Hypertrophy: Increase Your Muscle Size
- C Morales
- May 1, 2016
- 1 min read
Training different ways determines how your muscles will grow and strengthen. If you want size, you train hypertrophically. If you want endurance, you train within ranges that promote the best endurance in muscles, and if you want speed, or power, you train within those ranges.
Hyper-"increase" troph-"growth or development"
When bodybuilders hit the gym, they aim for hypertrophy...that is getting the biggest size and tearing up their muscles as much as possible. How do they accomplish this? It's all in the sets and reps. 4-8 Sets of 8-12 repetitions of each exercise. If that seems like a lot, it is. The point is to create as much microscopic tearing on the muscle as possible (so, yes, this will make you sore).
To create optimal muscle growth (size, not necessarily speed, power, or endurance, though any training will increase this as well) choose the part of your body that you want to work, for example, legs.
Exercise Sets Reps
Squats 4-8 8-12
Lunges 4-8 8-12
Step ups 4-8 8-12
Side Lunges 4-8 8-12
Pistol Squats 4-8 8-12
Most commonly (among my group of friends) the hypertrophy approach to exercise is used primarily for training their butts.
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