The problem Of muscle hypertrophy: Revisited

Abstract

In this paper we revisit a topic originally discussed in 1955, namely the lack of direct evidence that muscle hypertrophy from exercise plays an important role in increasing strength. To this day, long-term adaptations in strength are thought to be primarily contingent on changes in muscle size. Given this assumption, there has been considerable attention placed on programs designed to allow for maximization of both muscle size and strength. However, the conclusion that a change in muscle size affects a change in strength is surprisingly based on little evidence. We suggest that these changes may be completely separate phenomena based on: (1) the weak correlation between the change in muscle size and the change in muscle strength after training; (2) the loss of muscle mass with detraining, yet a maintenance of muscle strength; and (3) the similar muscle growth between low-load and high-load resistance training, yet divergent results in strength. Muscle Nerve 54: 1012-1014, 2016.

Changes in agonist neural drive, hypertrophy and pre-training strength all contribute to the individual strength gains after resistance training

“…Therefore, the 18.7% of the total variance in MVT explained by QUADS VOL appears to be capturing the majority of the potential contribution of muscle hypertrophy to strength changes after RT. Whilst the contribution of muscle hypertrophy in the current study was secondary to neural adaptations during this relatively short-term intervention it clearly did contribute to the explained variance in strength and further negates the suggestion that strength and hypertrophy are entirely separate phenomena (Buckner et al 2016). It seems likely that hypertrophy would be a more important contributor with longer periods of RT.…”

High doses of anti‐inflammatory drugs compromise muscle strength and hypertrophic adaptations to resistance training in young adults

“…Second, if not muscle size, what other mechanisms could explain the fact that strength was negatively affected by ibuprofen only in the FW leg? Regarding the first question, although muscle mass and strength are generally highly correlated at baseline in pre‐training situations, the same does not necessarily apply when it comes to increases in strength and muscle size following short‐term resistance training . This was also the case in the current study, where in fact the correlation between changes in muscle size and strength was very weak (R 2 ~0.05; data not shown).…”

A Comparison of Load-Velocity and Load-Power Relationships Between Well-Trained Young and Middle-Aged Males During Three Popular Resistance Exercises

“…The aforementioned training focus of the two groups is again pertinent, with the younger group's specific concern being that of improving strength (and hypertrophy) and, unlike the middle-aged group, not health. As adaptations to resistance training appear to be specific to the type of training regularly performed (9), it is unlikely that the middle-aged group optimised strength gains from their health-related training. This difference in training approach in the middle-aged group 14 might explain the lower velocities and power outputs achieved in this group, that is, they do not train specifically to increases these components.…”