Should You Train To Failure for Muscle Growth w/ Dr. Brad Schoefeld, Dr. Andy Galpin, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Coach Travis Mash Barbell Shrugged #574
Dr. Brad Schoenfeld discusses training to failure for muscle growth, mechanisms of hypertrophy, mTOR's role, and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. The podcast explores individualized training programs, rest periods' impact on hypertrophy, muscle growth factors, and muscle density vs. size gain.
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Quick takeaways
Time under tension is crucial for muscle hypertrophy, emphasizing consistent tension on muscles.
Rest periods impact hypertrophy outcomes, with longer rests showing superiority when volume is equal.
Mechanical tension is the main driver of muscle hypertrophy, outweighing metabolic stress and muscle damage.
Deep dives
Importance of Time Under Tension
Time under tension is a crucial factor in muscle hypertrophy, indicating the need for consistent tension on muscles. While specific time frames for tension within a set are not rigid, focusing on overall weekly time under tension is essential for maximizing hypertrophic effects, as observed in various studies comparing different training routines.
Rest Periods and Volume Equivalence
Rest periods between sets play a significant role in hypertrophy, with longer rest periods leading to superior hypertrophic outcomes compared to shorter rests. However, when volume is equated between different rest periods, the hypertrophic effects seem to balance out, emphasizing the importance of overall volume load in training programs.
Mechanical Tension Dominance
Mechanical tension emerges as the principal driver of muscle hypertrophy, overshadowing the influence of metabolic stress and muscle damage. While other factors can contribute to hypertrophy, mechanical tension remains the primary factor influencing muscle growth, as supported by current literature and research findings.
Unresolved Questions in Hypertrophy Research
Despite advancements in understanding hypertrophy mechanisms, critical questions remain unanswered in research. Areas such as individual genetic responses to training, specific exercise choices, workout sequencing, and the interplay of different variables in hypertrophy outcomes present ongoing challenges and opportunities for further investigation to enhance our understanding.
The role of intensity and volume in resistance training
Intensity and volume are key factors in resistance training that affect muscle growth. Research shows that intensity can range from 30% to 95% of one repetition maximum, showcasing a broad spectrum. Volume plays a crucial role in driving muscle hypertrophy and is interrelated with intensity in training regimes. While a significant focus has been placed on volume and intensity, recent attention has turned towards factors like mental imagery and external variables such as music choice and workout timing.
Factors influencing muscle hypertrophy and strength development
As individuals age, muscle growth becomes more challenging due to hormonal changes and slowed recovery processes. The relationship between hypertrophy and strength varies, with some evidence suggesting a correlation but not a linear progression between the two. Speculations surrounding muscle density and the impact of training intensity on muscle growth remain areas of debate and require further exploration for a comprehensive understanding of the hypertrophy-strength relationship.
Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, CSCS, CSPS, FNSCA, is an internationally renowned fitness expert and widely regarded as one of the leading authorities on body composition training (muscle development and fat loss). He is a lifetime drug-free bodybuilder, and has won numerous natural bodybuilding titles.
Brad earned his masters degree in kinesiology/exercise science from the University of Texas at Permian Basin and his PhD at Rocky Mountain University where his dissertation focused on elucidating the mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed research articles on exercise and sports nutrition, as well as editing multiple textbooks and authoring several textbook chapters.
He acts as the Assistant Editor-in-Chief for the NSCA's Strength and Conditioning Journal, as well as serving on the editorial advisory board for several peer-reviewed exercise- and nutrition-related journals.
In this Episode of Barbell Shrugged:
Should you train to failure
RPE vs. RIR
Mechanisms of hypertrophy and building a training program