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Hypertrophy

Growth in muscle cross-section through enlargement of individual fibres.

What matters most is the number of hard working sets per muscle group and week, sufficient proximity to failure, and a protein intake around 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight.

Distinction

Hypertrophy describes growth in the cross-section of existing fibres. An increase in fibre number (hyperplasia) has not been reliably demonstrated in humans.

Sources
  1. Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Ogborn, D. and Krieger, J. W. (2017) 'Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training', Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(12), pp. 3508-3523.
  2. Morton, R. W. et al. (2018) 'A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength', British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), pp. 376-384.
Related terms
SupercompensationUndulating periodization
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