10 Muscle Hypertrophy Secrets of Successful Bodybuilders

In the world of bodybuilding, hypertrophy is the golden word. But beyond the familiar advice such as "lift weights" and "eat more protein" are secrets that successful bodybuilders employ to truly maximize muscle growth. These well-kept secrets include nuanced strategies for training, diet, and recovery that may surprise you.

1. Prioritizing Muscle-Mind Connection

A study by Schoenfeld and Contreras underscores the importance of the muscle-mind connection. They argue that focusing your attention on contracting the muscle you're exercising leads to increased muscle activity and greater hypertrophic results.[1]

The muscle-mind connection, also known as the neuromuscular connection, refers to the conscious focus and engagement of targeted muscles during exercise. By prioritizing the muscle-mind connection, individuals can enhance muscle activation, optimize performance, and promote better overall muscle growth.

Benefits of Muscle-Mind Connection

Improved Movement Quality: Focusing on the muscle-mind connection helps to ensure proper technique during exercises, potentially reducing the risk of injury and promoting better movement quality.

Greater Muscle Activation: A strong muscle-mind connection can enhance muscle fiber recruitment and lead to greater muscle activation during your workouts. This, in turn, may translate into better muscle gains over time.

Reduced Momentum and Cheating: By emphasizing the muscle-mind connection, individuals can more effectively isolate the targeted muscles and minimize momentum or cheating in their movements, maximizing the benefits of each repetition.

How to Enhance Muscle-Mind Connection

Slow Down Your Repetitions: Performing exercises with a slower tempo allows you to focus more intently on each movement, ultimately improving the connection between your mind and the target muscle.

Proper Warm-Up: A proper warm-up that includes dynamic stretching and activation exercises can help prime your body and mind, improving concentration and neuromuscular connectivity during workouts.

Low-intensity High-repetition Sets: Practice sets with a lower weight load and a higher number of repetitions, focusing on the sensation of engaging the targeted muscle throughout the entire range of motion. This helps to establish and reinforce the neuromuscular connection.

Visualization: Mentally visualizing the muscle contraction and relaxation can promote better muscle awareness and engagement. Close your eyes and imagine the intended muscle(s) working as you perform the exercise.

Tactile Feedback: Placing a hand on the target muscle during exercise can provide tactile feedback, helping you to better "feel" and engage the muscle being worked.

Mindful Breathing: Focusing on proper breathing techniques during exercise can help improve concentration and reinforce the muscle-mind connection. In general, exhale during the concentric phase (muscle shortening) and inhale during the eccentric phase (muscle lengthening).

Progressive Training for Complex Movements: Break down complex exercises into smaller progressions or modifications. This allows you to build the necessary muscle-mind connection for each component of the movement, eventually leading to smoother and more efficient execution of the complete exercise.

Keep in mind that muscle-mind connection is developed over time and with consistent practice. By incorporating the above strategies into your workout routine, you can gradually optimize muscle activation, achieve better results, and reduce the risk of injury.

2. Incorporation of Eccentric Training

Roig and colleagues conducted a systematic review of studies comparing eccentric and concentric resistance training. They found that while both types increase muscle strength, eccentric training results in greater muscle hypertrophy.[2]

Eccentric training, or "negative training," is a type of strength training that primarily focuses on the eccentric phase of a lift where the muscles lengthen versus the concentric phase where the muscles shorten. For example, when performing a bicep curl, the eccentric phase occurs when you lower the weight back down and your bicep muscle lengthens.

Why Include Eccentric Training?

Increased Strength and Muscle Mass: Eccentric training often allows for more weight to be used than traditional (concentric) strength training. This increased stress on the muscle can lead to greater gains in strength and muscle mass.

Improved Muscle Control: Eccentric exercises can improve muscle coordination and enhance motion control, reducing the risk of injury, especially in high-risk tasks and sports that involve landing or deceleration.

Muscle Damage and Recovery: Although eccentric training can initially lead to greater muscle damage (and hence, muscle soreness), over time, it aids in building up a protective effect making muscles more resistant to damage.

