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Hypertrophy refers to the increase in the size of muscle fibers, typically achieved through resistance training. Three factors contribute to muscle hypertrophy: mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress. Mechanical pressure occurs when a muscle is subjected to a load more significant than it is accustomed to. This can be achieved through heavy weights and low reps, as well as through techniques like slow negatives and forced reps. 

Muscle damage occurs when the fibers of a muscle are damaged during exercise, leading to inflammation and repair. This can be achieved through high reps, as well as through techniques like drop sets and supersets. Finally, metabolic stress occurs when blood flow is restricted to a muscle, leading to a buildup of metabolic byproducts like lactic acid. This can be achieved through blood flow restriction training and high rep training with short rest periods.

On the other hand, strength training focuses on increasing a muscle's ability to produce force. This can be achieved through heavy weights and low reps, as well as through techniques like plyometrics and explosive training. While strength training can lead to some muscle hypertrophy, it is generally less effective at promoting muscle growth than hypertrophy-specific training.


So, in general, hypertrophy training is better for increasing muscle size and growth, while strength training is better for increasing muscle strength. However, both types of training can be incorporated into a well-rounded exercise program to achieve both size and strength gains.


Hypertrophy-specific training (HST) is a method of resistance training specifically designed to promote muscle growth or hypertrophy. It involves training with specific rep ranges, rest periods, and volume and focuses on increasing muscle size and strength over time. HST typically involves training with higher reps (8-12) and shorter rest periods (30-60 seconds) to create an optimal muscle-building environment.


Some fundamental principles of HST include:


  1. Progressive overload means gradually increasing the weight, reps, or volume of your workouts over time to continue challenging your muscles and encouraging growth.
  2. Variation: Varying your workouts by changing exercises, rep ranges, and other variables can help prevent plateaus and keep your muscles guessing.
  3. Specificity: Focusing on specific muscle groups or areas of your body that you want to target can help maximize muscle growth in those areas.
  4. Recovery: Adequate rest and recovery time is crucial for muscle growth, as it allows your muscles time to repair and rebuild after being broken down during workouts.


Overall, HST is a structured and targeted resistance training approach to promote muscle growth and strength. It can be effective for beginners and advanced lifters and can be tailored to individual goals and needs.