Muscle hypertrophy involves an increase in size of skeletal muscle through a growth in size

of its component cells. Two factors contribute to hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic hypertrophy,

which focuses more on increased muscle glycogen storage; and myofibrillar hypertrophy,
which focuses more on increased myofibril size. Hypertrophy stimulation

A range of stimuli can increase the volume of muscle cells. These changes occur as an
adaptive response that serves to increase the ability to generate force or resist fatigue in
anaerobic conditions.

Strength training

Main article: Strength training

Strength training, or resistance exercise, brings about neural and muscular adaptations
which increase the capacity of an athlete to exert force through voluntary muscular
contraction. After an initial period, in which neuro-muscular adaptation dominates, a
process of muscular hypertrophy is observed whereby the size of muscle tissue increases.
This increase in size is due to growth from adding sarcomeres (contractile elements) as well
as an increase in non-contractile elements like sarcoplasmic fluid.[2] The precise
mechanisms which induce muscular hypertrophy are not clearly understood, with currently
accepted hypotheses regarding some combination of mechanical tension, metabolic fatigue,
and muscular damage as relevant factors. Progressive overload, a strategy of progressively
increasing resistance or repetitions over successive bouts of exercise in order to maintain a
high level of effort, is one fundamental principle of training strongly associated with
muscular hypertrophy.[3] Across the research literature, a wide variety of resistance
exercise training modalities have all been shown to elicit similar hypertrophic responses in
muscle tissue. Muscular hypertrophy plays an important role in competitive bodybuilding as
well as strength sports like powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting.

Anaerobic training

Main article: Anaerobic exercise

The best approach to specifically achieve muscle growth remains controversial (as opposed
to focusing on gaining strength, power, or endurance); it was generally considered that
consistent anaerobic strength training will produce hypertrophy over the long term, in
addition to its effects on muscular strength and endurance. Muscular hypertrophy can be
increased through strength training and other short-duration, high-intensity anaerobic
exercises. Lower-intensity, longer-duration aerobic exercise generally does not result in very
effective tissue hypertrophy; instead, endurance athletes enhance storage of fats and
carbohydrates within the muscles,[4] as well as neovascularization