In the March, 2016 issue of Applied Metabolics, I discussed the many nuances and variables associated with muscular hypertrophy. Not everyone who lifts weights or engages in any type of resistance exercise wants to compete in amateur or professional bodybuilding, but I would suggest that anyone who does engage in this type of exercise wants to get larger muscles. There are some, however, who merely want to tone their muscles. This would involve attaining a higher level of muscular condition and muscle definition without the addition of a large amount of muscular mass. But the majority of those who lift weights do want to build at least some muscle mass. As I noted in my previous article about muscular hypertrophy, the eventual results of any particular weight-training regime will vary depending on several factors. Among these factors are genetics and dedication to training, along with using the most effective training practices. Regarding genetics, it's often difficult to predict the end results of years of training. In some cases, this is more apparent such as with those who tend to be naturally muscular to begin with. Such individuals are often called "mesomorphs," since they appear to be muscular even without doing any training. But for most people, the eventual results of a long-standing weight-training program are far less obvious. In my experience, for example, I've seen people start out with no hint of any degree of bodybuilding success, yet after a few years of training many went on to win bodybuilding contests. This even applied to the upper echelon of elite bodybuilding champions. With all this talk of "superior genetics" associated with the current elite champion bodybuilders, many would be surprised to see what these athletes looked like when they began training. A good example of this is Larry Scott. Scott, who won the inaugural Mr.Olympia contest in 1965 and then again a year later, was a skinny kid with no apparent signs of any favorable bodybuilding genetics. He had narrow shoulders, no back width, and mediocre leg development. But with continued training, Scott was able to develop his arms and shoulders to a degree that were incomparable in his time. When he posed, he emphasized these strong points while doing all he could to minimize scrutiny of his more obvious weak points. This strategy proved successful in his acquisition of the two Mr.Olympia titles. But the point is that Scott was not deterred by his lack of what's considered superior bodybuilding genetics and continued to train hard.
In my previous article about muscular hypertrophy, I emphasized the "under the hood" factors that resulted in larger muscles. These included both training and dietary principles, such as ways to maximize muscle protein synthesis, the nutritional cornerstone to muscular hypertrophy. In this update, I want to discuss the training factors that have the most scientific evidence behind them for the promotion of added . . .
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