Modern Vocabulary: MUSCULAR HYPERTROPHY

Get swole

Saturdays are perfect days for scientific surprises. Surprise—we’re talking about the application and etymology of muscular hypertrophy today!

You don’t need to be Jack LaLanne to know that physical fitness doesn’t just happen, especially if you want to build muscle. Muscle growth depends in part on genetics but even more on hormone levels, diet, and training regimen.

The more testosterone (we won’t get into the root of this word) you have, the easier building muscle will be, because testosterone is an anabolic hormone:

anabolism (noun) - the building of complex molecules from their constituent parts, such as glucose, amino acids and fatty acids; one of the two major parts of metabolism
BREAKDOWN: ANA- (up) + BOL- (throw) + -ISM (state of)

Avoid cortisol though, which is a catabolic hormone.

catabolism (noun) - the breakdown of complex molecules to their constituent parts, such as glucose, amino acids and fatty acids; one of the two major parts of metabolism
BREAKDOWN: CATA- (down) + BOL- (throw) + -ISM (state of)

Now get to work. The key to building muscle is to carefully and diligently work your muscles to the point of failure, whether through weight training or isometrics:

isometrics (noun) - a form of resistance exercise in which muscles are used in opposition with other muscle groups to increase strength
BREAKDOWN:ISO- (same) + METR- (measure) + -ICS (discipline)

If you can commit to an effective workout routine, maintain proper nutrition, and manage fatigue and stress (both deleterious to muscle growth), you can indeed get jacked. Your visible increase in desired mass is the result of applied muscular hypertrophy:

hypertrophy (noun) - increase in the size or volume of an organ or tissue from enlargement of its cells
BREAKDOWN: HYPER- (over) + TROPH- (growth) + -Y (act or state)

“Your mind is the strongest and most valuable muscle you can grow in the gym.” —Greg Plitt