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11 Benefits of Training for Functional Hypertrophy Training

Resistance training is well-established as the single best means of maintaining muscle mass. Muscle hypertrophy training, or doing resistance training that develops your muscles, is something that will benefit anyone who wants to live a long, healthy, and productive life. But ideally, we don't just want muscles that LOOK strong...we want muscles that LOOK strong and ARE strong. This is where Functional hypertrophy comes into play. Functional hypertrophy refers to muscle growth that enhances not only the size of the muscles but also their strength, power, and overall functionality. Unlike traditional hypertrophy, which focuses on increasing muscle size primarily for aesthetics, functional hypertrophy aims to improve the muscles' ability to perform specific physical tasks. Benefits of Functional Hypertrophy Improved Strength and Power: Functional hypertrophy training typically involves compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups. This leads to improved strength and power, which is beneficial for both athletic performance and everyday activities. Enhanced Athletic Performance: By focusing on movements that mimic sports or functional activities, this type of hypertrophy training can improve athletic performance. It helps in developing muscles that are not just bigger but also more capable of generating force, speed, and endurance. Better Joint Stability: Functional hypertrophy often includes exercises that challenge balance and stability, leading to stronger supporting muscles around the joints. This can reduce the risk of injuries, particularly in sports or activities that involve dynamic movements. Increased Metabolic Rate: Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning that having more muscle mass can increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR). Functional hypertrophy can lead to greater muscle mass while improving metabolic health, aiding in weight management. Improved Movement Efficiency: Training for functional hypertrophy usually involves movement patterns that are relevant to real-life activities. This can [...]

By |2024-08-12T14:58:09-04:00August 12th, 2024|Training Info|0 Comments
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“Build” class joins Performance Fitness training schedule

Athletic Lab is excited to bring a new class to our Performance Fitness training schedule. The new class will be named "Build" and focus on functional hypertrophy. The class will be the first addition to our Performance Fitness class offerings in 4 years. Functional hypertrophy refers to muscle growth that enhances not only the size of the muscles but also their strength, power, and overall functionality. Unlike traditional hypertrophy, which focuses on increasing muscle size primarily for aesthetics, functional hypertrophy aims to improve the muscles' ability to perform specific physical tasks. Recent research suggests that lean muscle mass is a pillar of a wide range of health markers and this new class looks to follow best practices to develop lean and functional muscle mass. Effective August 15, 2024, our Thursday Performance Fitness schedule will be as follows: 6 am - Performance Fitness 'Build' 7 am - Performance Fitness 'Endurance' 11 am - Performance Fitness 'Build' 5 pm Performance Fitness 'Build' Performance Fitness 'MoMo' (aka Movement & Mobility) 6 pm- Performance Fitness 'Build' You can find our entire training schedule on our class calendar.

By |2025-02-19T14:47:22-05:00August 9th, 2024|News|0 Comments
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Blood Flow Restriction Training for Muscular Hypertrophy by Juraj Šarić

[This is a guest blog by Juraj Šarić. Juraj is a strength & conditioning coach with a masters degree in Kinesiology from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. He has experience coaching at a variety of levels and is currently working as a conditioning coach for boxing. His background is in swimming, waterpolo and martial arts. At the moment, he is taking part in the Athletic Lab Coaching Mentorship program.] INTRODUCTION In modern day sport, it is critical to implement training strategies wisely. The biggest question for sport performance professionals is: What to develop and which physical qualities to address in a short amount of time you have with your athletes? Given the fact that muscle cross-sectional area greatly correlates to muscular strength, some training plans should be hypertrophy focused [1]. Moreover, bodybuilding is a sport which primarily puts an emphasis on muscular growth. If we were to follow old-school bodybuilding ideology, we would like to introduce more modalities into our training program. As Arnold Schwarzenegger once said: “You have to go and use the SHOCKING PRINCIPLE. You gotta shock the muscle.” Having said that, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting improvements in muscle mass when implementing blood flow restriction training. Therefore, this can be a viable option to use when hypertrophy is the main goal of the training. CAUSING MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY Before going into actual training for inducing positive changes in a cross sectional-area (CSA), we have to consider the physiological background which causes muscular hypertrophy. It is hypothesized that there are three primary mechanisms that trigger muscle growth [1]: Mechanical tension Metabolic stress Muscle damage (microtrauma) Both mechanical tension and metabolic stress act together to facilitate a great number of secondary associated [...]