How to Incorporate Eccentric Training

You can incorporate eccentric training into your routine in several ways:

Controlled Lowering: Irrespective of the exercise, focus on the eccentric portion (lowering of the weight) by slowing it down. A usual guideline is to take 3-5 seconds on the lowering phase.

Higher Load Eccentrics: As the body can handle up to 1.75 times more weight eccentrically than concentrically, using a weight that's ~110% of your max weight on the eccentric phase can be used to further challenge the muscles.

Eccentric Only Exercises: Some exercises emphasize the eccentric phase more, like Nordic hamstring curls, or lowering yourself into a push-up position then resetting before the push-up.

Eccentric Quasi-Isometrics (EQI): This approach has you holding a position (like the bottom of a squat) until fatigue forces you to lower deeper into the movement. You continue to hold as long as you can resist the downward pull.

Considerations

While eccentric training can certainly be beneficial, keep in mind the following aspects:

Increased Soreness: Because of the higher muscular microtrauma, eccentric training often results in increased muscle soreness (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, DOMS), especially when newly introduced. It's hence advisable to progressively introduce eccentric training into your workout routine.

Recovery: Adequate recovery time and proper nutrition are critical when incorporating eccentric training as the stress on the muscle tissues is significantly larger.

Professional Guidance: Always consult a fitness professional when implementing new types of training or significantly increasing your lifting load to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Remember, a balanced training routine involving all elements, including concentric, eccentric, and isometric contraction training, will be most beneficial and limit potential injury.

3. Strategic De-Loading

Halson advocates for strategic de-loading, where periods of reduced volume or intensity are incorporated into the training plan. This can prevent overtraining and promote complete recovery, leading to better overall gains.[3]

Strategic de-loading is a period of planned reduction in training volume or intensity, usually lasting about 1-2 weeks, to give your body a chance to recover from the accumulated fatigue and stress of rigorous workout programs. By scheduling deliberate periods of lower training intensity, de-loading helps to decrease the risk of injuries, overtraining, and burnout while promoting optimal muscle growth and performance in the long run.

Key Principles of De-Loading

Reduce training volume and/or intensity: De-loading can either involve reducing the number of sets, repetitions, or weights lifted—or a combination of these factors. For example, you could reduce your weights by 40-50% of your typical load or reduce sets/reps to about half of your regular volume.

Maintain technique and movement patterns: During a de-loading phase, focus on proper exercise techniques and maintain the same movement patterns. This helps in reinforcing neuromuscular connections without putting excessive strain on your body.

Duration: A typical de-loading period lasts between 1-2 weeks, depending on individual needs, workout history, and goals.

Why De-Loading is important for muscle growth

Promotes recovery: Intense training places stress on your muscles and the central nervous system. Strategic de-loading helps the body recover from this accumulated stress and fatigue, allowing for more effective adaptations and gains.

Reduces risk of injuries and overtraining: De-loading helps minimize the chances of overuse injuries and overtraining symptoms such as extended muscle soreness, lethargy, reduced strength, plateaus in performance, and sleep disturbances.

Mental recovery: An often overlooked aspect of de-loading is the mental recovery it provides. Taking a break from the high-intensity mindset can help alleviate anxiety or burnout related to training and keeps you motivated and focused in the long term.

How to implement a De-Loading phase

Frequency: De-loading can be scheduled every 4-6 weeks for highly competitive athletes or every 8-12 weeks for recreational gym-goers, depending on training experience and intensity.

Periodization: Integrating de-loading phases into your workout plan through periodization helps structure and balance your training program. Structured training cycles with a built-in de-loading phase optimize strength, performance, and muscle growth.

Active recovery: During de-loading, stay active, and avoid complete rest. Engage in lower-intensity activities, like walking, yoga, or swimming, to promote blood flow and muscle recovery.

Individualization: De-loading should be tailored to your personal needs, goals, and training background. If you feel excessively fatigued, consider implementing a shorter de-loading period (e.g., a "mini" three-day de-load) or increasing the frequency of de-loading phases in your training program.

Regardless of your training goals, incorporating strategic de-loading phases into your workout program is essential for optimizing muscle growth, performance, and overall well-being.

