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Muscle growth, or muscle hypertrophy, is the process of increasing the size of skeletal muscle through the growth of its component cells. This occurs when the fibres of the muscles are damaged or injured, and the body repairs them by fusing them together, increasing the mass and size of the muscles. This process is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, age, sex, and hormone levels. Strength training is the most effective way to build muscle, although cardiovascular activity can also be beneficial.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Process | Muscle growth (or “skeletal muscle hypertrophy”) is the result of a complex process that adds more myosin “filaments” to each muscle fibre. |
| Muscle hypertrophy | Occurs when the fibres of the muscles sustain damage or injury. The body repairs damaged fibres by fusing them, which increases the mass and size of the muscles. |
| Factors | Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increased muscle glycogen storage) and myofibrillar hypertrophy (increased myofibril size). |
| Stimuli | Neural and muscular adaptations which increase the capacity of an athlete to exert force through voluntary muscular contraction. |
| Body type | People with an endomorphic body can build muscle most effectively through strength training. |
| Sex | Males tend to support faster muscle growth due to traits such as larger muscle mass and higher testosterone. |
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What You'll Learn
Muscle hypertrophy
There are two factors that contribute to hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which focuses on increased muscle glycogen storage; and myofibrillar hypertrophy, which focuses on increased myofibril size. The former is the primary focus of bodybuilding-related activities. A range of stimuli can increase the volume of muscle cells, including strength training (resistance training), which causes neural and muscular adaptations that increase the capacity of an athlete to exert force through voluntary muscular contraction.
The best type of exercise to build muscle is strength training, although cardiovascular activity can also provide benefits. People also achieve the best results when they follow exercise with enough rest.
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Protein and mTOR
Muscle growth, or skeletal muscle hypertrophy, is a complex process that adds more myosin filaments to each muscle fibre, making the engine of the cell bigger and stronger over time. This process requires two things: parts (protein) and a mechanic (mTOR).
MTOR stands for the mammalian target of rapamycin. It is a complex protein that regulates when and how much your body starts to build muscle. mTOR is activated by a number of factors, including strength training, resistance training, and certain hormones, such as testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin growth factor.
Protein is essential for muscle growth as it provides the necessary amino acids for the body to repair and build muscle tissue. The body cannot produce some amino acids, known as essential amino acids, and these must be obtained from protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, and nuts.
To maximise muscle growth, it is important to consume a sufficient amount of protein before and after strength training or resistance training. This provides the body with the necessary amino acids to support muscle repair and growth. In addition, getting enough rest after exercise is crucial for optimal muscle growth.
While protein and mTOR play a crucial role in muscle growth, other factors also influence the process. These include genetics, age, sex, and body type. For example, people with an endomorphic body type tend to build muscle more effectively through strength training, while those with higher testosterone levels may experience faster muscle growth.
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Hormones
Muscle growth, or hypertrophy, occurs when the fibres of the muscles sustain damage or injury. The body repairs damaged fibres by fusing them, which increases the mass and size of the muscles.
The process of muscle growth involves adding more myosin "filaments" to each muscle fibre, making the "engine" of the cell bigger and stronger over time. This process is regulated by the complex protein mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin).
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Genetics
Muscle growth and development are complex processes influenced by a variety of factors, one of which is our genetic makeup. Our genes act as a blueprint for protein synthesis, hormone production, and muscle fibre characteristics, all of which contribute to muscle growth. For example, sprinters may have genes that allow them to develop more fast-twitch muscle fibres, while endurance runners may have genetics that dictate muscle contraction speeds.
An international research team studying why some weightlifters’ muscles grow much more quickly than others’ has identified a set of 141 genes that appear to regulate the growth of the body’s skeletal muscles. The degree by which muscles will strengthen or weaken in response to loading or unloading varies greatly between individuals, and this can make it hard to identify how the underlying processes are regulated at the molecular level.
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Strength training
Muscle growth, or muscle hypertrophy, occurs when the fibres of the muscles sustain damage or injury. The body repairs these damaged fibres by fusing them, increasing the mass and size of the muscles.
There are two types of hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which focuses on increased muscle glycogen storage; and myofibrillar hypertrophy, which focuses on increased myofibril size. The latter is the primary focus of bodybuilding-related activities.
To build muscle effectively, strength training should be followed by enough rest. Cardiovascular activity can also provide benefits, although strength training is the most effective method.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle hypertrophy is the scientific name for muscle building. It involves an increase in the size of skeletal muscle through the growth of its component cells.
Muscle hypertrophy occurs when the fibres of the muscles are damaged or injured. The body repairs these fibres by fusing them, which increases the mass and size of the muscles.
There are two factors that contribute to muscle hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which focuses on increased muscle glycogen storage, and myofibrillar hypertrophy, which focuses on increased myofibril size.
Strength training is the best type of exercise for building muscle. This causes neural and muscular adaptations, which increase the capacity of an athlete to exert force through voluntary muscular contraction.
Strength training increases the volume of muscle cells. After an initial period of neuro-muscular adaptation, the muscle tissue expands by creating sarcomeres (contractile elements) and increasing non-contractile elements like sarcoplasmic fluid.
