You are reading a single comment by @DFP and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@DFP
Hypertrophy does not CREATE extra contractile fibres, the term hypertrophy describes an increase in muscle size, one mechanism which this is attributed to is the increase in density of contractile proteins. Commonly referred to as myofibrillar hypertrophy. There are other mechanisms which do not increase density of contractile proteins.
Most people will get a significant increase in contractile proteins from simply putting on more weight. Not even changing activity level. More weight = more muscle. Anyone relatively sedentary will get large amounts of myofibrillar hypertrophy from just starting something moderately strenuous like cycling, hiking, playing foot ball, swimming etc.
Muscle cells will also get larger by increase of cell fluid containing organelles like mitochondria to provide energy for the cell. This is commonly referred to as "sarcoplasmic hypertrophy".