The science behind muscle growth

Muscle growth is the process of increasing the muscle fiber and surrounding tissues, requiring physical training, adequate nutrition, and adequate sleep. At the same time, muscles grow during sleep, when the body mobilizes reserves for recovery, including through the production of growth hormones.

From what exactly do muscles grow and what exercises are best for gaining muscle mass? How often should you train and how much protein should be in the diet? You will find the answers in the material below.

How do muscles grow?

From the point of view of anatomy, muscle growth is not at all associated with an increase in the number of muscle fibers, but with a change in their volume and with an increase in the density of myofascial and connective tissue. In other words, the muscles do not grow at all but only increase in volume.

In addition, the process of visual muscle growth is closely related to changes in the structure of the sarcoplasm, the nutrient fluid surrounding the muscle fiber. The more glycogen the sarcoplasm can store, the higher the athlete’s strength indicators, and the greater the muscle volume.

The rate of muscle growth depends both on the athlete’s body type and training experience (an athlete can regain muscle volume, while a beginner will need significantly more time) and on nutrition and sufficient recovery time.

What makes muscles grow:

• Regular strength training for hypertrophy
• Increase in caloric intake by 10 – 15%
• Eating enough protein
• Sufficient recovery time

How to know that your muscles are growing?

First, the processes of healing and subsequent muscle growth are associated with the appearance of characteristic muscle pain. Despite the fact that this pain is often attributed to increased production of lactic acid, recent scientific research refutes this – pain appears due to a number of factors.

Secondly, an increase in body weight against the background of an increase in strength also indicates that the muscles are successfully growing. However, we note that this rule requires a regular increase in the weight with which you pump muscles – the start of growth processes implies a new level of stress for the muscles. Another type of load can also be such stress, which indicates the benefits of alternating sports.

Anatomy and Physiology of muscle growth

From a scientific point of view, it is more correct to speak not about muscle growth, but about an increase in their volume – that is, about muscle hypertrophy. Most scientists tend to believe that the very number of muscle fibers remains virtually unchanged throughout life and is genetically determined¹.

Physical training does make the fibers stronger but does not lead to an increase in their number. Visual muscle growth is primarily an increase in sarcoplasm (nutrient fluid surrounding muscle fibers), muscle glycogen depots, and proliferation of connective tissues.

In fact, regular training teaches the athlete’s body to use energy reserves more efficiently and affects the hormonal level. In particular, increased testosterone levels help muscles grow faster.

How long does it take for muscles to grow?

Studies show that the process of muscle growth begins approximately 3-4 hours after strength training² and ends after 36-48 hours, depending on the muscle group. That is why it makes no sense to pump the same muscle group more often than once every two or three days, and the ideal training frequency for gaining mass for beginners is 3 workouts per week.

At the same time, immediately after training, the beginner’s body needs both easily digestible proteins to stop catabolic processes in the muscles, and carbohydrates in an amount of at least 100-150 g (30-40 g immediately after training, the rest – within 2-3 hours). The period when the body prefers to send food energy to the muscles is called the metabolic or carbohydrate window.

Best exercises for muscle growth

The most effective effect on muscle growth and glycogen synthesis is the so-called “basic training”, which triggers the processes of hypertrophy. Such training consists in performing multi-joint basic exercises, involving several large muscle groups at once.

Exercises should be performed in 5-7 repetitions with a heavy working weight – and this requires perfect knowledge of technique. Such strength training provokes microdamage in muscle tissue, the subsequent recovery of which leads to muscle growth.

In addition, basic training for hypertrophy has a positive effect on the body’s production of a number of hormones necessary for muscle growth – primarily testosterone and growth hormone. Recall that these same hormones affect fat burning and relief drawing.

What is hypertrophy?

Muscle hypertrophy is an increase in the body’s muscle mass due to the growth of individual groups of skeletal muscles. It is Hypertrophy that means muscle growth and is the main goal in bodybuilding because without muscle growth it is impossible to increase both their strength and volume. Hypertrophy training strategy – basic exercises and heavy working weights.

In turn, muscle hypertrophy is divided into two types – myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. The first is achieved by increasing the volume of muscle fiber cells (while the actual number of cells remains practically unchanged), and the second – is by increasing the nutrient fluid surrounding this fiber. In simple terms, the first affects strength, the second affects muscle volume.

Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for your muscles

On the one hand, heavy strength training using multi-joint exercises triggers various physiological processes in the body, leading to an increase in the strength of muscle fibers. On the other hand, without a sufficient supply of energy in the form of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins (in that order), there will simply be no muscle growth.

Carbohydrates are needed by the body to create glycogen stores (the main source of energy for muscles), and fats – for the synthesis of testosterone and other important hormones. Separately, we note that the strategy of nutrition and training for muscle growth largely depends on the body type of the athlete. Naturally thin people need enhanced nutrition, while overweight endomorphs can do harm.

Features of metabolism

The main difference between the metabolism of athletes and the metabolism of a non-athletic person is the ability to use carbohydrates more efficiently and regulate the level of insulin in the blood. In simple terms, the body of athletes prefers to process carbohydrates from food into glycogen and send them to muscles, and not to fat stores.

Regular “muscle pumping” gradually increases metabolism, requiring a significant increase in caloric intake and forcing the athlete to eat more. It is also interesting that modern scientists believe that there are no genetically lucky ones, and everyone can become the owner of a sports metabolism after several years of appropriate nutrition and training.

Although muscle growth is not such a complex physiological process, it is achieved only with the right combination of factors such as regular strength training, increased caloric intake, and sufficient rest. For muscle growth, most beginners need only 3 workouts a week – otherwise they are in danger of overtraining.