30 Seconds SummaryIs stretch-mediated hypertrophy irrelevant for trained lifters? Research breakdown
- Stretch-mediated hypertrophy (SMH) focuses on muscle growth from training at long muscle lengths, like deep squats and resisted stretches.
- Contrary to some beliefs, SMH doesn't just cause temporary muscle lengthening; it could also contribute to muscle thickening through sarcomere addition in parallel and series.
- Past studies show that emphasizing muscle stretch in training can increase both muscle size and strength, challenging the theory that SMH is only about lengthening.
- Critics argue that increased muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) from SMH could be due to muscle lengthening, though studies on humans show significant increases in muscle thickness too.
- Muscle lengthening is seen as a finite growth driver in trained lifters, but fascicle lengthening has been observed even in advanced athletes.
- Current research supports SMH as beneficial for enhancing muscle size and strength; it remains a relevant practice for trained lifters until proven otherwise.
