What is muscle hypertrophy?

Muscle hypertrophy refers specifically to the increase in muscle size resulting from resistance training. When muscles are subjected to systematic overload, such as through lifting weights or resistance exercises, the muscle fibers sustain small tears, which the body repairs and adapts to by increasing the size and strength of the muscle fibers. This adaptive response is crucial for athletes and individuals looking to enhance their physical performance or appearance.

In contrast, other options focus on different physiological processes: one describes muscle atrophy, the reduction in size due to inactivity; another relates to muscle endurance associated with aerobic exercise instead of muscle size; and the last refers to stretching techniques that generally do not contribute to muscle hypertrophy. Understanding muscle hypertrophy is essential for developing effective training regimes aimed at enhancing muscle growth and strength.