When selecting exercises for maximum muscle hypertrophy, many individuals rely on subjective sensations, such as how well they feel the target muscle during an exercise. However, this approach may significantly reduce muscle gains, as research suggests that relying solely on subjective feelings can cost up to 40% of potential growth.
At least that is what Menno Henselmans advocates. In a video he published recently, he talked about how people learn how to prioritise exercise selection to boost muscle growth and more.
So let’s check out what you might be doing wrong that could cost 40% of your muscle growth in the gym.
This Mistake Can Cost 40% of Your Muscle Growth in the Gym
The Importance of Mechanical Tension
Muscle hypertrophy is primarily driven by mechanical tension, which refers to the force generated by muscles when they contract against resistance. Exercises that maximise mechanical tension are the most effective for promoting muscle growth. However, humans have limited conscious awareness of the mechanical tension in our muscles, primarily due to how our body processes sensory information. The Golgi tendon organs, located within the muscles, can detect mechanical tension accurately, but this information is not directly transmitted to the conscious brain, making it difficult to rely on “feeling” for optimal exercise selection.
Research Insights: Subjective Feelings vs. Objective Activation
Studies demonstrate that subjective feelings of muscle activation often do not align with actual muscle activity or growth. For instance, in a study of hip thrusts vs. squats, participants reported feeling their glutes more during hip thrusts, yet squats produced equivalent gluteal growth. This discrepancy suggests that exercises which may not produce a strong “mind-muscle connection” could still be effective for hypertrophy.
Another study co-authored by Plotkin et al. found that while bodybuilders could identify muscle activation subjectively, their sensations did not always correlate with objective measurements of muscle activity. Similarly, research shows that training with a full range of motion, rather than focusing on the pump or mid-range partials, leads to greater muscle growth, even though the pump can create a stronger immediate sensation.
Read Also: Best Strategy to Get Bigger and Leaner Over Time
Understanding What You Feel
When performing exercises, what you often feel is the muscle stretching or achieving a pump, rather than the mechanical tension that drives hypertrophy. Although the pump is satisfying and encourages a sense of muscle engagement, it does not directly indicate muscle growth. Similarly, shorter rest intervals may increase metabolic stress and enhance the pump, but longer rest intervals have been shown to result in greater overall muscle volume due to higher mechanical tension.
Practical Application: Exercise Selection for Hypertrophy
- Prioritise Science Over Sensations: Base exercise selection on biomechanics and scientific research rather than how well you feel a muscle. Exercises that create maximum mechanical tension across a muscle’s full range of motion are more effective, even if they don’t feel like they’re working as intensely.
- Focus on Compound Movements: Compound exercises, like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, target multiple muscle groups and generate significant mechanical tension. Although you might not always “feel” individual muscles like the glutes or hamstrings during squats, research consistently supports their hypertrophic benefits.
- Consider Full Range of Motion: Full-range movements like overhead triceps extensions are shown to stimulate more growth than partial movements. These exercises effectively target lengthened portions of muscle, which are vital for hypertrophy.
- Use Objective Feedback: Instead of relying on subjective sensations, use tools like progressive overload, consistent volume increases, and periodised training programmes to ensure continuous muscle growth. This approach allows for measurable progression over time.
Conclusion Maximising hypertrophy is not about how well you feel a muscle during an exercise but about ensuring the exercise creates sufficient mechanical tension and progressively challenges the muscle. While subjective feelings can offer some insight, the evidence suggests that relying too heavily on them can hinder muscle growth. Instead, trust in science-backed exercises and training principles to stimulate growth, even when sensations don’t always align with reality.
Also from BOXROX: When to Switch Exercises for Maximum Muscle Growth
