SS201 Training for Hypertrophy PDF

SS201 Training for Hypertrophy Dr. David Nolan [email protected] Today's Outline • Review squat technique and terminology • What is muscle hypertrophy? • How to design training interventions to elicit muscle hypertrophy Lectures & Practical Outline Lectures Practical's • Week 4 – Training for...

SS201 Training for Hypertrophy Dr. David Nolan [email protected] Today's Outline • Review squat technique and terminology • What is muscle hypertrophy? • How to design training interventions to elicit muscle hypertrophy Lectures & Practical Outline Lectures Practical's • Week 4 – Training for Hypertrophy • Week 4 – Hinging & Deadlift • Week 5 – Training for Strength • Week 5 – Upper Body Pressing (Hypertrophy examples) • Week 6 – Training for Speed & Power • Week 7 – Energy System Development – Part 1 • Week 8 – Energy System Development – Part 2 • Week 9 – In-class MCQ • Week 6 – Upper Body Pulling & Core • Week 7 – Energy System Development – Part 1 • Week 8 – Energy System Development – Part 2 • Week 9 – Weightlifting guest workshop Continuous Assessment CA1: Functional Movement Screen and Report (20%) – Due Friday Week 5 CA3: Group Presentation (40%) - Week 12 – Monday (27th) & Wednesday (29th), Groups and titles release Monday of Week 6 Monday 6th Nov Friday 13th Oct CA2: In-class MCQ (40%) - Monday Week 9 Monday The Back Squat – The Physics • Force is the product of mass and acceleration, typically calculated in Newtons (one Newton is the force it takes to accelerate a 1kg mass at a rate of 1m/sec2). • Force is linear: it describes things that are being pulled or pushed in a straight line. • Let’s say you have a 300kg bar on your back. The 300kg bar represents the mass component of force. • If you weren’t supporting the bar, it would accelerate downward at 9.8m/sec2 (due to gravity), so the bar is exerting 300kg x 9.8m/sec2 = 2940N of force upon your body. The direction of the force is the direction that gravity is pulling: straight down. • Similarly, when our muscles contract, they exert a force pulling one end of the muscle straight toward the other end. Squatting – General Principles: • COM & COG remain over midfoot • Upright torso (increased torso lean for taller individuals & lower bar placement) • Feet flat and stable • Appropriate depth Chest Fall Pattern Knee Valgus What is Hypertrophy? Adaptations to Resistance Exercise Training Sale, 1988 What is Hypertrophy? Muscle hypertrophy is an increase in the size of muscle tissue. During the hypertrophic process, contractile elements enlarge and the extracellular matrix expands to support growth. Growth occurs by adding sarcomeres, increasing noncontractile elements and sarcoplasmic fluid, and bolstering satellite cell activity. What is Hypertrophy? Hypertrophy can occur in series or in parallel. The primary means by which muscles increase in size following resistance training is through parallel hypertrophy. Hypertrophy-Related Responses and Adaptations to Exercise Stress • Early-phase adaptations to resistance training are primarily related to neural improvements including greater recruitment, rate coding, synchronization, and doublet firing. The extent and temporal course of neural adaptations depend on the degrees of freedom and complexity of the movement patterns. • Muscular adaptations are predicated on net protein balance over time. The process is mediated by intracellular anabolic and catabolic signaling cascades. Mechanisms of Hypertrophy Mechanisms of Hypertrophy • Skeletal muscle is highly responsive to alterations in mechanical loading. • Mechanical tension is thought to be the primary driving force in the hypertrophic response to regimented resistance training and at the very least initiates critical hypertrophy-related intracellular signaling following resistance exercise. • In simple terms, mechanical tension can be defined as a force normalized to the area over which it acts, with units expressed in either newtons per square meter or pascals. • Mechanical tension alone has been shown to directly stimulate mTOR, possibly through activation of the extracellular signal–regulated kinase/tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (ERK/TSC2) pathway. • It is theorized that these actions are mediated via the synthesis of the lipid second messenger phosphatidic acid by phospholipase D. There also is evidence that phosphatidic acid can phosphorylate p70S6K independent of mTOR, presenting another potential avenue whereby mechanical stimuli may directly influence muscle protein synthesis. Mechanisms of Hypertrophy Key Point: Mechanical tension is the most important factor in training-induced muscle hypertrophy. Mechanosensors are sensitive to both the magnitude and the duration of loading, and these stimuli can directly mediate intracellular signalling to bring about hypertrophic adaptations. Mechanisms of Hypertrophy – Metabolic Stress There is compelling evidence that the metabolic stress associated with resistance training promotes increases in muscle protein accretion. Hypothesized factors involved in the process include increased fiber recruitment, heightened myokine production, cell swelling, and systemic hormonal alterations. Whether the hypertrophic effects of metabolite accumulation are additive or redundant to mechanical tension is yet to be established. Mechanisms of Hypertrophy – Exercise Induced Muscle Damage Research remains equivocal as to whether EIMD can enhance muscular