By |2022-07-27T11:21:56-04:00July 27th, 2022|Training Info|0 Comments
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The Efficacy of Drop Sets in Facilitating Muscle Adaptations by Chinwendu Achonu

[Chinwendu Achonu is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is majoring in Exercise and Sport Science with a concentration as a Fitness professional, and minoring in Food Studies. She is taking part in the Athletic Lab Coaching Mentorship program.] Drop sets, a polyonymous resistance training technique also known by the names strip sets, burnouts, running the rack, and even the more antiquated multi-poundage system, first arrived on the fitness scene in 1947—introduced in an edition of Body Culture magazine by then editor Henry Atkins (Bryant, 2019). Following their introduction, drop sets were most markedly popularized in the 1980s by former bodybuilders Joe Weider and Arnold Schwarzenegger in their respective bodybuilding guides: Bodybuilding, the Weider Approach and Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (Bryant, 2019). Drop setting was a novel approach to hypertrophy training at the time. It rivals the benefits of supersets in time efficiency and holds its own against rest-pause sets in extending time under tension and muscle fatigue. Introduction to Drop Sets So, what exactly is a drop set? The bare bones of a drop set includes four components: 1) completing at least two total weighted sets of an exercise, 2) repping to failure within sets (with failure being defined as an inability to complete the full range of motion of an exercise), 3) a successive decrease in load or weight from one set to the next, and 4) no rest in between sets—save for the time it takes to change the load of course (Costa et al. 2021). There can be some variation within the defined components of a drop set. For instance, lowering load from set to set does not have to be restricted to lowering weight. [...]

By |2022-02-14T18:10:49-05:00February 15th, 2022|Training Info|0 Comments
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Optimizing Hypertrophy Training by Robert Duncan

[Robert Duncan achieved his bachelor of science in exercise science from Appalachian State University and masters in Kinesiology and Sports Studies from East Tennessee State University. He has participated in multiple internships with high schools, at the collegiate level, as well as in the private sector. Robert is currently a part of Athletic Lab's coaching mentorship program] Why exactly do people go to the gym and resistance train? Whether it is to improve performance in sport, change body composition, or to get tone you may not be training with the right intensity to optimally stimulate a hypertrophic response. Muscle hypertrophy is the technical term for muscle growth, and it refers to the increase in the size of your muscle cells. The most efficient way to produce a hypertrophic response is high-intensity resistance training, equal to or greater than 80% 1RM and eccentric contractions at 100 - 120% 1RM. It is at these intensities that integrated electromyographic activity has been shown to increase. This elevated neural activation contributes to an increased muscle tonus, an electrophysiological phenomenon, and to strength gains early on in the training period, with muscle hypertrophy contributing to further strength increases later in training. With the increase in the cross-sectional area of a muscle being directly correlated to the increase in maximum force production potential of the muscle. Muscle tonus refers to an increased ionic flow across the cell membrane and gives the muscle a firm appearance. Thus, if toned muscle are the goal, strength is the best method for achieving this appearance. To begin, previous research has shown training with loads at or above 80% 1RM and eccentric contractions at or above 100 - 120% 1RM allow for 10 reps at the [...]

By |2018-08-03T13:39:51-04:00August 1st, 2018|Training Info|1 Comment
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Neuromuscular Adaptations with Strength Training by Hayden Giuliani

[Hayden Giuliani recently finished her Master's degree at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she now works as a research coordinator. She is currently in the Coaching Mentorship Program at Athletic Lab.] So what do we really know about strength training? What happens beneath the surface to increase our strength and power "that ever so desired outcome" Strength training has been growing in popularity not only for sport but also for the general population, but sometimes we don't always understand the benefits it provides for our body. Neuromuscular changes underlie what happens when you strength train, i.e. growth of muscles, increased strength and power and increased anaerobic capacity. We will be discussing both what happens within the muscles and also the brain's communication to them. Before we proceed, I want to be clear about the kind of strength training I am talking about. I am designing this post at the type of strength training that high-level athletes and advanced lifters use. It is designed to impose a progressive overload, with high intensities and athletic movements. I would like to emphasize that strength training should be an 1) overload and 2) progressive in nature. (It should be considered that not all research studies follow this guideline, but the ones mentioned here generally did.) With an organized strength training plan, we typically see increases in strength (either tested as a 1- repetition maximum or maximal voluntary contraction), increases in power and speed, and greater muscle size (hypertrophy). The extent to which these adaptations occur can vary, based on age, gender, and training age. In addition, training load/ intensity, volume, and frequency also play critical roles that I will discuss throughout. In a long-term study by [...]