4. Intermittent Fasting

A study by Moro, et al., showed that an eight-week time-restricted feeding program led to decreases in fat mass among resistance-trained males, which can enhance muscle definition.[4]

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a pattern of eating that alternates between periods of eating (feeding window) and fasting (fasting window). Rather than focusing on what foods to eat, IF emphasizes when to eat.

There are several methods of intermittent fasting, some of which include:

16/8 method: This method involves fasting for 16 hours a day, leaving an 8-hour eating window. For instance, one might eat only between noon and 8 p.m. and fast overnight until noon the next day.

Eat-Stop-Eat or 24-hour fast: This method involves a 24-hour fast once or twice a week.

The 5:2 diet: This method involves consuming only 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, but eating normally for the other five days.

Potential Benefits for Muscle Hypertrophy

Recent research has started to show the potential benefits of IF for muscle hypertrophy and overall fitness.

Greater fat loss: IF may increase fat loss while retaining muscle. When in a fasted state, the body's insulin levels drop, and it starts to use stored body fat as fuel.

Retention of lean muscle mass: If coupled with resistance training, IF might help with the preservation of lean muscle mass.

Metabolic health: IF is also regarded for its potential effects on metabolic health, which could indirectly support muscle-building. It may improve insulin resistance, inflammation markers, cholesterol levels, and brain health.

Tips for Implementing Intermittent Fasting

Ease into it: It's important to start small with fasting windows that feel manageable and progressively extend them as your body gets accustomed. Suddenly jumping into an extended fast can be uncomfortable and challenging.

Stay hydrated: During non-eating hours, water, black coffee, and zero-calorie beverages are generally acceptable and can help stave off hunger.

Nutrient intake during eating windows: Make sure to get enough protein and other nutrients during your eating windows. The quality of your diet shouldn't decline.

Train appropriately: Keep up with your regular strength training to stimulate muscle growth and recovery.

Listen to your body: Adjust your fasting times based on your lifestyle, workout schedule, and how you feel. If you don't feel right when fasting, experience excessive hunger, fatigue, or other negative effects, reconsider whether IF is right for you.

5. Consuming Protein Before Bed

Protein intake before bed can be a potential strategy to enhance muscle mass and strength. This stems from the understanding that protein intake promotes muscle protein synthesis (the process of building new muscle) and may also aid in the repair and recovery processes during sleep.

The Science

When you consume protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids. These amino acids are used for several bodily functions, one of them being muscle repair and growth. Consuming protein before sleep, therefore, provides your body with the necessary amino acids it needs to repair and build muscle overnight.

Moreover, during sleep, your body is in a rested state where it can dedicate its resources to recovery. The combination of protein availability and the body's natural state of repair during sleep might aid in promoting muscle hypertrophy.

A study by Res, et al.,found that consuming 40g of protein approximately 30 minutes before sleep led to a 22% increase in muscle protein synthesis rates overnight.[5] These researchers concluded that pre-sleep protein intake represents an effective dietary strategy to increase muscle protein synthesis, thereby improving the adaptive response to each exercise session.

Practical Tips

Type of Protein: A slow-digesting protein, such as casein, can be an ideal choice before bed. Casein releases amino acids slowly, ensuring a steady supply of nutrients to your muscles during sleep.

Recommended Serving: Around 20-40g of protein before bed seems to be an effective dose, but individual needs may vary.

6. Blood Flow Restriction Training

Scott et al., found that exercising with blood flow restriction can result in enhanced muscular development. Please consult a professional before attempting this technique.[6]

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is a technique that involves partially restricting blood flow to the working muscles during exercise, using specialized cuffs or bands (similar to a blood pressure cuff, but specifically designed for this purpose). This restriction creates a low-oxygen environment in the muscles, forcing the body to use different metabolic pathways and muscle fibers, which may lead to enhanced muscular growth.

How Blood Flow Restriction Training Works

The key principle behind BFR is to safely restrict venous blood flow (the blood returning from the muscles to the heart) while still allowing arterial blood flow (the blood flowing from the heart to the muscles).

