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The contribution of muscle hypertrophy to strength changes following resistance training

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Whilst skeletal muscle hypertrophy is considered an important adaptation to resistance training (RT), it has not previously been found to explain the inter-individual changes in strength after RT. This study investigated the contribution of hypertrophy to individual gains in isometric, isoinertial and explosive strength after 12 weeks of elbow flexor RT.

Methods

Thirty-three previously untrained, healthy men (18–30 years) completed an initial 3-week period of elbow flexor RT (to facilitate neurological responses) followed by 6-week no training, and then 12-week elbow flexor RT. Unilateral elbow flexor muscle strength [isometric maximum voluntary force (iMVF), single repetition maximum (1-RM) and explosive force], muscle volume (V m), muscle fascicle pennation angle (θ p) and normalized agonist, antagonist and stabilizer sEMG were assessed pre and post 12-week RT.

Results

Percentage gains in V m correlated with percentage changes in iMVF (r = 0.527; P = 0.002) and 1-RM (r = 0.482; P = 0.005) but not in explosive force (r ≤ 0.243; P ≥ 0.175). Percentage changes in iMVF, 1-RM, and explosive force did not correlate with percentage changes in agonist, antagonist or stabilizer sEMG (all P > 0.05). Percentage gains in θ p inversely correlated with percentage changes in normalized explosive force at 150 ms after force onset (r = 0.362; P = 0.038).

Conclusions

We have shown for the first time that muscle hypertrophy explains a significant proportion of the inter-individual variability in isometric and isoinertial strength gains following 12-week elbow flexor RT in healthy young men.

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Abbreviations

ACSA:

Anatomical cross-sectional area

AD:

Anterior deltoid

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

BBL:

Biceps brachii long head

BBS:

Biceps brachii short head

BR:

Brachioradialis

BRACH:

Brachialis

EMG:

Electromyography

iMVF:

Isometric maximal voluntary force

MVC:

Maximum voluntary contraction

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

M max :

Evoked supramaximal compound muscle action potential

PM:

Pectoralis major

RMS:

Root mean square

RT:

Resistance training

sEMG:

Surface electromyography

V m :

Muscle volume

1-RM:

Single repetition maximum

θ p :

Muscle fascicle pennation angle

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for the conduct of this study was provided by GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Healthcare UK.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

    Robert M. Erskine, Gareth Fletcher & Jonathan P. Folland

  2. School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street Campus, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK

    Robert M. Erskine

Authors
  1. Robert M. Erskine
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  2. Gareth Fletcher
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  3. Jonathan P. Folland
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert M. Erskine.

Additional information

Communicated by Guido Ferretti.

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Erskine, R.M., Fletcher, G. & Folland, J.P. The contribution of muscle hypertrophy to strength changes following resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1239–1249 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2855-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2855-4

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