By |2017-10-23T13:37:48-04:00October 23rd, 2017|Training Info|0 Comments
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The matches are over but we`d like to congratulate Patrick Kypson on competing at Wimbledon where he earned a spot in the main draw after breaking into the ATP Top 100 earlier this year and continuing his rise on the professional tour.

Patrick reached a major milestone, earning a Grand Slam main draw victory with an impressive four-set win over fellow American Mackenzie McDonald, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. 

Patrick advanced to the second round before facing world No. 6 Taylor Fritz on Court 2 at the All England Club. While Fritz earned the victory, Patrick battled throughout the match and showcased the level of play that has made him one of the country`s top rising professionals.

Athletic Lab has had the privilege of being a part of Patrick`s performance journey, and we`re incredibly proud to see his hard work and dedication rewarded on one of the biggest stages in tennis. Reaching Wimbledon is a testament to years of disciplined training, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to improvement.

Congratulations, Patrick, on an outstanding achievement!

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Open post by athleticlab with ID 18060967151501744
The matches are over but we'd like to congratulate Patrick Kypson on competing at Wimbledon where he earned a spot in the main draw after breaking into the ATP Top 100 earlier this year and continuing his rise on the professional tour. Patrick reached a major milestone, earning a Grand Slam main draw victory with an impressive four-set win over fellow American Mackenzie McDonald, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.  Patrick advanced to the second round before facing world No. 6 Taylor Fritz on Court 2 at the All England Club. While Fritz earned the victory, Patrick battled throughout the match and showcased the level of play that has made him one of the country's top rising professionals. Athletic Lab has had the privilege of being a part of Patrick's performance journey, and we're incredibly proud to see his hard work and dedication rewarded on one of the biggest stages in tennis. Reaching Wimbledon is a testament to years of disciplined training, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to improvement. Congratulations, Patrick, on an outstanding achievement!

Congratulations to @tim_usaw on an outstanding performance at the @usa_weightlifting Junior National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado earlier this month, where he earned a gold medal in one of the nation’s most competitive junior divisions. Tim is a long time member of the @athleticlab_weightlifting Team coached by USA Weightlifting National Coach @j.t.nobbe_

Weightlifting National Championships Week brings together the country’s top youth, junior, U25, and senior lifters, making every medal hard-earned. Tim rose to the challenge with a personal record in the clean & jerk to secure the top spot on the podium.

Congratulations, Tim on becoming a USA Weightlifting Junior National Champion! We are incredibly proud of your accomplishment and look forward to seeing what comes next as you continue to represent Athletic Lab on the national stage.

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Open post by athleticlab with ID 17933162355339138
Congratulations to @tim_usaw on an outstanding performance at the @usa_weightlifting Junior National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado earlier this month, where he earned a gold medal in one of the nation’s most competitive junior divisions. Tim is a long time member of the @athleticlab_weightlifting Team coached by USA Weightlifting National Coach @j.t.nobbe_ Weightlifting National Championships Week brings together the country’s top youth, junior, U25, and senior lifters, making every medal hard-earned. Tim rose to the challenge with a personal record in the clean & jerk to secure the top spot on the podium. Congratulations, Tim on becoming a USA Weightlifting Junior National Champion! We are incredibly proud of your accomplishment and look forward to seeing what comes next as you continue to represent Athletic Lab on the national stage.

Get your stretch on! Our MoMo (Movement & Mobility) classes are offered Thursdays at 5pm. In our MoMo classes, we work on asymmetries, imbalances, and restrictions that may be limiting performance or increasing the likelihood for injuries. Paying attention to these seemingly little things allows you to keep your goals big.

#athleticlab #iloveal #cary #fitness #mobility

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Open post by athleticlab with ID 18073644527314654
Get your stretch on! Our MoMo (Movement & Mobility) classes are offered Thursdays at 5pm. In our MoMo classes, we work on asymmetries, imbalances, and restrictions that may be limiting performance or increasing the likelihood for injuries. Paying attention to these seemingly little things allows you to keep your goals big. #athleticlab #iloveal #cary #fitness #mobility

Happy Mother’s Day to all our strong moms. ⠀
⠀
#mothersday #strongasamutha #moms #gymlife #crossfit strongmoms fitmoms fitness strength

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Happy Mother’s Day to all our strong moms. ⠀ ⠀ #mothersday #strongasamutha #moms #gymlife #crossfit strongmoms fitmoms fitness strength

Most coaches stop sets based on how athletes look, rather than how they are actually moving. VBT allows you to set a simple cutoff by monitoring bar speed. A bar speed drop of more than 20% from the first rep is an indicator that no matter how the athlete looks or what percentage of 1RM they are supposed to be moving, that they are fatigued beyond the necessary output they need to reach the target stimulus. We shut down the set so that we don’t keep the athlete accumulating a bunch of junk reps.

