What is hypertrophy training?

Hypertrophy training is all about building muscle. “Hypertrophy is basically any increase in the size of the muscle or an increase and growth of the muscle fibres,” fitness and wellness coach Emma Obayuvana previously told Strong Women. “So, it’s about the size and the density of the muscles.”

Hypertrophy isn’t about going all out, although you might find yourself working to failure during your final set. Numbers-wise, you want to do 3 sets of 8-12 reps working at around 85% of your overall max.

What are the benefits of hypertrophy training?

As you might expect, the main benefit of hypertrophy training is muscle growth. This occurs in two stages – during training, and then after the session when you rest.

“As you train, your muscles undergo contractions and you get these little tears from the increased demand on the muscle,” Obayuvana says. “Then when we rest, new cells are generated and the muscles can repair, which is how the muscle gets bigger and bigger.”

Who is hypertrophy training for?

Hypertrophy is for everyone – it doesn’t matter what your goal is, because it’s all about building all-around strength. Because of this, it’ll help you to perform better in all kinds of sports. It’s also good for building lean muscle and changing your body composition.

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