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Increasing muscle mass today is not only reserved to those practicing bodybuilding. The medical community emphasizes the importance of maintaining or increasing muscle mass for the general population. Exercise prescription aimed at muscle hypertrophy is based on some important principles which are unfortunately too often neglected. Here are some errors which are committed too often during this type of workout.
Insufficient load
The most important factor to put in motion the hypertrophy process at the level of the muscle fiber, lies in the mechanical stress applied to the muscle. Specifically, the muscle should undergo a tension generated by the raised load. Unfortunately, the load used in resistance training is often insufficient. Practically, how to know if the load is maximal? We must ask the participant to complete a maximum of repetition with a load at a set speed and range of motion. Important detail: the participating shall not count the number of repetitions completed. In order to ensure that the count cannot be made, simply ask the participant to recite the alphabet backward to prevent count. The training is in charge of counting the number of repetitions. Any discrepancy between the number of repetitions prescribed (say 10) and the quantity carried out (say 14) allows you to determine the direction of the adjustment of the load (in this case an increase of the load).
Too much recovery
To obtain a proper stimulation that will elicit muscle hypertrophy, the rest intervals between sets must not allow a complete recovery of the muscle (>3 min). The incomplete rest last generally between 60 and 90 s. This will partial recovery will allow to target the muscle fibers that are more receptive to hypertrophy. By increasing the rest time, a greater number of muscle fibers can participate in the contraction which reduces the mechanical stress on each single fiber. A bit like during when people are carrying a stove, the more arms there is, the less the appliance seems heavy.
Insufficient load
The most important factor to put in motion the hypertrophy process at the level of the muscle fiber, lies in the mechanical stress applied to the muscle. Specifically, the muscle should undergo a tension generated by the raised load. Unfortunately, the load used in resistance training is often insufficient. Practically, how to know if the load is maximal? We must ask the participant to complete a maximum of repetition with a load at a set speed and range of motion. Important detail: the participating shall not count the number of repetitions completed. In order to ensure that the count cannot be made, simply ask the participant to recite the alphabet backward to prevent count. The training is in charge of counting the number of repetitions. Any discrepancy between the number of repetitions prescribed (say 10) and the quantity carried out (say 14) allows you to determine the direction of the adjustment of the load (in this case an increase of the load).
Too much recovery
To obtain a proper stimulation that will elicit muscle hypertrophy, the rest intervals between sets must not allow a complete recovery of the muscle (>3 min). The incomplete rest last generally between 60 and 90 s. This will partial recovery will allow to target the muscle fibers that are more receptive to hypertrophy. By increasing the rest time, a greater number of muscle fibers can participate in the contraction which reduces the mechanical stress on each single fiber. A bit like during when people are carrying a stove, the more arms there is, the less the appliance seems heavy.