When applying BFR, it is important not to completely restrict blood flow to the working muscles, which could be dangerous. Instead, the idea is to create a balance where there's just enough restriction to cause an altered physiological response.

Due to the decreased oxygen availability in the restricted muscles, fast-twitch muscle fibers are utilized earlier than normal during exercise. These fibers have greater growth potential as compared to slow-twitch fibers, meaning BFR training may enhance muscle hypertrophy when incorporated with other training techniques.

Additionally, BFR training also increases the production of various metabolic byproducts and growth factors, which has the potential to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth.

Implementing BFR Training

To utilize BFR, follow these steps:

Choose the correct equipment: Use safe, purpose-made BFR equipment, such as inflatable cuffs or bands, to maintain control over the pressure applied. Avoid using random household items, like straps or bands not specifically designed for BFR.

Choose the exercise: BFR is typically more effective for small muscle groups, such as the arms and legs, and for low-intensity resistance exercises. For example, biceps curls, triceps pushdowns, leg extensions, and leg curls are excellent options for BFR.

Apply the BFR equipment: Place the cuffs or bands at the proximal part (closer to the torso) of the targeted limbs. Tighten the cuffs based on the specific manufacturer's instructions. Avoid excessive tightening, which could fully occlude blood flow and may result in nerve injury. BFR should feel challenging, but not painful.

Perform low-intensity exercises: Choose lighter weights (around 20-30% of your normal weight) and perform 3-4 sets with high repetitions (around 15 to 30) with shorter rest periods (30-45 seconds) between sets. This might vary based on individual preference and expertise.

Precautions and Guidelines

Consult a professional before attempting BFR, especially if you have cardiovascular issues or other conditions that may impact blood flow.

Practice BFR under the guidance of a qualified trainer or with medical supervision, as incorrect application or excessively constricting blood flow can cause injury.
Listen to your body. If the technique causes too much discomfort or pain, consult a specialist and reconsider whether BFR is right for you.

While BFR training can enhance muscle growth when used safely and correctly, it is vital to incorporate it wisely, alongside other well-established training techniques and proper nutrition for overall muscle hypertrophy.

7. Pre-Exhaustion Supersets

Wakahara, et al., found that pre-exhaustion – tiring the muscle with an isolation exercise before a compound exercise – can lead to greater hypertrophy because of increased muscle activation during the second exercise.[7]

The technique works by first tiring out a specific muscle group with an isolation exercise, followed by a compound exercise that employs the same muscle group.

The logic behind this strategy is that by "pre-exhausting" the target muscle group, it will have to work harder during the subsequent compound exercise, thereby stimulating greater muscle activation and growth.

Implementation of Pre-Exhaustion Supersets

Here's an example to illustrate how this might work for the chest muscles:

Isolation Exercise: Start with a set of exercises that work your chest muscles in isolation, like the fly machine or dumbbell flies. When performed correctly, this exercise focuses on your chest muscles and minimizes the work done by the assistance muscles (such as triceps)

Compound Exercise: Immediately after the set of flyes, without rest, perform a set of a compound exercise like the bench press. In this exercise, your chest, shoulders, and triceps work together.

Since your chest is already fatigued from the initial set of flyes, it forces the muscle to work harder during the bench press even when the assisting muscle groups (triceps and shoulder) come into play. The pre-exhausted chest muscles thus receive an increased level of stimulus, which can potentially lead to greater muscle hypertrophy over time.

It’s important to note that pre-exhaustion supersets can be quite intense, so it is crucial not to pick weights that compromise your form or safety. Always start light and increase gradually as you master the technique.

Remember, the main aim of a pre-exhaustion superset is to tire out the target muscle before doing compound moves. So, this technique can be applied to any muscle group. For example, leg extensions (isolation) followed by squats (compound) for the quads.

8. Manipulating Rep Speed

A study by Pareja-Blanco, et al. showed that manipulating rep speed can stimulate different types of muscle fibers, leading to balanced muscle development and avoidance of training plateaus.[8]

Manipulating rep speed, also known as tempo, involves adjusting the speed at which you perform the concentric, eccentric, and isometric aspects of each repetition. By varying the tempo of your exercises, you can target different muscle fibers, optimize muscular growth, and prevent plateaus in your training.

