[h=1]Fundamentals of Building Muscle: The First Ten[/h]
Every issue of Muscular Development is packed with the latest cutting-edge research and authoritative information on building muscle, burning fat, increasing strength, achieving optimal health and maximizing performance. 2016 was a banner year for research on training, nutrition and fat loss, and we have compiled the top breakthroughs and best science to enable you to train smart and effectively in 2017. In total there are 30 fundamentals and in part one of this three-part series we present the first ten. Part two will be posted on Monday, March 13 and part three will be posted on Wednesday, March 15.
[FONT="]1) Lift Heavy to Gain Strength[/FONT]
Program structure influences gains in strength and muscle size— according to a study led by Gareth Nicholson from the Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure at Leeds Beckett University in the U.K. Experienced weight trainers participated in programs designed to maximize strength or hypertrophy. Strength workouts used heavier weights, fewer reps and longer rest intervals (85 percent of maximum, five minutes rest and four sets of six reps) while hypertrophy workouts used more reps, less weight and shorter rest intervals (70 percent of maximum, 90 seconds rest and five to 10 reps per set). A third group used cluster sets involving short rest intervals during sets, with five minutes rest between sets. Strength gains were greatest in athletes performing strength and cluster sets. An important key to gaining strength is to use heavy weights with long rest intervals. Peak tension is critical if you want to get strong. An effective device for gauging the quality of a workout is the Beast Sensor (www.thisisbeast.com)— an accelerometer that measures the power output and velocity during each rep. (European Journal of Applied Physiology, published online July 29, 2016)
[FONT="]2) Hypertrophy and Strength Changes Similar After Training With Heavy or Light Load[/FONT]
When training to repetition failure, load has no effect on hypertrophy or strength in experienced lifters— according to a study led by Stuart Phillips and Robert Morton from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. Test subjects performed three sets of nine to 12 repetitions to failure in four exercises, three times per week. Resistance was either heavy (75 to 90 percent of max for each lift) or light (30 to 50 percent of max). Both groups made substantial increases in strength and muscle mass, but there were no differences between groups. This study showed that training load has no effect on gains in muscle mass or strength following 12 weeks of strength training, three times per week to failure. This was a well-controlled study. However, at this time we cannot extrapolate these data to power athletes trying to increase strength and power for sport. (Journal Applied Physiology, 121: 129-138, 2016)
[FONT="]3) Rest Longer Between Sets to Maximize Muscle Protein Synthesis and Growth[/FONT]
Five minutes of passive rest was superior to one minute of rest between sets of a leg workout (leg press and knee extensions) followed by consumption of 25 grams of whey protein— according to a study led by James McKendry from the University of Birmingham in the U.K. During recovery, test subjects were infused with a carbon 13-labeled amino acid. Researchers measured muscle protein synthesis by the concentration of the labeled amino acids in muscle samples taken by biopsy. The one-minute rest periods between sets interfered with muscle protein synthesis. The study showed that athletes should rest longer between sets to maximize muscle protein synthesis and growth. (Experimental Physiology, 101: 866-882, 2016)
[FONT="]4) Longer Rest Intervals Better for Gaining Strength and Hypertrophy[/FONT]
Time under tension is the most important factor determining the effectiveness of a weight-training program on strength and muscle hypertrophy. Failure training using minimal rest intervals is a popular training method of many bodybuilders. However, with short rest intervals, athletes don’t recover adequately and don’t develop maximum tension during subsequent lifts. A study led by Brad Schoenfeld from CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx, New York found that resting three minutes between sets produced greater changes in muscle mass and strength than resting one minute. The athletes trained three times per week for eight weeks. Rest longer between sets so that you can use heavier weights and gain strength and mass faster. This study supported the results of the previous review study by McKendry and co-workers. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, published online November 20, 2015)
[FONT="]5) Training to Failure Rather Than Load Determines Muscle Hypertrophy[/FONT]
Failure training promotes muscle growth, regardless of the load— according to a study from McMaster University and the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Also, post-exercise changes in anabolic hormones were not related to the degree of muscle hypertrophy. Experienced weight trainers participated in a 10-week training program involving either high repetitions and low load, or low repetitions and high load. Both groups trained to repetition failure in the leg press, bench press, knee extension and shoulder press. Bench-press strength increased most in the high-resistance group, but muscle hypertrophy and strength in the other lifts were the same for both groups. The study showed that training to failure was more important than the absolute load or changes in anabolic hormones for promoting muscle hypertrophy during awo and a half month training period. (Proceedings of the Physiological Society, 35: C04, 2016)
[FONT="]6) Force, Power and Velocity Greater During Hexagonal Barbell Deadlifts[/FONT]
