How Do Muscles Get Bigger?
Workout enthusiasts, weight trainers, personal trainers, and fitness professionals all seem obsessed with developing muscle strength and gaining larger muscles. What many of these people do not realize is that muscle fitness is a very complex issue and there are many factors that contribute to developing bulging biceps. The process is quite scientific and involves much more than just increasing the number weight reps done each day. So, how do muscles get bigger?
Muscle growth can actually be attributed to the trauma caused by working out. When long bouts of weight training exercises are performed, the muscles are put under a certain amount of stress which causes “satellite cells” to activate. These satellite cells are located on the outside of the muscle fibers between the sarcolemma (plasma membrane) and the basal lamina (basement membrane). The body’s effort to repair and/or replace the muscle fiber that has been traumatized leads to the satellite cells fusing together, which leads to another process called hypertrophy. During this process, the muscle cells continue to multiply and form new muscle strands called myofibrils. Myofibrils further work to repair damage to the muscles that have been put under stress and begin to increase in number, and thicken. This thickening process starts to increase the overall muscle tissue, leading to a larger appearance.
Muscles continue to grow whenever the rate of muscle protein fusion is greater than the rate of muscle protein breakdown. Resistance forms of exercise can greatly stimulate the muscle cell process, which leads to not only increased muscle size, but increased strength as well. This form of training can be a bit slower than other forms of training (taking weeks or months for results to show), but it is considered to be quite safe and effective. Studies have shown that any form of muscle strength training can cause muscle protein fusion in as little as two to four hours following the workout. This fusion process has been shown to continue for up to twenty-four hours following the workout.
There are several other factors that should be considered before beginning any strength-training workout. Age, hereditary issues, hormone balances, gender, stature, size, body composition, and previous injuries should all be taken into account. Prior to starting any exercise program, a physician should be consulted. It is necessary to know your personal limits, and to train with a professional. A professional strength training coach will be able to ensure you are exercising properly and greatly reduce your risk for potential injury.
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