Benefits of Manipulating Rep Speed

Increased Muscle Tension: Slower rep cadence, particularly during the eccentric phase, can increase the overall time under tension (TUT) for your muscles, leading to enhanced muscular hypertrophy.

Improved Muscle Control and Stability: Changing rep speed can help improve muscle control and core stability by forcing you to maintain proper form and balance throughout each repetition.

Targeting Different Muscle Fibers: Faster rep speeds can shift the focus towards fast-twitch muscle fibers, while slower rep speeds may emphasize slow-twitch muscle fibers. Incorporating various rep speeds can help target a broader range of muscle fiber types for balanced development.

Plateau Prevention: Changing rep speed can present a new stimulus to your muscles and force them to adapt, helping to prevent plateaus and promote consistent muscle growth.

How to Manipulate Rep Speed

Speed Up The Concentric Phase: The concentric phase is when the muscle shortens (e.g., lifting the weight in a bicep curl). By speeding up the concentric phase to 1-2 seconds instead of the traditional 2-3 seconds, you increase power output and engage more fast-twitch muscle fibers.

Slow Down The Eccentric Phase: The eccentric phase is when the muscle lengthens (e.g., lowering the weight in a bicep curl). By emphasizing eccentric contractions with a 3-5 second tempo, you can increase muscle tension and promote greater muscle hypertrophy.

Pause at Peak Contraction (Isometric Phase): Incorporating a brief pause (e.g., 1-2 seconds) at the point of peak muscle contraction can intensify exercises and increase muscle fiber recruitment, leading to greater strength and muscle gain.

Periodization: Develop a periodized training plan that includes phases of different rep speed strategies, e.g., a slow-tempo phase followed by a power-focused phase with faster rep speeds.

Considerations

When manipulating rep speed, it's essential to consider the following:

Proper Form: Maintain proper form and technique during each repetition, regardless of tempo, as this will minimize the risk of injury and ensure the targeted muscles are being effectively worked.

Recovery and Fatigue: Adjust training volume and intensity depending on the rep speed to avoid overtraining and promote adequate recovery.

Individual Goals: Tailor rep speed manipulation based on personal goals (strength, hypertrophy, or power) and the exercise being performed.

Progressive Overload: Remember that progressive overload is still crucial for muscle growth and development. Increase weight, volume, or intensity over time while maintaining a focus on rep speed manipulation.

Incorporating a variety of rep speeds into your training routine can help optimize muscle growth, improve muscular endurance, and enhance overall performance.

9. Balancing Omegas

Smith, et al., found that increasing Omega-3 fatty acids in the diet while reducing Omega-6 can enhance muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophic gains.[9]

The study specifically focused on the role of omega-3 fatty acids in the muscle-building process, with a heightened emphasis on muscle protein synthesis, which is when the body produces new proteins to repair and build muscle tissue.

In this study, participants who supplemented their diet with omega-3 fatty acids showed a notable increase in muscle protein synthesis compared to those who didn't. This suggests that omega-3s might accelerate the muscle-building process, making them a potentially useful addition to a bodybuilder's diet.

The researchers also discovered that omega-3s seem to improve how well the body uses available protein. This means that omega-3s could potentially make your protein intake more efficient, which is a crucial factor for muscle growth.

However, the study does emphasize the importance of striking a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to optimize these benefits. It should be noted that optimally structuring your diet is just one aspect of muscle growth, and factors like training intensity, consistency, and recovery also play significant roles.

In short, adding more omega-3-rich foods (like fatty fish, chia seeds, and walnuts) or considering a quality omega-3 supplement can potentially boost your body's ability to build muscle. It's always best to discuss any significant changes to your diet or supplement routine with your healthcare provider.