#BeTheStandard

#velocitybasedtraining #vbt #powertraining #strengthandconditioning

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Most coaches stop sets based on how athletes look, rather than how they are actually moving. VBT allows you to set a simple cutoff by monitoring bar speed. A bar speed drop of more than 20% from the first rep is an indicator that no matter how the athlete looks or what percentage of 1RM they are supposed to be moving, that they are fatigued beyond the necessary output they need to reach the target stimulus. We shut down the set so that we don’t keep the athlete accumulating a bunch of junk reps. #BeTheStandard #velocitybasedtraining #vbt #powertraining #strengthandconditioning

Top 5 Reasons to use VBT with your athletes: Reason #3: Objective load & zone prescription. Research over the years has mapped clear velocity zones for different strength qualities. Accelerative strength, strength speed, speed strength, and starting strength all live in different velocity zones. While percentage based training can target these qualities by prescribing an “ideal” load that can allow for different velocities, verifying the quality of the reps becomes a coaches visual interpretation and is subjective. Using VBT gives a clear picture of the athletes bar speed and verifies the quality of the bar speed and whether or not the target is hit on every rep. For the full series in more detail, follow @mikeyoungphd

#BeTheStandard

#velocitybasedtraining #vbt #morepower

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Open post by athleticlabacademy with ID 18088613996617480
Top 5 Reasons to use VBT with your athletes: Reason #3: Objective load & zone prescription. Research over the years has mapped clear velocity zones for different strength qualities. Accelerative strength, strength speed, speed strength, and starting strength all live in different velocity zones. While percentage based training can target these qualities by prescribing an “ideal” load that can allow for different velocities, verifying the quality of the reps becomes a coaches visual interpretation and is subjective. Using VBT gives a clear picture of the athletes bar speed and verifies the quality of the bar speed and whether or not the target is hit on every rep. For the full series in more detail, follow @mikeyoungphd #BeTheStandard #velocitybasedtraining #vbt #morepower

We know there are weight room activities - squats, cleans, plyos, etc that contribute to speed development but we also know that these activities don’t come close enough to the intensity of forces and contraction speeds seen during a max velocity sprint. Therefore the best way to become faster is…..to sprint.

To reach a proper stimulus, sprinting must be done at 95%+ of the athletes max velocity. Do not confuse this with EFFORT. An athlete can be at an RPE of 10 yet not sprinting at 95%+ of their max velocity. So even if an athlete is running fast, even running as fast as they can, it doesn’t mean they are sprinting.

🔹 More in-depth speed training guidelines are found in our CHPC L1 online course #linkinbio

#BeTheStandard

#strengthcoach #sportsperformance #trainingsession personaltrainer fitnesscoach physicalpreparation coachingeducation alca highperformance ltad athleticdevelopment weightroom weightliftingcoach strengthandconditioning exercisescience kinesiology speedtraining sprinttraining

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Open post by athleticlabacademy with ID 18003701174758349
We know there are weight room activities - squats, cleans, plyos, etc that contribute to speed development but we also know that these activities don’t come close enough to the intensity of forces and contraction speeds seen during a max velocity sprint. Therefore the best way to become faster is…..to sprint. To reach a proper stimulus, sprinting must be done at 95%+ of the athletes max velocity. Do not confuse this with EFFORT. An athlete can be at an RPE of 10 yet not sprinting at 95%+ of their max velocity. So even if an athlete is running fast, even running as fast as they can, it doesn’t mean they are sprinting. 🔹 More in-depth speed training guidelines are found in our CHPC L1 online course #linkinbio #BeTheStandard #strengthcoach #sportsperformance #trainingsession personaltrainer fitnesscoach physicalpreparation coachingeducation alca highperformance ltad athleticdevelopment weightroom weightliftingcoach strengthandconditioning exercisescience kinesiology speedtraining sprinttraining

CONTACT INFO

Athletic Lab
110 Competition Center Drive
Suite 150
Phone: 919.617.1472
Email: info@athleticlab.com
Web: athleticlab.com

athleticlabacademy

455 9,436

High performance coaching education for aspiring sport science experts & master practitioners.
#BeTheStandard
FREE SAMPLE of our CHPC L1 Course ⬇️

The matches are over but we`d like to congratulate Patrick Kypson on competing at Wimbledon where he earned a spot in the main draw after breaking into the ATP Top 100 earlier this year and continuing his rise on the professional tour.

