The Chris and Paul Show
What is the most effective frequency for muscle growth?
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Myofibrillar protein synthesis (myops) is elevated after training, indicating an anabolic phase that may last up to 48 hours.
- Different training variables like volume and intensity can influence the duration and magnitude of myops rate elevations.
- Detraining studies show that significant muscle loss may take at least two weeks to occur, but the duration of muscle growth is longer than two weeks.
- Muscle fibers experience atrophy when there is an absence of mechanical loading, regardless of the cause.
- Recovery plays a crucial role in muscle growth, and even minimal stimulus between workouts can help prevent muscle loss.
Deep dives
Myofibrillar protein synthesis and catabolic phase
Myofibrillar protein synthesis (myops) is the biological process that converts mechanical tension from training into muscle growth. After training, myops is elevated, indicating an anabolic phase. However, it is not clear how long this phase lasts. Research suggests that myops may be elevated for up to 48 hours, but the exact duration is uncertain. After the anabolic phase, the body enters a catabolic phase, where muscle gains may be lost. The rate of muscle loss in the catabolic phase depends on various factors. Detraining literature suggests that significant atrophy may take at least two weeks to occur, but it is important to note that hypertrophy studies show that significant growth often takes longer than two weeks. Therefore, we cannot assume that muscle loss occurs within two weeks of decreased training. Understanding the duration of the anabolic and catabolic phases requires further research.
Different Training Variables and Myops Rate Elevations
Different training variables, such as volume and intensity, can influence the duration and magnitude of myops rate elevations. Research suggests that higher volume and higher intensity workouts may produce greater myops rate elevations. However, it is important to note that the duration of myops rate elevations does not necessarily indicate the duration of the hypertrophic stimulus. It is possible that myops rate elevations are related to muscle damage repair rather than hypertrophy. Comparisons between training variables also suggest that hypertrophy may be more front-loaded in the 48-hour window, while muscle damage repair may be back-loaded. However, more research is needed to determine the specific time course of each process.
The Uncertainty of Muscle Atrophy and D-Training
Studies on detraining and muscle atrophy provide some insights into the catabolic phase. Detraining studies show that significant muscle loss may take at least two weeks to occur. However, it is essential to remember that the duration of muscle growth is longer than two weeks, and the duration of atrophy may vary depending on individual factors. Additionally, the maintenance literature suggests that even minimal stimulus can help prevent muscle loss, but it is unclear how long these maintenance effects last. More research is required to fully understand the duration and mechanisms of muscle atrophy and detraining.
The Influence of Mechanical Loading on Muscle Fiber
Muscle fibers cannot distinguish between the absence of mechanical loading due to immobilization or regular daily activities. During immobilization, all muscle fibers experience atrophy, while during daily activities, only the muscle fibers not involved in normal loading may experience loss. However, high-threshold motor units cannot differentiate between the two situations. For muscle fibers, the absence of mechanical loading leads to atrophy, regardless of the cause. Understanding how mechanical loading affects muscle fibers is crucial in studying the catabolic phase and muscle loss.
Importance of Recovery in Muscle Growth
Recovery plays a crucial role in muscle growth as it allows the muscle fibers to repair and adapt to the stimulus from a workout. Immobilization and catabolic phases between workouts can lead to significant muscle loss. It is important to understand that muscle atrophy can occur even in the period between workouts, although it may be about half of what is seen during immobilization. However, creating tension and isometric contractions during workouts, even for maintenance purposes, can help preserve muscle mass.
Training Frequency and Hypertrophy
The training frequency literature showcases varying results, indicating that training frequency may not have a significant impact on hypertrophy as long as weekly sets to failure and volume are similar. However, this may depend on individual factors and the ability to recover between workouts. While high-frequency training may seem beneficial, research suggests that excessive training frequency without proper recovery can lead to interference effects. Factors like muscle damage, fatigue, and inflammation play important roles in determining the effectiveness of training frequency.
Individual Variability in Response to Training
Individual responses to training can vary greatly, with some individuals showing significant muscle damage and needing more recovery time, while others experience less damage and can tolerate higher training frequencies. Muscle damage repair and inflammation response are pivotal factors impacting the ability to stimulate hypertrophy. Understanding individual variability is crucial to designing training programs that optimize recovery and stimulate muscle growth effectively.
Misconceptions about Training Frequency and Fatigue
The idea of needing frequent deloads or the belief that high training volume can lead to systemic fatigue are often misconceptions. Systemic fatigue is typically related to factors like muscle damage, fatigue mechanisms, or inflammation due to training load and recovery. Deloading may not be necessary if training variables such as volume, intensity, and frequency are appropriately managed. Training programs should focus on individual needs, considering recovery, adaptation, and the avoidance of excessive fatigue.
Training Frequency Individualization
The podcast emphasizes that training frequency is highly individualized and depends on various factors. It challenges the idea of a 'magic muscle math' and explains that there is no one-size-fits-all answer for how often one should train a muscle group. The discussion highlights the influence of factors like fatigue, recovery rate, fiber type, exercise selection, and psychological stress on training frequency. The importance of experimenting and finding what works best for the individual is emphasized.
Optimal Volume and Training Frequency
The podcast explores the relationship between training volume and frequency. It suggests that training a muscle group once a week can still lead to substantial progress, but if a muscle group is trained twice or three times a week, the volume needs to be adjusted accordingly. Lower volume can be more appropriate for higher frequency training to avoid interference effects from fatigue, while higher volume can be utilized in lower frequency training. Additionally, the podcast highlights the importance of exercise selection, overlap of muscle groups, and individual nuances in determining the optimal training frequency for each person.
Patreon link for this episode is here
https://www.patreon.com/posts/podcast-7-85101964
You can find Chris on his social and publications here -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisabeardsley/?hl=en
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/SandCResearch
Twitter - https://twitter.com/SandCResearch
You can find Paul on Instagram -
https://www.instagram.com/liftrunbang1/?hl=en
And his hypertrophy training groups here -
Yoke Squad - https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/lift-run-bang
Valkyrie - https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/the-valkyrie
Garage Gangsters - https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/garage-gangsters
Garage Gals - https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/garage-gals
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