Huberman Lab
GUEST SERIES | Dr. Andy Galpin: Optimal Protocols to Build Strength & Grow Muscles
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Quick takeaways
- Strength and hypertrophy training have numerous benefits, including improvements in neuromuscular activation and synchronization, increased muscle contractility, and improved calcium recycling.
- Strength training induces adaptations in the nervous system, muscle fibers, and other factors, leading to increased strength and force production.
- Hypertrophy training involves an increase in contractile proteins resulting in thicker muscle fibers, with protein synthesis playing a key role.
- For strength-focused training, a rep cadence of three seconds eccentric, one-second pause, and explosive concentric phase is recommended.
- For hypertrophy-focused training, a similar rep cadence of three seconds eccentric, one-second pause can be used, with a slower concentric phase to increase time under tension and muscle fiber recruitment.
- Different rep cadences can be used to customize training adaptations, focusing on speed, time under tension, or a combination.
Deep dives
Benefits of Strength and Hypertrophy Training
Strength and hypertrophy training have numerous benefits for individuals of all levels and goals. These benefits go beyond just building bigger muscles and include improvements in neuromuscular activation and synchronization, increased muscle contractility, improved calcium recycling and calcium affinity, increase in muscle power and strength, preservation of muscle power and functionality as we age, maintenance of a healthy nervous system, combatting neuromuscular aging, and reducing the risk of stress and strain injuries.
Specific Changes in Strength Training
Strength training induces adaptations across the entire chain of human movement. The nervous system improves firing rate, synchronization, acetylcholine release, and calcium recycling. Muscle fibers enhance contractility, calcium affinity, and size. Changes in penation angle optimize force production and velocity. Additional improvements include increased storage of phosphocreatine, alterations in muscle fiber type, and enhanced neural innervation. These changes collectively lead to increased strength and force production.
Hypertrophy Training and Protein Synthesis
Hypertrophy training involves an increase in contractile proteins (myosin and actin) resulting in thicker muscle fibers. Protein synthesis plays a key role in facilitating hypertrophy by converting amino acids into peptides, polypeptides, and proteins. Muscle protein synthesis can be influenced by external signals such as stretching, protein ingestion, or testosterone activation. Skeletal muscle hypertrophy also involves an increase in cell diameter to maintain proper spacing between contractile units. Additionally, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, characterized by an increase in fluid within the muscle fiber, may contribute to muscle size without significant strength gains.
Rep cadence for strength-focused training
For strength-focused training, a rep cadence of three seconds eccentric, one-second pause, and explosive concentric phase is recommended. This allows for better acceleration of the weight, which is essential for strength gains. Breathing should be controlled, and the emphasis is on creating intra-abdominal pressure for spinal stability.
Rep cadence for hypertrophy-focused training
For hypertrophy-focused training, a similar rep cadence of three seconds eccentric, one-second pause can be used. However, the concentric phase can be slower to increase time under tension and muscle fiber recruitment. Slower reps can be effective for stimulating muscle growth, but breathing should still be controlled and focused on creating intra-abdominal pressure.
Flexibility in rep cadence
Rep cadence can be modified based on personal preferences and individual goals. The main objective is to control the weight and maintain stability while executing the exercise. Whether it's focusing on speed, time under tension, or a combination, adjusting the cadence allows for customization and exploration of different training adaptations.
Training for Power
When training for power, focus on compound movements and perform 3-5 repetitions per set. Choose 3-5 exercises and rest 3-5 minutes between sets. Use weight loads in the range of 30-70% of your one repetition maximum, depending on the movement and your training status. Emphasize maximum speed and maintain proper form. Incorporate exercises like medicine ball throws, kettlebell swings, and plyometrics. Consider using methods like cluster sets and dynamic variable resistance for variation and effectiveness.
Training for Strength
When training for strength, use the same principles as power training but with a focus on heavier weight loads. Aim for 70% or more of your one repetition maximum. Choose compound exercises and rest 3-5 minutes between sets. Limit the total number of working sets per week compared to power training due to increased fatigue. Consider incorporating eccentric overload training and dynamic variable resistance to target different parts of the strength curve. Prioritize quality of movement and tension during each repetition.
Tips for Effective Training
Focus on intention and maximum effort during each repetition to optimize training quality. Set your playlist or eliminate distractions to maintain focus during your workouts. Be strategic with exercise selection, order, volume, frequency, and progression to ensure effective and efficient training sessions. Experiment with methods like cluster sets and dynamic variable resistance to add variety and challenge to your training. Remember that the key is to consistently and purposefully work towards your goals, whether it is power, strength, or both.
Inducing Hypertrophy through Resistance Training
Resistance training is increasingly popular for achieving muscle growth and aesthetic goals. The muscle-building stimulus can be achieved by giving the muscle appropriate stimuli. Hormonal and nutritional factors are important, but for the purpose of training, the focus is on the stimuli. Hypertrophy training is less precise than strength training, allowing for various styles that can work. The key is to challenge the muscle enough to signal growth. This can be achieved through one strong set, frequent sets, or a combination. Frequency is flexible, but consistency is important to achieve the total weekly volume necessary for optimal growth.
Exercise Choice and Muscle Activation
When selecting exercises, there are two options: choose by movement patterns or by specific muscle groups. Both approaches can be effective. It is recommended to incorporate both bilateral and unilateral exercises for balanced development. The choice of implements (dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell, etc.) is less important than focusing on muscle activation. Machines can be useful for isolating and targeting specific muscle groups. Proper technique and form are crucial; individual mechanics and built can influence muscle activation.