Patrick reached a major milestone, earning a Grand Slam main draw victory with an impressive four-set win over fellow American Mackenzie McDonald, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. 

Patrick advanced to the second round before facing world No. 6 Taylor Fritz on Court 2 at the All England Club. While Fritz earned the victory, Patrick battled throughout the match and showcased the level of play that has made him one of the country`s top rising professionals.

Athletic Lab has had the privilege of being a part of Patrick`s performance journey, and we`re incredibly proud to see his hard work and dedication rewarded on one of the biggest stages in tennis. Reaching Wimbledon is a testament to years of disciplined training, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to improvement.

Congratulations, Patrick, on an outstanding achievement!

31 0
Open post by athleticlab with ID 18060967151501744
The matches are over but we'd like to congratulate Patrick Kypson on competing at Wimbledon where he earned a spot in the main draw after breaking into the ATP Top 100 earlier this year and continuing his rise on the professional tour. Patrick reached a major milestone, earning a Grand Slam main draw victory with an impressive four-set win over fellow American Mackenzie McDonald, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.  Patrick advanced to the second round before facing world No. 6 Taylor Fritz on Court 2 at the All England Club. While Fritz earned the victory, Patrick battled throughout the match and showcased the level of play that has made him one of the country's top rising professionals. Athletic Lab has had the privilege of being a part of Patrick's performance journey, and we're incredibly proud to see his hard work and dedication rewarded on one of the biggest stages in tennis. Reaching Wimbledon is a testament to years of disciplined training, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to improvement. Congratulations, Patrick, on an outstanding achievement!

Congratulations to @tim_usaw on an outstanding performance at the @usa_weightlifting Junior National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado earlier this month, where he earned a gold medal in one of the nation’s most competitive junior divisions. Tim is a long time member of the @athleticlab_weightlifting Team coached by USA Weightlifting National Coach @j.t.nobbe_

Weightlifting National Championships Week brings together the country’s top youth, junior, U25, and senior lifters, making every medal hard-earned. Tim rose to the challenge with a personal record in the clean & jerk to secure the top spot on the podium.

Congratulations, Tim on becoming a USA Weightlifting Junior National Champion! We are incredibly proud of your accomplishment and look forward to seeing what comes next as you continue to represent Athletic Lab on the national stage.

45 3
Open post by athleticlab with ID 17933162355339138
Congratulations to @tim_usaw on an outstanding performance at the @usa_weightlifting Junior National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado earlier this month, where he earned a gold medal in one of the nation’s most competitive junior divisions. Tim is a long time member of the @athleticlab_weightlifting Team coached by USA Weightlifting National Coach @j.t.nobbe_ Weightlifting National Championships Week brings together the country’s top youth, junior, U25, and senior lifters, making every medal hard-earned. Tim rose to the challenge with a personal record in the clean & jerk to secure the top spot on the podium. Congratulations, Tim on becoming a USA Weightlifting Junior National Champion! We are incredibly proud of your accomplishment and look forward to seeing what comes next as you continue to represent Athletic Lab on the national stage.

Get your stretch on! Our MoMo (Movement & Mobility) classes are offered Thursdays at 5pm. In our MoMo classes, we work on asymmetries, imbalances, and restrictions that may be limiting performance or increasing the likelihood for injuries. Paying attention to these seemingly little things allows you to keep your goals big.

#athleticlab #iloveal #cary #fitness #mobility

57 1
Open post by athleticlab with ID 18073644527314654
Get your stretch on! Our MoMo (Movement & Mobility) classes are offered Thursdays at 5pm. In our MoMo classes, we work on asymmetries, imbalances, and restrictions that may be limiting performance or increasing the likelihood for injuries. Paying attention to these seemingly little things allows you to keep your goals big. #athleticlab #iloveal #cary #fitness #mobility

Happy Mother’s Day to all our strong moms. ⠀
⠀
#mothersday #strongasamutha #moms #gymlife #crossfit strongmoms fitmoms fitness strength

13 0
Open post by athleticlab with ID 17903971887428527
Happy Mother’s Day to all our strong moms. ⠀ ⠀ #mothersday #strongasamutha #moms #gymlife #crossfit strongmoms fitmoms fitness strength

CONTACT INFO

Athletic Lab
110 Competition Center Drive
Suite 150
Phone: 919.617.1472
Email: info@athleticlab.com
Web: athleticlab.com

Copyright 2026 Athletic Lab | All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2026 Athletic Lab | All Rights Reserved

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