10. Periodized Nutrition Strategy

According to Ferguson-Stegall, et al., periodized nutrition - or adjusting diet in line with training phases - results in better endurance performance in athletes, and by extension, better fueling for hypertrophy.[10]

Periodized nutrition, in the simplest terms, is aligning your daily nutrition to your training phases throughout the day or year. It is about being strategic with what you eat and when you eat, depending on your training schedule and goals. This way, you can ensure that your body gets the right nutrients at the right time, thus optimizing training adaptations, recovery, and overall performance.

For a typical resistance-trained individual aiming for muscle hypertrophy, a periodized nutrition plan could look something like this:

Training days: Increase carbohydrate intake to fuel your workouts. The body relies on carbs to provide energy during high-intensity training. These should be complex carbs like whole grains or legumes for sustained energy.

Rest days: Reduce carbohydrate intake (since less bodily energy is needed) and increase healthy fats for recovery (like avocados, nuts, and fish). Fats contribute to the synthesis of hormones like testosterone which play a key role in muscle growth and recovery.

Pre-workout: Have a meal consisting of a good source of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. This prepares your body with the energy and the amino acids required for the impending workout and muscle repair. For example, you could have a grilled chicken breast (protein) and a sweet potato (complex carbs).

Post-workout: Consume protein (to assist in muscle repair and growth) and simple carbohydrates (to quickly refill energy stores and enhance nutrient uptake). A protein shake and a banana can be a quick post-workout snack.

Before bed: As per a study by Res, et al., consuming protein before bedtime can accelerate muscle recovery during sleep.

Remember, no "one size fits all." The specific requirements will depend on your personal goals, body type, and overall health status. Always consult a registered nutritionist or dietitian for personalized advice.

Tailoring these strategies to fit individual body types and goals can significantly boost your muscle-building efforts.

References Cited

1. Schoenfeld, B., & Contreras, B. (2016). The Muscle Pump: Potential Mechanisms and Applications for Enhancing Hypertrophic Adaptations. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 38(3), 91–99.

2. Roig, M., O'Brien, K., Kirk, G., Murray, R., McKinnon, P., Shadgan, B., & Reid, W. D. (2009). The effects of eccentric versus concentric resistance training on muscle strength and mass in healthy adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(8), 556–568.

3. Halson, S. L. (2014). Monitoring Training Load to Understand Fatigue in Athletes. Sports Medicine, 44(2), 139–147.

4. Moro, T., Tinsley, G., Bianco, A., Marcolin, G., Pacelli, Q. F., Battaglia, G., ... & Paoli, A. (2016). Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding (16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males. Journal of Translational Medicine, 14(1).

5. Res, P. T., Groen, B., Pennings, B., Beelen, M., Wallis, G. A., Gijsen, A. P., ... & van Loon, L. J. (2012). Protein ingestion before sleep improves postexercise overnight recovery. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44(8), 1560–1569.

6. Scott, B. R., Loenneke, J. P., Slattery, K. M., & Dascombe, B. J. (2016). Exercise with blood flow restriction: an updated evidence-based approach for enhanced muscular development. Sports Medicine, 45(3), 313-325.

7. Wakahara, T., Miyamoto, N., Sugisaki, N., Murata, K., Kanehisa, H., Kawakami, Y., ... & Yanai, T. (2012). Association between regional differences in muscle activation in one session of resistance exercise and in muscle hypertrophy after resistance training. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 112(4), 1569–1576.

8. Pareja-Blanco, F., Rodriguez-Rosell, D., Sanchez-Medina, L., Sanchis-Moysi, J., Dorado, C., Mora-Custodio, R., ... & González-Badillo, J. J. (2017). Effects of velocity loss during resistance training on athletic performance, strength gains and muscle adaptations. Scandanavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 27(7), 724-735.

9. Smith, G. I., Atherton, P., Reeds, D. N., Mohammed, B. S., Rankin, D., Rennie, M. J., & Mittendorfer, B. (2011). Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 93(2), 402-412.

10. Ferguson-Stegall, L., McCleave, E. L., Ding, Z., Doerner, P. G., Liu, Y., & Ivy, J. L. (2011). The effect of a low carbohydrate beverage with added protein on cycling endurance performance in trained athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(10), 2874-2882.