adaptations, and excessive damage most certainly has a negative effect on muscle development. If EIMD does in fact mediate muscular adaptations, it remains to be determined the extent to which these proposed mechanisms are synergistic and whether an optimal combination exists to maximize the hypertrophic response to resistance training. Mechanisms of Hypertrophy – Key Points Mechanical tension is clearly the most important mechanistic factor in training- induced muscle hypertrophy. Mechanosensors are sensitive to both the magnitude and duration of loading, and these stimuli can directly mediate intracellular signaling to bring about hypertrophic adaptations. The Measurement of Muscle Hypertrophy – Indirect Measures Skinfolds Whole-Body Air-Displacement Plethysmography (BODPOD) Hydrostatic Weighing DEXA Bioelectrical impedance analysis The Measurement of Muscle Hypertrophy – Indirect Measures Muscle Biopsy The Measurement of Muscle Hypertrophy – Site Specific Measurements CT MRI Circumferences Ultrasound The Measurement of Muscle Hypertrophy – Site Specific Measurements The Measurement of Muscle Hypertrophy • No single measurement tool provides comprehensive insights into muscle hypertrophy and its associated changes over time. • Indirect measures of hypertrophy lack the ability to detect subtle changes in muscle mass over time. • Muscle volume provides an estimate of whole-muscle changes but does not account for potential regional hypertrophic differences. • Muscle biopsy is the only method capable of providing information about fiber type–specific hypertrophy and differences between protein subfractions (sarcoplasmic versus contractile) within muscle. • Combining multiple types of methods is needed to provide a complete picture of muscle development in a given individual or group of individuals. Training for Hypertrophy Role of Resistance Training Variables in Hypertrophy Training for Hypertrophy - Volume • Volume refers to the amount of exercise performed over a period of time. • Volume is often expressed as the number of repetitions completed in a resistance training bout (sets × repetitions). • However, this value does not take into account the amount of load lifted. • Thus, a more appropriate term to reflect the total work completed is volume load, which is the product of sets × repetitions × load. Training for Hypertrophy - Volume Research provides compelling evidence that higher training volumes are necessary to maximize anabolism. This relationship has been demonstrated in multiple lines of evidence. Key Point: Multiset protocols favoring high volumes of resistance training optimize the hypertrophic response. To avoid non-functional overreaching, people should increase volume progressively over the course of a training cycle and integrate periods of reduced training volume (i.e., deloads) regularly to facilitate the recovery process. Training for Hypertrophy Volume Practical Applications • Evidence for a dose–response relationship between volume and hypertrophy is compelling: Higher training volumes are positively associated with greater muscular gains. • A volume of approximately 10 to 20 sets per muscle per week appears to be a good general recommendation for hypertrophy-related goals. • More advanced lifters seem to require greater volumes to maximize muscle protein accretion and thus might need to train at the higher end of these recommendations; experimentation is warranted to determine individual responsiveness. • There may be a benefit to selectively employing even higher volumes to bring up lagging muscle groups. Training for Hypertrophy Volume Practical Applications Given that consistently employing high volumes over time hastens the onset of non-functional overeaching, periodizing programming by progressively increasing volume over the course of a training cycle appears beneficial. Moreover, periods of reduced training volume should be integrated regularly to facilitate the recovery process and resensitise muscle tissue. Training for Hypertrophy - Frequency Frequency of training pertains to the number of exercise sessions performed in a given period of time, generally a week. Perhaps more important to hypertrophic outcomes, frequency also includes the number of times a muscle group is worked over the course of a week. With respect to hypertrophy training, frequency can be varied to manipulate training volume. Training for Hypertrophy - Frequency General hypertrophy training guidelines recommend allowing at least 48 hours between resistance bouts for the same muscle group. It has been surmised that training before muscle protein synthesis has fully run its course—which lasts up to ~48 hours post-exercise. Moreover, total RNA has been shown to be elevated in humans 72 hours after a bout of maximal isometric electrical contractions. Because the majority of skeletal muscle RNA is ribosomal, these findings suggest that a cell’s potential for protein synthesis remains heightened even beyond the 2-day time point. How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency "In conclusion, there is strong evidence that resistance training frequency does not significantly or meaningfully impact muscle hypertrophy when volume is equated. Thus, for a given training volume, individuals can choose a weekly frequency per muscle groups based on personal preference.” Training for Hypertrophy Frequency Practical Applications • Modulating training frequency is an effective way to manipulate training