SmartMuscle: A Secure and Effective Hypertrophy Program
by Dan Junquera
Hypertrophy, being the growing of organs and tissues in the form of an increase in the size of cells, is sought out for its aesthetic adaptations and improvements most of the time. In addition, there are other physiological benefits of muscular hypertrophy. This exercise adaptation can improve muscular strength by increasing the cross-sectional area of the muscle tissue that improves the magnitude of the force production. In addition to strength and force production, it can also help in improving bone density due to the concept of progressive overload; placing more and more stress on the bones and ligaments that calls for adaptations. Muscle hypertrophy can also help slow down the aging process of muscular atrophy that occurs as age increases. Muscular hypertrophic adaptations can also increase a persons BMR. In other words, how many calories they burn at rest because an increase in muscle mass calls for the body to work harder to maintain that new put on muscle.
Research suggests that proximity to failure seems to be one of the more important things when trying to induce muscular hypertrophy. Not muscle damage! Based on the individual's needs, proximity to failure is something that can be adjusted and tailored to their needs as well as what amount of stress their body can tolerate. In untrained individuals, scientific literature has shown that high-load resistance training can result in increases of 7.7% - 8.1% in the cross-sectional area of a given muscle after an 8 week program.
An effective hypertrophy program will use advanced concepts and strategies to get these adaptations such as; the 5 effective rep model, force-velocity relationship, size principle, MEV, MAV, MRV, and much more. Ourselves at PHP have learned how to apply these advanced concepts to create the results. Also addressing any limitations and previous injuries that could become an obstacle for achieving a hypertrophy based goal safely and effectively.