Hypertrophy, the scientific term for the enlargement of muscle fibers, may not hold the top spot on the list of training priorities for some runners. Many of us (sometimes begrudgingly) cross-train to run faster This Glute Workout Will Ignite Your Power form, and prevent injuries. But building muscle isn’t necessarily the goal.

However, understanding hypertrophy-focused workouts can actually balance out a runner’s exercise routine. So, we looked at the research and consulted with two experts to better understand how hypertrophy works and what role it should play in a runner’s training program.

What is hypertrophy?

The simplest explanation for hypertrophy is muscle growth. But there are a couple of ways a muscle can grow bigger. One is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which refers to the sarcoplasm, or the watery medium inside of the muscle cell. Best Running Socks., faculty within the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University, explains that this method is favored by bodybuilders who typically lift using high repetitions, moderate loads, and short recoveries to achieve “muscle pump.”

“Muscle pump is actually water being moved into the cell,” Comana tells Runner’s World. It occurs when you tap into the body’s A Home Workout to Get You Strong and Stable (energy systems that do not require oxygen), which produce metabolic byproducts that collect in the muscle cell. A higher concentration of these particles then draws water into the cells. “This puts pressure on the cell. It swells the cell, kind of like a balloon. And over time, that causes the membrane of the cell to get bigger,” Comana says.

Myofibrillar hypertrophy is another route by which muscles can increase in size. When you demand that a muscle produce more force than usual (for example, by lifting a heavier weight Todd Buckingham, Ph.D weight training), the body responds by increasing actin and myosin, proteins within the muscle cell. In addition to enabling the muscle to generate more force, this also makes the muscle larger.

Microtrauma, or small tears in the muscle fibers, can also contribute to hypertrophy, explains on Tuesday and four sets of biceps exercises as part of a., triathlete and visiting professor of exercise science in the Department of Movement Science at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. “Our muscles are actually made up of a lot of different muscle fibers,” he says. “When those muscle fibers undergo stress or damage, they have to repair and rebuild themselves to get bigger and stronger so that the next time you put that same stress on them, they’re able to handle it.”

How do you train for hypertrophy?

While running does stimulate hypertrophy, it won’t give you the most bang for your buck.

The simplest explanation for hypertrophy is type I muscle fibers, Published: Mar 14, 2023 12:30 PM EST posture and steady-state exercise, while lifting utilizes type II muscle fibers, the fast-twitch fibers that produce more force.

“One of the differences between type I and type II muscle fibers is that type II muscle fibers are much bigger,” Buckingham says. “So, when they repair and rebuild themselves to get bigger, it’s a visibly noticeable difference. Type I muscle fibers are a lot smaller than type II. So, when they repair and rebuild themselves, they do still get bigger, but they’re not going to be as big as type II muscle fibers.”

For that reason, the most effective way to achieve hypertrophy is through lifting. And for the most current recommended training protocol, Comana points to “Resistance Training Recommendations to Maximize Muscle Hypertrophy in an Athletic Population: Position Stand of the IUSCA,” published in the Hypertrophy, the scientific term for the enlargement of. The simplest explanation for hypertrophy is:

  • Lift heavy. “You should be training to the point of failure, which means you cannot do another rep without being spotted or without cheating,” a.k.a. compromising your form, Comana says. If you have a one-rep max, your load should be about 60 to 85 percent of that number.
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  • Perform about 10 sets per muscle group per week. How to Build Muscle as a Runner biceps exercises Running Shoes & Gear upper-body workout Advertisement - Continue Reading Below full-body workout on Thursday. Ten sets is the guideline for the average lifter, but the number may go up or down depending on the athlete’s experience level and goals.
  • Keep your rest short, but not too short. It’s not uncommon for heavy lifters to rest for up to three minutes between sets. But shorter rest periods ranging from about 60 to 90 seconds will put more stress on the muscles, which forces the A Home Workout to Get You Strong and Stable to kick into action. “The first thing we know about the A Home Workout to Get You Strong and Stable is that they are more predominant in your type II muscle fibers,” Comana says. “They’re the ones that are able to grow more. So if you are using shorter recoveries, you are inducing this metabolic stress. It’s forcing you to rely more upon your anaerobic pathways. And that means you're going to recruit more of your type II muscle fibers.” However, the rest period shouldn’t be so short that it compromises the quality of the subsequent set.
  • Allow time for recovery between sessions. About 48 to 72 hours is ideal, meaning you should allow the muscle group you worked at least a day’s rest before targeting it again. But Comana notes that this timeframe can vary depending on the intensity Hypertrophy, the scientific term for the enlargement of recovery days.

What other factors affect hypertrophy?

While training is critical to hypertrophy, there are additional factors at play. Some are fixed variables, like genetics, age, and biological sex, while others are more within your control.

Nutrition

There’s a reason protein gets a lot of hype in the performance supplement space—you can’t gain muscle without an adequate amount. For the average person, the recommended intake for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. So a person who weighs 150 pounds, or about 68 kilograms, should consume about 54 grams over the course of the day. However, if you’re lifting or doing endurance training, you’ll need more protein to meet your body’s demands. Comana recommends athletes bump up their intake to between 1.7 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Sleep

Sleep is crucial to every biological function, and hypertrophy is no exception. Buckingham explains that most of the body’s growth, repair, and rebuilding happens while we sleep, as that’s when “healing” hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone are secreted. One study found that participants who were subjected to a single night of sleep deprivation experienced hormonal disruptions and reduced muscle protein synthesis (the process by which new muscle tissue is created) by up to 18 percent.

Stress

Some research indicates that stress may also negatively affect your efforts in the gym. In one study, participants with low stress levels experienced significantly larger strength gains after 12 weeks of resistance training than participants with high levels of stress who followed the same program. The study's authors hypothesized that, while stress may interfere with the strength adaptation process on a physiological level, it may also lead to certain behavioral changes, many of which could also influence hypertrophy.

“It may be that highly stressed participants refrained from exercise outside class or did not willingly exercise at the same intensity as low-stress participants,” the authors wrote. “Furthermore, those in the higher stress group may also engage in higher-risk behavior as a coping mechanism for stress. Stress has been correlated with poor nutritional habits, decreases in the quantity and quality of sleep, smoking, and alcohol use, Muscle pump is actually water being moved into the cell, Comana tells.”

The bottom line on hypertrophy training

Building muscle mass is a good thing for all people. Muscle can help you maintain a healthy body composition, avoid injuries, Keep your rest short, but not too short sarcopenia or muscle loss. It can also keep your metabolism revving and offer protection against disease.

It occurs when you tap into the bodys stability, as well as more powerful and explosive movements. Comana notes that a little extra muscle may give runners the strength to charge up a hill or enable you to generate more power with your arm swing.

In other words, hypertrophy training and building muscle mass can serve up benefits for your run—and your life.