{"id":35885,"date":"2015-01-05T11:15:56","date_gmt":"2015-01-05T16:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=35885"},"modified":"2022-04-27T07:10:14","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T11:10:14","slug":"hypertrophy-training-how-to-build-muscle-fast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/hypertrophy-training-how-to-build-muscle-fast\/","title":{"rendered":"Hypertrophy Training: The 3 Laws of Building Muscle"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Hypertrophy
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first rule of building more muscle?<\/p>\n

Choose your parents wisely. After all, genetics are an undeniable factor in how easy it will be for some people to pack on size.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re not willing to place all your hopes on winning the gene pool (it\u2019s not my approach, or recommended), there\u2019s good news: Your body can<\/em> pack on muscle. Quite a bit, actually, and there\u2019s plenty you can do to maximize how much you can build your body. That is, if you\u2019re willing to accept a few undeniable factors about the laws of growth.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Strength Training Tips to Build Muscle Mass<\/a><\/p>\n

Rule #1:<\/strong> Muscle-building is a science. Your best bet is to follow the basic principles of hypertrophy (more on this in a moment) to increase your likelihood of seeing results.<\/p>\n

Rule #2:<\/strong> Every body is different. Two people can be on the exact same program<\/em> and experience different results. Some can get jacked on bodyweight movements, other have long, lean defined muscles after some TLC from the dumbbells. This is an important reminder for copy-cat behaviors. You can choose to follow the practices of the biggest guy or fittest female in the gym<\/a>, but what works for them might not be the best for your body or could very well violate rule number one. Which leads to\u2026<\/p>\n

Rule #3:<\/strong> Knowledge is everything. Science is an ongoing process, and new studies are guaranteed to do one thing \u2014 provide us with new questions to ask. Use rules one and two to help build the best program for you body, but remember we\u2019re always learning and improving our understanding of what works best.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Live to Fail: A New Strength Training Program from DailyBurn<\/a><\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019re on the same page and have exhausted any potential excuses, here\u2019s what we know can turn you into a muscle-building machine<\/a>, even if mom and dad never flexed a moment in their life.<\/p>\n

Muscle Building Mistakes: You\u2019re Asking the Wrong Questions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The process of adding muscle to your body is known as hypertrophy. For years people tried to separate hypertrophy into two different types: myofibrillar vs. sarcoplasmic. In the simplest sense, myofibrillar refers to increasing the size of your muscle fibers, whereas sarcoplasmic refers to an increase in the volume of fluid in your muscles. The latter is oftentimes known as \u201cthe pump\u201d as it refers to the fluid in and around your muscles, which consists of water, minerals, and carbohydrates (glycogen).<\/p>\n

But if you believe the work of Stuart Philips, Ph.D, one of the most esteemed researchers in muscle building, you really don\u2019t need to worry about differentiating between types of muscle growth. That\u2019s because the factors that lead to building bigger biceps or more defined legs are intertwined. In other words, when your fibers grow, so do your muscles. Research has found that the size of your muscles (myofibrillar growth) won\u2019t stay stagnant with an increase in sarcoplasm.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Major Benefits of Total Body Workouts<\/a><\/p>\n

So instead of trying to figure out how to \u201chack\u201d more size on your body or figure out what type of fiber to attack, it\u2019s better to take a comprehensive approach to the primary factors that appear to lead to more mass.<\/p>\n

\"Hypertrophy
Photo: Pond5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 3 Laws of Building Muscle<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to the exercise physiologist Brad Schoenfeld<\/a>, there are three primary mechanisms of muscle growth: Muscle tension, metabolic stress and muscle damage<\/strong>. Oftentimes all of these factors are correlated\u00a0with the amount of weight you lift<\/a><\/em>. But you only need to compare powerlifters and bodybuilders to know that\u2019s not the case. Powerlifters are typically much stronger and can lift more weight, but it\u2019s bodybuilders who look significantly more muscular, despite being weaker. That example is one very important reason why you might want to shift your focus to how<\/em> you\u2019re lifting weights.<\/p>\n

Learning how to create muscle tension<\/strong> appears to drive all three factors, and it\u2019s probably the area most people struggle to understand and execute in the gym. That is, if you\u2019re just lifting a weight and trying to push for a certain number (let\u2019s say bench pressing 225 pounds for one rep), this isn\u2019t necessarily the best way to build muscle. When you try to move a weight using any means possible, your form might fault, ligaments and joints can take on a greater load, and while you might get the job done, your muscles aren\u2019t necessarily carrying as much of the load as you want for growth.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How To Build Muscle Fast: Your Guide to Picking Weights<\/a><\/p>\n

