

Resistance training and other forms of exercise cause micro-trauma to your muscles, initiating an inflammatory response. We went over these aspects in a previous post, so we’ll try to keep it short.

This process occurs in response to the stress placed on the muscle during training. The University of New Mexico (UNM) defines muscular hypertrophy as an increase in the cross-sectional area of individual muscle fibers. You can’t achieve a lean, muscular physique if your diet is out of whack.īut what is hypertrophy in the first place? And what does it take to stimulate muscle growth while minimizing fat gain? Let’s find out! Muscle Hypertrophy 101 Your muscles need fuel to grow and keep up with the demands of exercise. Note that exercise is only a small part of the equation.Ī well-thought-out hypertrophy program also requires adequate nutrition and rest.

To get bigger, you must train specifically for muscle growth. This allows them to build explosive power and strength but leads to a different outcome in terms of aesthetics.Īll in all, your workout routine should align with your goals. They don’t emphasize single-joint movements in their workouts to the same extent as bodybuilders do. Powerlifters, on the other hand, work with heavy loads at high intensity and take long periods of rest between sets.