volume. • When performing relatively low weekly volumes, frequency of training does not play much if any role in muscle growth, and individuals can choose the frequency that best fits their schedule and goals. • Alternatively, when moderate to high volumes are performed (>10 sets per muscle per week), higher training frequencies (at least twice per week) provide better volume management and thus facilitate greater muscular adaptations. • If very high volumes are implemented for a given muscle group (~30 sets per muscle per week), spreading training across at least 3 weekly sessions appears to be warranted. Training for Hypertrophy Frequency Practical Applications Very high training frequencies (6 days per week) do not appear to be more effective than moderately high frequencies (3 days per week) for enhancing hypertrophy, although limited evidence precludes the ability to draw strong inferences on the topic. Although both total-body and split routines can be viable training strategies, dividing workouts by body region (e.g., upper and lower, pushing and pulling) may be more effective when training with higher volumes because it allows higher weekly frequencies (and thus shorter sessions) while affording greater muscular recuperation between workouts. Training for Hypertrophy Load Training across a wide spectrum of repetition ranges (1 to 20+) is recommended to maximize all possible avenues for the complete development of the whole muscle. However, there is some merit in focusing on a medium-repetition range (6RM to 12RM), which may provide an optimal combination of mechanical tension and metabolic stress. Training for Hypertrophy - Load Hypertrophy can be achieved across a wide spectrum of loading zones, with no differences apparent at the whole-muscle level. Low-load training emphasizes metabolic stress and promotes the greatest increases in local muscular endurance, whereas low-repetition, high-load training requires high levels of mechanical tension and enhances the ability to lift heavier loads as a result of greater neural adaptations. Training for Hypertrophy - Load Training below approximately 30% of 1RM may be insufficient to fully stimulate optimal muscular development, although its potential ability to selectively target development of Type I fibers remains to be determined. On the other hand, if the goal is to promote hypertrophy to maximize muscular strength, there appears little reason to employ loads less than approximately 70% of 1RM, other than perhaps during deload periods. The compelling body of research indicates the presence of a strength– endurance continuum, in which lighter loads promote the ability to carry out submaximal resistive efforts at the expense of maximal force production. Training for Hypertrophy - Exercise Selection The human body is designed to carry out movement in three-dimensional space. Muscle architecture is intricately arranged to accomplish complex movement patterns efficiently and effectively. Therefore, varying exercise parameters (i.e., angle of pull, plane of movement, position of extremities) can preferentially target aspects of the musculature, as well as make synergists and stabilizers more active or less active. Thus, choice of exercise may contribute to the degree of selective hypertrophy of specific muscles Training for Hypertrophy – Exercise Selection Once trainees have learned the movement patterns of basic resistance training exercises, they should use a variety of exercises to maximize wholebody muscle hypertrophy. This should include free-form as well as machine-based exercises. Similarly, both multi- and single-joint exercises should be included in hypertrophy-specific routines to maximize muscular growth. Training for Hypertrophy Muscle Action Type Mechanosensors are sensitive not only to the magnitude and duration of stimulation, but also to the type of imposed action. Mechanistically, there is a logical basis for speculation that eccentric actions produce the greatest anabolic response, and research often focuses on this type of muscle action. Eccentric strength is approximately 20% to 50% greater than concentric strength. Training for Hypertrophy Muscle Action Type Concentric and eccentric muscle actions appear to recruit muscle fibers in different orders, result in different signaling responses, and produce distinct morphological adaptations in muscle fibers and fascicles. Therefore, both concentric and eccentric actions should be incorporated during training to maximize the hypertrophic response. There is a lack of research investigating whether isometric actions provide an additive hypertrophic benefit when combined with dynamic concentric and eccentric training. Training for Hypertrophy Rest Interval Length The time taken between sets is referred to as the rest interval, or rest period. Rest intervals can be classified into three broad categories: • short (30 seconds or less) • moderate (60 to 90 seconds) • long (3 minutes or more) Training for Hypertrophy Rest Interval Length Despite a theoretical concept that shorter rest intervals produce superior muscular adaptations, current research does not support such a contention. In fact, longer interset rest periods may enhance hypertrophy by allowing for maintenance of a greater volume load. Thus, resistance training protocols should generally provide rest periods of at least 2 minutes to maximize the hypertrophic response, at least when performing multi-joint free weight