So how should you look at it differently? Instead of thinking of pushing or pulling a weight, try to focus on a full range of motion that creates constant tension on the working muscle. Your job is to make sure that while performing reps your muscles do not<\/em> take a break. It\u2019s a constant process of stretching the muscle<\/a> (the eccentric) and squeezing the muscle (the concentric).<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s not a hard rule, constant tension usually means stopping your lifts just short of lockout on the concentric portion (think of flexing your bicep), and then a little short of the “bottom” of the lift to maximize the stretch (when lowering the dumbbell or barbell to the point that you feel a stretch in your bicep, but not to where you lock out your elbow.). In other words, it tends to be about 90 percent of range of motion on both ends, which ensures non-stop tension and an environment for building muscle.<\/p>\n

When you understand tension, it makes it easier to apply the other mechanisms of muscle growth. Metabolic stress<\/strong> tends to be that \u201cfeeling\u201d you get when your muscles become exhausted. Call it the pump or a burn, this process (which includes a lack of oxygen going to your muscles and metabolic byproducts like lactate building up<\/a> along with blood), doesn\u2019t just remind you that you\u2019re training hard, it also plays a role in hypertrophy. This is where the importance of the pump occurs. Metabolic stress triggers a process that ultimately results in your muscle cells being \u201cturned on\u201d for growth, potentially increases in cellular swelling and more water being pulled into the muscle cell.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Fuel, Not Foe? The Truth About Lactic Acid<\/a><\/p>\n

As for muscular damage<\/strong>, this happens in many ways. In the simplest sense, just lifting weights will cause damage (the good kind) that forces muscle to repair itself and grow back<\/a> bigger and denser. But after you\u2019ve been weightlifting<\/a> for a while, you\u2019ll need to repeatedly find ways to challenge your muscles if you want them to keep growing. The way to continue creating that damage is either by:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Lifting heavier weights.<\/li>\n
  2. Doing something new and different (such as training a muscle from a different angle).<\/li>\n
  3. Focusing on the eccentric portion of the lift.<\/li>\n
  4. Stretching your muscles while<\/em> they\u2019re being activated.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Muscle damage won\u2019t just continue on its own \u2014 lifters will have to become stronger<\/a> by employing a variety of techniques, such as changing tempo (how fast you move the weight) or just subbing in\u00a0new exercises<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    But most importantly, all three aspects of muscle growth are interrelated. Muscle tension with heavier weights<\/a> can cause fiber damage that allows for swelling and metabolic stress to occur. Muscle tension with lighter weights and more time under tension triggers metabolic stress, during which blood can\u2019t escape your muscles quick enough, and helps promote growth. And then tension with moderate weight for more reps<\/a> or different exercises ignites both metabolic reactions and damage. In other words, if you want to grow you need to look at the big picture and use several tactics and not just hope that showing up in the gym will translate to bigger biceps.<\/p>\n

    \"Hypertrophy
    Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Creating the Ultimate Muscle Building Program<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Remember rule number two, that everyone builds muscle differently? Well, this is where personalization comes into play. Some people might see incredible process with only lifting heavy weights, whereas others might see it with moderate weight for more reps. But if you want to really focus in on building muscle \u2014 and not just becoming stronger or being able to train harder \u2014 then variety is your best friend.<\/p>\n

    The key is to focus on low (1-5), medium (6-12) and high (15+) rep ranges<\/a> to ensure that you\u2019re triggering all of the processes of muscle growth. Because some exercises are best for gaining strength, while others are ideal for tension, or creating the pump, you\u2019ll want to include diversity in your training plans. This doesn\u2019t mean altering up your workouts every day, but it does mean going through cycles where you rotate your reps and the movements you perform.<\/p>\n

    Exercises for strength will include the \u201cbig lifts\u201d like squats, deadlifts<\/a>, presses and rows. Variations of these lifts<\/a> from different angles (such as an incline press) or in ways that create different stressors (like doing sumo deadlifts or Bulgarians split squats) will challenge your muscles in new ways that force growth. Even \u201cisolation\u201d exercises, such as curls, shoulder raises, leg curls and cable exercises, will help create more tension at lighter weights that will allow for the pump and growth. Rest periods should be cycled, too, with longer recovery periods to help you lift greater loads, and shorter rest periods to fire up the metabolic damage.<\/p>\n

    RELATED: <\/strong>5 Fitness Goals (And How to Actually Achieve Them)<\/a><\/p>\n

    The final layer? Slowly<\/em> do more. Volume (sets x rep x weight) is an important part of gaining muscle. But most people just try to do more, more, more. If this were a diet and you just ate a lot more immediately, you wouldn\u2019t gain muscle, you\u2019d become fat. While more volume won\u2019t make you fat, it can slow or stunt your progress. Instead, the goal<\/a> is to add a little volume week over week. The result: Constant progress, changes you can see, and avoiding\u00a0the dreaded plateau.<\/p>\n

    Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at\u00a0dailyburn.com<\/a>\u00a0and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Maximize the amount of muscle you can put on using hypertrophy training. Read on to learn the science behind the protocol and how to build muscle fast. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":35915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,14],"tags":[289,341,343,154,99],"class_list":["post-35885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-exercise","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-training","tag-weightlifting"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}