Pulling power is highly related to sprinting and jumping ability. No lift develops raw horsepower during pulls better than deadlifts. Unfortunately, many athletes use poor technique during the lift by extending the knees prematurely and underutilizing the hip extensors. This puts most of the load on the back muscles, which increases the risk of serious spinal injury. Many coaches recommend a hexagonal (hex) or trap barbell for non-competitive deadlifts because it places less stress on the spine and places the load closer to the midline of the body. A biomechanical comparison of deadlifts performed with straight and hex bars by Kevin Camara and colleagues from the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton, found that peak force, power and velocity were greater with the hex bar. Activation of the spinal extensor muscles was lower with the hex bar. The hex bar is superior and safer for building pulling power in power athletes who are not competing in powerlifting. (Journal Strength and Conditioning Research, 30: 1183-1188, 2016)
[FONT="]7) Training for Strength and Endurance Does Not Interfere With Muscle Protein Synthesis[/FONT]
Concurrently training for strength and endurance does not interfere with muscle protein synthesis in untrained men— according to Swedish researchers. Two small groups of men practiced either weight training or weight training plus endurance exercise for seven weeks. Strength gains were similar in the two groups, but increases in muscle mass were greatest in the group practicing strength and endurance exercise. Endurance training did not interfere with the mTOR pathway of muscle protein synthesis. Researchers concluded that endurance training does not interfere with muscle strength or hypertrophy when combined with a weight-training program. While this was a sophisticated, well-designed study, the results cannot be extrapolated to intensely training athletes. The researchers used sedentary men with little training experience during a seven-week study. Beginners typically take many weeks to learn basic training patterns, and have not developed the neuromuscular capacity to train intensely. This study should be repeated using well-trained people or elite athletes. (PloS ONE, 11(2) e0149082, 2016)
[FONT="]8) Is Failure Training Necessary?[/FONT]
A motor unit is trained in direct proportion to its recruitment. A motor unit is a nerve plus the muscle fibers it activates. Motor unit activation depends on size: the nervous system activates small motor units to exert minimal force, and larger units to exert greater force. We have different kinds of motor units that are activated according to the force and speed requirements. Maximum hypertrophy requires that we overload as many different kinds of muscle fibers and motor units as possible. Failure training might be the best way to do this. A review of literature by Brazilian researchers concluded that the benefits of failure training depended on weight-training experience. In untrained people, high-intensity weight training to failure is not necessary to maximize muscle size and strength. However, they benefit from low-intensity training to failure. Trained athletes increase strength best with high-intensity resistance training to failure, but they don’t benefit as much from low-intensity training to failure. (Frontiers in Physiology, published online January 29, 2016)
[FONT="]9) Weight Training More Effective at Simulated Altitude[/FONT]
Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his first mainstream movie, “Stay Hungry,” said, “You must burn to grow.” Muscle cells require stress in the form of tension and inflammation to grow optimally. Bing Yan and co-workers from Beijing Sport University in China found that weight training at altitude caused greater increases in strength and lean mass than training at sea level. Subjects trained in a low oxygen room adjusted to 21, 16 or 12.6 percent oxygen (simulated altitudes of sea level, 7,000 feet, or 13,500 feet). Weight training at altitude caused the greatest changes in strength, lean mass and anabolic hormones (growth hormone and testosterone), and training at 12.6 percent oxygen was better than training at 16 percent. Test subjects performed two workouts per week for five weeks in one of the three conditions.
How can bodybuilders use this information? Train at altitude. However, this might not provide the same results as training in a room with low oxygen and living at sea level. Win the lottery and build a low-oxygen training room. The training center in Beijing is expensive, very sophisticated, and not available to most athletes. Use a portable altitude generator and breathing mask from Higher Peak (www.higherpeak.com, Boston, MA). These cost about $2,500, which is within the budget of more wealthy bodybuilders. If this technique catches on, it will only be a matter of time before some of the leading gyms offer simulated high-altitude training rooms. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 30:184-193, 2016)
[FONT="]10) Apply Heat After Intense Exercise[/FONT]
Cold has been the post-exercise modality of choice for more than 30 years. Pitchers and javelin throwers, for example, often applied ice bags to their shoulders after practice or competition. A study led by Jerrold Petrofsky from Loma Linda University found that heat worked slightly better than cold for reducing post-exercise muscle soreness and decreases in performance. Researchers applied ThermaCare cold or heat wraps following 15 minutes of squatting. The four immediate treatment goals include: preventing further damage, reducing spasm and pain, reducing bleeding and swelling, and promoting healing. Ice reduces bleeding, but it also decreases inflammation, angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) and release of tissue growth factors. Ice decreases pain and spasm following an injury, but it might delay healing and eventual return to the playing field. Applying ice or heat after intense training is better than doing nothing, but heat works slightly better. (Journal Strength and Conditioning Research, 29: 3245-3252, 2015
Every issue of Muscular Development is packed with the latest cutting-edge research and authoritative information on building muscle, burning fat, increasing strength, achieving optimal health and maximizing performance. 2016 was a banner year for research on training, nutrition and fat loss, and we have compiled the top breakthroughs and best science to enable you to train smart and effectively in 2017. In total there are 30 fundamentals and in part one of this three-part series we present the first ten. Part two will be posted on Monday, March 13 and part three will be posted on Wednesday, March 15.