exercises. Training for Hypertrophy Repetition Duration Repetition duration represents the sum of the concentric, eccentric, and isometric components of a repetition, and is predicated on the tempo at which the repetition is performed. Tempo is often expressed as a three-digit arrangement in which the first number is the time (in seconds) to complete the concentric action, the second number is the isometric transition phase between concentric and eccentric actions, and the third number is the time to complete the eccentric action. Training for Hypertrophy Repetition Duration For example, a tempo of 2-0-3 would indicate a repetition taking 2 seconds on the concentric action, not pausing at the top of the movement, and then taking 3 seconds to perform the eccentric action. In the preceding example, the repetition duration would be 5 seconds. Training for Hypertrophy Repetition Duration Current evidence suggests that little difference exists in muscle hypertrophy when training at isotonic repetition durations from 0.5 to 6 seconds. Training at very slow volitional durations (>10 seconds per repetition) appears to produce inferior increases in muscle growth. Training for Hypertrophy Repetition Duration Thus, it would seem that a fairly wide range of repetition durations can be used if the primary goal is to maximize muscle growth. Research is limited on the topic, making it difficult to draw concrete conclusions. Concentric tempos of 1 to 3 seconds can be considered viable options; an eccentric tempo of at least 2 seconds appears necessary to ensure loads are lowered under muscular control. Developing a strong mind–muscle connection is perhaps the most important consideration in regard to repetition duration. By focusing on actively contracting the target muscle throughout the range of motion of a given exercise, maximal mechanical forces are directed to the musculature, heightening the degree of stimulation. Training for Hypertrophy Exercise Order Current resistance training guidelines prescribe placing large-muscle, multijoint exercises early in a workout, and placing small-muscle, single-joint movements later. These recommendations are based on the premise that the performance of multi-joint exercises is impaired when the smaller secondary synergists are prefatigued by prior single- joint exercises. For example, performance of the arm curl conceivably would fatigue the biceps brachii, thereby impeding the ability to overload the larger latissimus dorsi muscle during subsequent performance of the lat pulldown. Training for Hypertrophy Exercise Order Despite wide acceptance that exercise order should proceed from large- to smallmuscle groups, research is equivocal on the topic with respect to hypertrophic outcomes. Evidence indicates a hypertrophic benefit for muscles worked first in a resistance training bout. Therefore, exercise order should be prioritized so that lagging muscles are trained earlier in the session. In this way, the person expends the greatest energy and focus on the sets of most importance. Whether the muscle group is large or small is of secondary concern. Training for Hypertrophy Range of Motion Basic principles of structural anatomy and kinesiology dictate that muscles have greater contributions at different joint angles for given exercises. When comparing partial and complete ROMs, the body of literature generally shows a hypertrophic benefit to training through a full ROM. This has been displayed in both upper- and lower-body muscles using a variety of exercises. Training for Hypertrophy Range of Motion The current body of evidence would suggest maximal muscle development requires training through a complete ROM. Thus, full ROM movements should form the basis of a hypertrophy-oriented program. The stretched position appears particularly important in eliciting hypertrophic gains. That said, integrating partial-range movements (such as lengthened partials) may help to enhance hypertrophy. Training for Hypertrophy Intensity of Effort The effort exerted during resistance training, often referred to as intensity of effort, can influence exercise-induced hypertrophy. Intensity of effort is generally gauged by the proximity to muscular failure, which is defined as the point during a set at which muscles can no longer produce the force necessary to concentrically lift a given load. Although the merits of training to failure are still a matter of debate, it is commonly believed that the practice is necessary for eliciting a maximal hypertrophic response. Training for Hypertrophy Intensity of Effort Evidence that training to failure maximizes motor unit recruitment is lacking, although other benefits of training to failure have been shown. Although research remains somewhat equivocal, there is logical rationale for performing at least some sets to failure in a hypertrophyoriented program, especially in individuals with considerable training experience. This seems to be of particular importance when employing highrepetition training because of the relationship between the proximity to failure and muscle activation during light-load training, and with increasingly greater resistance training experience. However, persistently training to failure increases the potential for nonfunctional overreaching and perhaps overtraining. Training for Hypertrophy - Intensity of Effort When taking all factors into account, it is recommended that most sets are carried out with an RIR of 1 or 2. Failure