Volume, Repetition Ranges, and Rest Intervals
To induce muscle hypertrophy, a minimum of 10-20 working sets per week per muscle group is recommended. Repetition ranges can vary between 4 and 30, with the goal of getting close to failure or within a few reps of failure. Rest intervals can range from 30 seconds to 5 minutes, depending on the desired effect and the intensity of the exercise. Adaptations to the personal circumstances and goals, such as time constraints, can be made while still achieving the desired volume and intensity.
Importance of Higher Intensity Workouts for Muscle Growth
Higher intensity workouts in shorter periods of time have been found to be effective for muscle growth. This approach involves hitting muscle groups less frequently but with higher intensity. Training to failure and incorporating techniques like drop sets can be beneficial in this type of training.
Frequency of Training for Hypertrophy and Strength
The ideal frequency for training a muscle group for hypertrophy is around every 48 hours. However, the exact timeframe for maximum growth is not fixed and can vary depending on factors like volume and recovery. Waiting longer than 48 hours does not provide any significant advantage, but training sooner than that is also not necessary for hypertrophy.
The Relationship Between Training Volume and Hypertrophy
Total training volume, including the number of sets per week, is a key factor in promoting hypertrophy. Aim for about 10 to 20 sets per week per muscle group. This volume can be divided across multiple workouts or done in a single session, depending on personal preference and recovery ability. Progression can be achieved by increasing intensity, adding more sets, or changing the speed of movement.
In this episode 2 of a 6-part special series, Andy Galpin, PhD, professor of kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton and world expert on exercise science, explains optimal protocols for increasing strength and causing hypertrophy (muscle growth), as well as for increasing speed and power. He explains the training principles and underlying mechanisms for reaching these goals. Our conversation covers a breadth of training topics, including selecting the number of repetitions, sets, inter-set and inter-workout rest periods, warm-ups, exercise cadence, breathing, stretching, recovery, training frequency, overcoming plateaus, nutrition, and he gives specific examples of exercises for power, strength, and hypertrophy.
For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
(00:00:00) Benefits of Strength & Hypertrophy Training, Aging
(00:10:52) Strength & Hypertrophy Training, Aesthetics
(00:14:02) Sponsors: Eight Sleep, Levels
(00:17:48) Strength vs. Hypertrophy Training: Adaptations
(00:22:42) Ligaments, Tendons & Resistance Training
(00:28:05) Bone Strength & Resistance Training, Age, Women
(00:32:38) Strength Training & Major Adaptations
(00:41:32) Sponsor: AG1
(00:42:25) Hypertrophy Training & Major Adaptations; Protein Synthesis
(00:45:56) Endurance vs. Strength Training & Cell Signaling, Protein Synthesis
(00:52:26) Muscle Hypertrophy, Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy
(00:56:37) Muscle Physiology & Plasticity, Muscle “Memory”
(01:04:00) Non-Negotiables & Modifiable Variables of Exercise Training
(01:11:51) Sponsor: InsideTracker
(01:12:53) Tool: Speed & Power Training, “3 to 5” Approach, Periodization, Planning
(01:22:02) Warming Up & Training, Dynamic Movements
(01:30:55) Strength vs. Hypertrophy Repetition Cadence, Triphasic Training
(01:44:03) Tool: Breathing & Training, Valsalva Technique
(01:53:22) Tool: Training Auto-Regulation, Specificity vs. Variation, Prilepin's Chart
(02:02:35) Training to Failure, Exercise Selection & Recovery, Standardization
(02:13:45) Tool: Power vs. Strength Training & Modifiable Variables; Supersets
(02:24:22) Sets & Rest Periods; Stretching
(02:28:48) Tools: Power Training & Modifiable Variables; Examples
(02:30:16) Tools: Strength Training & Modifiable Variables, Cluster Sets, Dynamic Variable Sets
(02:40:44) Power & Strength Training Protocols
(02:43:37) Intention, Focus & Exercise
(02:47:29) Hypertrophy Training Program, Muscle Growth & Signaling
(02:55:12) Tools: Hypertrophy Training & Modifiable Variables; Examples
(03:03:02) Balanced Muscle Development & Hypertrophy
(03:09:04) Tools: Hypertrophy Training & Modifiable Variables; Splits
(03:23:08) “Non-Responders” & Exercise Plateaus, Volume
(03:27:06) Hypertrophy, Repetition & Rest Ranges, Muscle Failure, “Chaos Management”
(03:37:39) Frequency & Workout Duration, Splits
(03:44:52) Training Frequency, Infrequent Training, Intermediate Repetition Ranges
(03:55:22) Hypertrophy, Muscle Damage & Recovery
(04:01:15) Combining Cardiovascular & Hypertrophy Training, Interference Effect
(04:06:22) Hypertrophy Training Protocols
(04:12:06) Tool: Neck & Rear Deltoid Exercises, Stabilization & Hypertrophy
(04:14:42) Hypertrophy: Reps, Sets & Progression, “Hidden” Stressors, Exercises to Avoid
(04:21:09) Deliberate Cold Exposure & Hypertrophy vs. Strength
(04:26:41) Nutrition, Timing & Strength/Hypertrophy; Creatine
(04:38:04) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Neural Network Newsletter
Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac
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