[FONT="]1) Lift Heavy to Gain Strength[/FONT]
Program structure influences gains in strength and muscle size— according to a study led by Gareth Nicholson from the Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure at Leeds Beckett University in the U.K. Experienced weight trainers participated in programs designed to maximize strength or hypertrophy. Strength workouts used heavier weights, fewer reps and longer rest intervals (85 percent of maximum, five minutes rest and four sets of six reps) while hypertrophy workouts used more reps, less weight and shorter rest intervals (70 percent of maximum, 90 seconds rest and five to 10 reps per set). A third group used cluster sets involving short rest intervals during sets, with five minutes rest between sets. Strength gains were greatest in athletes performing strength and cluster sets. An important key to gaining strength is to use heavy weights with long rest intervals. Peak tension is critical if you want to get strong. An effective device for gauging the quality of a workout is the Beast Sensor (www.thisisbeast.com)— an accelerometer that measures the power output and velocity during each rep. (European Journal of Applied Physiology, published online July 29, 2016)
[FONT="]2) Hypertrophy and Strength Changes Similar After Training With Heavy or Light Load[/FONT]
When training to repetition failure, load has no effect on hypertrophy or strength in experienced lifters— according to a study led by Stuart Phillips and Robert Morton from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. Test subjects performed three sets of nine to 12 repetitions to failure in four exercises, three times per week. Resistance was either heavy (75 to 90 percent of max for each lift) or light (30 to 50 percent of max). Both groups made substantial increases in strength and muscle mass, but there were no differences between groups. This study showed that training load has no effect on gains in muscle mass or strength following 12 weeks of strength training, three times per week to failure. This was a well-controlled study. However, at this time we cannot extrapolate these data to power athletes trying to increase strength and power for sport. (Journal Applied Physiology, 121: 129-138, 2016)
Five minutes of passive rest was superior to one minute of rest between sets of a leg workout (leg press and knee extensions) followed by consumption of 25 grams of whey protein— according to a study led by James McKendry from the University of Birmingham in the U.K. During recovery, test subjects were infused with a carbon 13-labeled amino acid. Researchers measured muscle protein synthesis by the concentration of the labeled amino acids in muscle samples taken by biopsy. The one-minute rest periods between sets interfered with muscle protein synthesis. The study showed that athletes should rest longer between sets to maximize muscle protein synthesis and growth. (Experimental Physiology, 101: 866-882, 2016)
[FONT="]4) Longer Rest Intervals Better for Gaining Strength and Hypertrophy[/FONT]
Time under tension is the most important factor determining the effectiveness of a weight-training program on strength and muscle hypertrophy. Failure training using minimal rest intervals is a popular training method of many bodybuilders. However, with short rest intervals, athletes don’t recover adequately and don’t develop maximum tension during subsequent lifts. A study led by Brad Schoenfeld from CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx, New York found that resting three minutes between sets produced greater changes in muscle mass and strength than resting one minute. The athletes trained three times per week for eight weeks. Rest longer between sets so that you can use heavier weights and gain strength and mass faster. This study supported the results of the previous review study by McKendry and co-workers. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, published online November 20, 2015)
[FONT="]5) Training to Failure Rather Than Load Determines Muscle Hypertrophy[/FONT]
Failure training promotes muscle growth, regardless of the load— according to a study from McMaster University and the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Also, post-exercise changes in anabolic hormones were not related to the degree of muscle hypertrophy. Experienced weight trainers participated in a 10-week training program involving either high repetitions and low load, or low repetitions and high load. Both groups trained to repetition failure in the leg press, bench press, knee extension and shoulder press. Bench-press strength increased most in the high-resistance group, but muscle hypertrophy and strength in the other lifts were the same for both groups. The study showed that training to failure was more important than the absolute load or changes in anabolic hormones for promoting muscle hypertrophy during awo and a half month training period. (Proceedings of the Physiological Society, 35: C04, 2016)
Pulling power is highly related to sprinting and jumping ability. No lift develops raw horsepower during pulls better than deadlifts. Unfortunately, many athletes use poor technique during the lift by extending the knees prematurely and underutilizing the hip extensors. This puts most of the load on the back muscles, which increases the risk of serious spinal injury. Many coaches recommend a hexagonal (hex) or trap barbell for non-competitive deadlifts because it places less stress on the spine and places the load closer to the midline of the body. A biomechanical comparison of deadlifts performed with straight and hex bars by Kevin Camara and colleagues from the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton, found that peak force, power and velocity were greater with the hex bar. Activation of the spinal extensor muscles was lower with the hex bar. The hex bar is superior and safer for building pulling power in power athletes who are not competing in powerlifting. (Journal Strength and Conditioning Research, 30: 1183-1188, 2016)
