve a pump, you build up lactate, hydrogen ions, creatinine, and other metabolites, but you also prevent blood from escaping. This metabolic stress in the muscle signals adaptation.
Muscular Damage - It's not uncommon to hobble out of bed the day after demolishing a workout that in turn, demolishes your muscles. Luckily, soreness isn't just a useless irritating part of the process; that damage to muscle tissue creates a temporary inflammatory response and releases the necessary signals for muscle growth. More damage instigates a great need for repair and nutrient delivery to the damaged area. This repairing process causes muscle fibers to recover and come back stronger in order to respond to future stimuli.
At this point you may be saying, that’s great, what is the best way to DO that? Well, as with most things in life there isn’t one simple answer. Generally speaking however, working in the 7-12 rep range with a weight that takes you to failure within this range (which is usually about 60-80% of your 1RM) is the best way to ensure you are maximizing hypertrophy.
The reason for this comes down to the different muscle types we have, which are basically type 1 and type 2 or slow twitch and fast twitch, respectively which activate at different times, depending on the level and type of effort required.
Slow twitch muscle fibers are the muscles with the most endurance, and are consequently also the smallest. When you first pick up a weight, the first muscles called into action are your type 1 fibers. If the load is too heavy for them to handle, your brain will signal more of them into action. If the muscle still provides insufficient force to move the resistance the brain will call the type II muscle fibers in.
Your type II fast twitch muscle fibers are the bigger, stronger of the muscles and have the greatest potential for growth, but because they require so much more energy to use, have much less endurance compared to its type I counterpart.
Your brain will activate as much of these fibers as needed to successfully complete the task at hand. Of course, all of this takes place at lightning speed to the point that there is no way you could that all of this is happening when you go to pick up that dumbbell.
The reason 7-12 reps is ideal is that it allows you to stimulate all of these muscle fibers while creating significant metabolic stress. When using a heavier weight with which you can only perform 3-6 reps, you activate both type 1 and II fibers since the weight is close to your max and you will require most of your muscle to move it from the start. Where the disadvantage of this range comes in is that you obviously cannot complete as many reps with it, which decreases your overall time under tension and creates less metabolic stress.
Using a lighter weight to complete reps in the 15-20+ range can create significant metabolic stress and muscular damage, but isn’t going to improve your strength any. You can work both type 1 and II muscle fibers if you push yourself to failure, but since the overall load is lighter, your body has no need to respond with an adaptation to handle heavier weight.
Using higher reps is also not a best practice for gaining muscle because in addition to not helping it the strength arena, it also has the drawback of burning more calories, since you will be performing more reps which increases your total exercise time and muscular time under tension. Though it isn’t going to make a huge difference in your progress, you will be burning more calories for fewer results and can slow your progress down.
The 7-12 rep range is your home for hypertrophy because at this in between range, you get the benefits of both heavier weight and higher rep training. With a range of 7-12 you can lift enough weight to effectively work the type II fast twitch fibers to make some strength gains as long as you are taking your sets to failure. You are also performing enough reps with this weight for significant metabolic stress.