You’ve probably heard the term on bodybuilding sites and magazines, but what exactly does hypertrophy mean? Muscle hypertrophy is a scientific term for the growth and increase of the size of muscle cells. Hypertrophy is what we train for, to grow new lean muscle!
Natural hypertrophy is at its peak during puberty, and usually stops in the late teen to early twenties. Muscle hypertrophy can be increased with the use of weight training. High intensity anaerobic exercise has been shown as the best type of exercise for hypertrophy.
What you need for hypertrophy:
For effective muscle grow you need 2 things:
- Muscle stimulation and stress at greater than 85% capacity (85% of your 1 REP MAX)
- Adequate supply of amino acids through diet and supplements
Types of hypertrophy:
Hypertrophy can, in theory, arise through two processes:
- Increase in the number of nuclei within each muscle fiber, or
- Increase in the amount of contractile material supported by each nucleus.
The latter is the usual means of muscle hypertrophy.
Weight training for hypertrophy:
You may have heard the term “hypertrophy workout”. This means it’s a workout that is aimed purely at muscle growth. Studies have shown that short, intense weight training sessions with a rep range of 8-12 reps per set are the most effective for hypertrophy.
The rate at which hypertrophy occurs varies from person to person. The speed at which lean muscle grows may depend on genetics, training routine, diet, age or testosterone level.
Need a muscle building workout?
You can find RWT’s hypertrophy workout here. This workout is designed specifically for muscle growth and users have been getting great results.