THE USE OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING TECHNIQUES TO

MAXIMIZE MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY

By:

Matt Fleekop

What promotes muscle growth?

Mechanical Tension- intensity (amount of load/resistance) and time and under tension (duration/volume of lifting the load). This recruits the most motor units, increasing in a muscle’s cross sectional area which leads to muscle growth.

. Muscle Damage- caused by resistance training causing an inflammatory response, leading to the productions myokines. Myokines release a variety of growth factors that regulate cell proliferation (growth/increase) and differentiation (separates/isolates).

Metabolic Stress- again caused by resistance training, mainly through anaerobic glycolysis. ATP is produced and this ATP releases other metabolites. These metabolites promote an anabolic effect through hormones. (IGF-1, testosterone, and GH).

Training Techniques

Forced Repetitions

Drop Sets

Supersets

Heavy Negatives

Forced Repetitions “assisted reps” The spotter helps the lifter perform additional reps

after failure is reached Break the “sticking point” Stimulates motor unit fatigue and metabolic stress Study shows: significant increases in GH in

exercisers who performed 12 FORCED REPS over those performing a 12 REP MAX. Forced Reps help enhance the growth of type I and type II muscle fibers, leading to muscle hypertrophy.

Forced Repetition Example

Drop Sets “descending sets” Train the muscle until failure with a given load, then immediately

reduce load, and again train until failure. Spotter is not necessary, lifter has full control of weight being loaded. Induces great muscular unit fatigue. Increased time under tension will enhance metabolic stress and

stimulate anabolism. Study shows: after assessing a low intensity drop set (50% 1RM)

immediately following a high intensity set, studies show a significant spike in GH. Further studies conclude that the addition of a drop set to a standard strength training protocol will result in a significant increase in the muscle’s cross sectional area as opposed to the strength training program alone. Increase cross sectional area = hypertrophy.

Drop Set Example

Supersets “paired sets” 2 exercises performed back to back without rest. The reduced rest between sets increases muscle

fatigue and metabolic stress, which may lead to hypertrophy.

Usually performed with an agonist and antagonist muscle.

Study shows: supersets allow for a greater number of reps in a shorter time, without reducing the intensity of the training. Increased training density leads to increased muscle fatigue, which will contribute to hypertrophy.

Superset Example

Heavy Negatives “supramaximal loaded eccentric training” Perform eccentric contractions with a resistance greater (105-

125%) than your 1RM. Spotter is necessary to raise the weight in the concentric

phase, while the lifter slowly (2-3 second tempo) performs eccentric reps.

This type of training again leads to motor unit fatigue, increasing hypertrophy.

Study shows: greater gains in lean muscle are associated with ECCENTRIC EXERCISE as opposed to CONCENTRIC or ISOMETRIC EXERCISE. Maximal muscle hypertrophy is not attained unless eccentric actions are performed.

Eccentric actions rapidly increase protein synthesis and enhance the activity of IGF-1.

Contd……. Greater muscular damage leading to hypertrophy. Recruits a large amount of fast twitch muscle fibers

and inactive motor units. This yields for an increase in mechanical tension in type II fibers, which leads to muscular growth.

Also causes metabolic stress. Lactate gets built up and anabolic hormone levels begin to rise.

Heavy Negative Example