training should then be implemented selectively, usually reserved for the last set of a given exercise. As a general rule, failure should be used more judiciously with multi-joint exercises, while a more liberal approach can be employed with single-joint movements. The frequency of failure training also can be periodized to bring about a super-compensatory response. An example would be performing an initial cycle in which all sets are stopped a repetition or two short of failure, followed by taking the last set of each exercise to failure, and then culminating in a brief cycle in which the majority of sets are carried out to failure. Training for Hypertrophy - Summary Volume: Multiset protocols favoring higher volumes of resistance training optimize the hypertrophic response. A range of 10 to 20 sets per muscle is a general guideline for weekly volume prescription. That said, there is a fairly wide interindividual response to the volume dose, and thus some people will thrive on somewhat lower volumes, while others will benefit from slightly higher volumes. Frequency: When employing lower total volumes, training frequency does not seem to play much if any role in muscle growth. In these cases, individuals can choose the frequency that best fits their schedule and goals. Alternatively, when moderate to higher volumes are performed (>10 sets per muscle per week), higher training frequencies (at least twice per week) allow for better volume management, thus facilitating greater muscular adaptations. Splits: Although both total-body and split routines can be viable training strategies, splitting workouts by body region or function (e.g., upper and lower, pushing and pulling) may be superior when training with higher volumes because it allows for higher weekly frequencies (and thus shorter sessions) while affording greater muscular recuperation between workouts. Training for Hypertrophy - Summary Rep Ranges: Training across a wide spectrum of repetition ranges (1 to 20+) is recommended to ensure complete whole-muscle development. From an efficiency standpoint, there is merit to focusing on a mediumrepetition range (6RM to 12RM) and devoting specific training cycles or sessions to lower- and higherrepetition training. Exercise Selection: Once competency in the basic movement patterns has been established, a variety of exercises should be employed over the course of a periodized training program to maximize whole-body muscle hypertrophy, with a particular focus on working muscles based on their anatomical design. This should include the liberal use of free-form (i.e., free weights and cables) and machine-based exercises. Similarly, both multi- and single-joint exercises should be included in a hypertrophy-specific routine to maximize muscular growth. Training for Hypertrophy - Summary Contraction Types: Both concentric and eccentric actions should be incorporated during training. Evidence of the benefits of combining isometric actions with dynamic actions is lacking at this time. The addition of supramaximal eccentric loading may enhance the hypertrophic response. Rest Periods: An optimal rest interval for hypertrophy training does not appear to exist. Research indicates that resting at least 2 minutes between sets provides a hypertrophic advantage over resting for shorter periods, at least when performing multi-joint free weight exercises. It may be beneficial to employ rest intervals of approximately 60 to 90 seconds for single-joint and perhaps certain machinebased exercises because these movements do not show a reduction in volume load from shorter rest, and the heightened metabolic stress may confer additional anabolic advantages. Training for Hypertrophy - Summary Repetition Tempo: Current evidence suggests little difference in muscle hypertrophy when training with isotonic repetition durations ranging from 0.5 to 6 seconds to muscular failure. Thus, a fairly wide range of repetition durations can be employed if the primary goal is to maximize muscle growth. Training at very slow volitional durations (>10 seconds per repetition) appears to be suboptimal for increasing muscle size and thus should be avoided. A more important consideration is to develop a strong mind–muscle connection, which involves focusing on actively contracting the target muscle throughout the range of motion of a given exercise. If the target muscle is forced to work over the entire concentric and eccentric portions of movement, tempo becomes largely moot. Exercise Order: Evidence indicates a hypertrophic benefit for muscles worked first in a resistance training bout. Therefore, lagging muscles should be trained earlier in the session. Training for Hypertrophy - Summary Range of Motion: Full-ROM movements should form the basis of a hypertrophy-oriented program. Integrating partialrange movements may enhance hypertrophic adaptations. Intensity / Proximity to Failure: Hypertrophy-oriented programs should include sets taken to muscular failure as well as those that are terminated short of an all-out effort. As a general rule, most sets should be carried out with an RIR of 1 or 2. Failure training should then be implemented selectively, generally reserved for the last set of a given exercise. Failure training should be used more judiciously with multi-joint exercises, while a more liberal approach can be employed with single-joint movements. Training for Hypertrophy Recommended Follows Dr. Mike Israetel Renaissance Periodisation