Muscle Building 101
Muscle building, also known as muscle hypertrophy, is the process by which your muscles increase in size and strength in response to resistance training.
Here’s how it works:
Resistance Training: Place your muscles under stress by lifting weights, performing bodyweights exercises, or using resistance bands. The resistance provided during these exercises cause small-scale damage to your muscle fibers that will repair and grow overtime.
Muscle Overload: Create a situation where the resistance applied to your muscles is greater than what they are used to. Keep reading and I’ll explain you the different ways to perform it.
Nutrition: You need an adequate intake of protein (rule of thumb is 1g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight daily) to provide the amino acids necessary for muscle protein synthesis. Carbohydrates and fats also play a role in providing energy for workouts and overall muscle function.
Rest and Recovery: Muscle growth occurs during periods of rest and recovery. Your body needs time to repair and adapt to the stress placed on your muscles during resistance training. Adequate sleep and rest are essential for this process.
Milo of Croton
In a legendary tale, Milo, the wrestler, began his strength training journey when a newborn calf was born near his home. He decided to lift the small animal onto his shoulders. Over the course of the next four years, he repeated this act daily as the calf grew, ultimately finding himself lifting a fully-grown bull.
This iconic story of Milo and the bull encapsulates the core principles of strength training and muscle building, emphasizing the gradual progression and consistent effort required to achieve remarkable physical strength and development.
How to Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is a fundamental principle in strength training and muscle building. It involves gradually increasing the demands placed on your muscles and body over time to promote continuous improvements in strenghts, muscle size, and overall fitness. The concepts can be summarized as follows:
Increasing Resistance: (100lbs to 110lbs)
Adding Repetitions: (10 reps to 11 reps)
Adding Sets: (3 sets to 4 sets)
Decreasing Rest Periods: (120s to 90s)
Varying Exercise Intensity: (knee push ups to normal push ups)
Slowing Down Tempo: (1-1-1-1 to 2-2-2-2)
Increasing Training Frequency: (once a week to twice a week)
Train One Side at the Time: (add resistance or help the contraction portion with other side, for example while doing single hand cable triceps pushdowns)
To continue making progress, you must constantly challenge your muscles with increased demands. If you always use the same weights and repetitions in your workouts, your muscles will adapt and eventually stop growing or getting stronger.
It’s important to track your progress and make adjustments to your workout routine as needed to ensure that you’re applying the concept of progressive overload effectively. This can help avoid plateaus and continue making gains in strength and muscle size over time.
So, if for example you’re following a classic 3 x 8-12 hypertrophy routine and you’re able to do 12 repetitions with proper form, try one of the techniques mentioned above.
Become your best version
Remember that individual results may vary, and it’s important to design a well-rounded and progressive workout routine while paying attention to proper nutrition and recovery to achieve muscle-building goals. Send me a message for a free consultation and I’ll help you create an effective plan tailored to your needs and goals.