[FONT="]7) Training for Strength and Endurance Does Not Interfere With Muscle Protein Synthesis[/FONT]
Concurrently training for strength and endurance does not interfere with muscle protein synthesis in untrained men— according to Swedish researchers. Two small groups of men practiced either weight training or weight training plus endurance exercise for seven weeks. Strength gains were similar in the two groups, but increases in muscle mass were greatest in the group practicing strength and endurance exercise. Endurance training did not interfere with the mTOR pathway of muscle protein synthesis. Researchers concluded that endurance training does not interfere with muscle strength or hypertrophy when combined with a weight-training program. While this was a sophisticated, well-designed study, the results cannot be extrapolated to intensely training athletes. The researchers used sedentary men with little training experience during a seven-week study. Beginners typically take many weeks to learn basic training patterns, and have not developed the neuromuscular capacity to train intensely. This study should be repeated using well-trained people or elite athletes. (PloS ONE, 11(2) e0149082, 2016)
[FONT="]8) Is Failure Training Necessary?[/FONT]
A motor unit is trained in direct proportion to its recruitment. A motor unit is a nerve plus the muscle fibers it activates. Motor unit activation depends on size: the nervous system activates small motor units to exert minimal force, and larger units to exert greater force. We have different kinds of motor units that are activated according to the force and speed requirements. Maximum hypertrophy requires that we overload as many different kinds of muscle fibers and motor units as possible. Failure training might be the best way to do this. A review of literature by Brazilian researchers concluded that the benefits of failure training depended on weight-training experience. In untrained people, high-intensity weight training to failure is not necessary to maximize muscle size and strength. However, they benefit from low-intensity training to failure. Trained athletes increase strength best with high-intensity resistance training to failure, but they don’t benefit as much from low-intensity training to failure. (Frontiers in Physiology, published online January 29, 2016)
Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his first mainstream movie, “Stay Hungry,” said, “You must burn to grow.” Muscle cells require stress in the form of tension and inflammation to grow optimally. Bing Yan and co-workers from Beijing Sport University in China found that weight training at altitude caused greater increases in strength and lean mass than training at sea level. Subjects trained in a low oxygen room adjusted to 21, 16 or 12.6 percent oxygen (simulated altitudes of sea level, 7,000 feet, or 13,500 feet). Weight training at altitude caused the greatest changes in strength, lean mass and anabolic hormones (growth hormone and testosterone), and training at 12.6 percent oxygen was better than training at 16 percent. Test subjects performed two workouts per week for five weeks in one of the three conditions.
How can bodybuilders use this information? Train at altitude. However, this might not provide the same results as training in a room with low oxygen and living at sea level. Win the lottery and build a low-oxygen training room. The training center in Beijing is expensive, very sophisticated, and not available to most athletes. Use a portable altitude generator and breathing mask from Higher Peak (www.higherpeak.com, Boston, MA). These cost about $2,500, which is within the budget of more wealthy bodybuilders. If this technique catches on, it will only be a matter of time before some of the leading gyms offer simulated high-altitude training rooms. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 30:184-193, 2016)
[FONT="]10) Apply Heat After Intense Exercise[/FONT]
Cold has been the post-exercise modality of choice for more than 30 years. Pitchers and javelin throwers, for example, often applied ice bags to their shoulders after practice or competition. A study led by Jerrold Petrofsky from Loma Linda University found that heat worked slightly better than cold for reducing post-exercise muscle soreness and decreases in performance. Researchers applied ThermaCare cold or heat wraps following 15 minutes of squatting. The four immediate treatment goals include: preventing further damage, reducing spasm and pain, reducing bleeding and swelling, and promoting healing. Ice reduces bleeding, but it also decreases inflammation, angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) and release of tissue growth factors. Ice decreases pain and spasm following an injury, but it might delay healing and eventual return to the playing field. Applying ice or heat after intense training is better than doing nothing, but heat works slightly better. (Journal Strength and Conditioning Research, 29: 3245-3252, 2015
