It sounded very funny when I heard people saying, it is impossible to build muscle through exercise, even if I am not one to get engaged in an argument, I just had to do this one, because this is something that has drastically worked for me.
It has been confirmed over and over that, people are able to build up their muscle mass by carrying out the right exercise and through the consumption of certain meals. My write-up today is to prove that muscle mass can be developed through exercise.
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What actually causes muscle size to increase is when there is consistent challenge to the muscle to challenge higher levels of weight or resistance, this process is what is referred to as; MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY.
This said muscle hypertrophy happens when the fiber muscle sustains injury or damage, the body however is able to repair damaged fibers by getting them fused, which in turn increases the size and the mass of the muscles. Some hormones also play a strong role in the growth and repair of muscle, we have testosterone, insulin, and human growth hormone.
The functions of these hormones are to;
Improve the manner in which the body is able to process protein.
Stimulate anabolic hormones, which are responsible for the promotion of muscle growth and protein synthesis.
It inhibits the breakdown of protein.
Enhances the growth of tissues.
The activation of satellite cells, which are a type of stem cell that plays a significant role in muscle development.
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Muscle grows at different rates for those with different body types, depending on the body types, different approaches are required for muscle building;
Ectomorphic: This term is used to describe a straight or slim frame structure, people with this body type have a lower chance of building muscle mass, but can have their strength increased through resistance training.
Mesomorphic: Those with this type of body are usually muscular, and body mass with this body type is usually more achievable than in people with other body mass types.
Endomorphic: This is a more curvy or rounded body mass, people with this body have the ability to build muscle more effectively through strength training.
You are probably delaying your ability to build muscle mass because you are not been consistent with training or you are doing the wrong type of training. The best result is achieved with muscle building if the exercise is the right one, it is done consistently, over a long time, as well as when it is accompanied by sufficient rest.
Strength Training: It usually takes weeks or months of consistent activity and exercise before muscle change becomes visible. Strength training activities include; free weight lifting, strength training classes, stationary weight machines, and body weight exercises like squats and pushups.
Cardiovascular Activity: Aerobic activities help a person's heart and respiratory system. Regular cardio helps to support the growth and functions of muscle.
Rest and Muscle Growth: Rest is very vital in muscle building. When the muscle group has no time to rest, the chances of repair are limited, and this will result in slow fitness progression and also increase the possible chances of injury.
Getting sufficient sleep is also crucial for muscle growth, as the hormones released by the body during the period of stress are often not helpful for muscle development.
Diet: When it comes to staying balanced and building muscle, staying fit is important, and in order for this to happen, protein intake is very crucial. Sources of protein include; eggs, fish, meat, milk and cheese, seeds, beans, and nuts.
From a recent study, it was confirmed that, in order to obtain a huge amount of energy that is needed during exercise, the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream increases during rest, and glucose could be stored as glycogen in that regard. Skeletal muscle is the main site of storage for glucose in the mammalian body.
In essence, muscle mass can be developed through consistent exercise, it doesn't happen by magic as it definitely is going to take time, but with consistency, consuming the appropriate meals at the right time, and putting into consideration, the need for rest, it will surely happen.
References.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320174
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4048572/
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.1997.83.4.1256