HYPERTROPHY FOR LEGS: HOW TO GROW MUSCLES ON YOUR SPINNING BIKE

Are you thinking of starting to practice leg hypertrophy sports? Hypertrophy refers indistinctly to muscle growth or muscle mass gain. But what exactly is hypertrophy? How does this process of adaptation of the body occur?

In this article we will delve into this topic and what routine you can follow on your spinning bike to gain muscle in your legs. In addition, we will name some foods that help achieve this physiological phenomenon known as hypertrophy.

WHAT IS HYPERTROPHY?

Hypertrophy is the process that causes the size of muscle fibers to increase. Protein synthesis is what increases the number of muscle fibers. This physiological process does not happen by chance, but is due to the participation of the body through exercise.

If we speak technically of this growth in the size of the muscles, we will say that it is really an increase in the diameter of the muscle fibers.

There are two types of hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic and sarcomeric. The sarcoplasmic implies a growth in the non-contractile elements of the muscle (calcium ions, hemoglobin...) and the sarcomeric in the contractile ones.

Sarcomeres are units of myofibrils in thick and thin filaments that are organized.

In addition, muscle hypertrophy can occur in two different ways:

• Hypertrophy due to the increase in the cross section of the muscle, when the arrangement of the sarcomeres is in parallel.
• Hypertrophy due to increased muscle length, the arrangement of the sarcomeres is in series.

HOW IS MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY PRODUCED?

When you practice sports , proteins create a kind of synthesis in muscle tissues. Keep in mind that not all of this muscle protein synthesis is going to be devoted to gaining muscle mass or hypertrophy.

Part of this synthesis will be dedicated to repairing the damage to the muscle fibers produced during training, especially when they have been very intense training for muscle mass gain, as in this case.

FOODS THAT INCREASE MUSCLE MASS

Not only exercise can bring hypertrophy to muscles. Food can also play a fundamental role in this process. We indicate some foods that intervene in the formation and increase of the musculature:

Egg: egg white favors the increase in muscle mass. This is one of the foods with the most complete protein and easy to absorb by the body. In addition, it contains B complex vitamins, important to give the body energy.

Red meats: in addition to being rich in protein, they also contain iron, an essential mineral that is part of the red blood cells, responsible for transporting the necessary oxygen to the muscles during physical activity. Iron deficiency can cause weakness and fatigue.

Chicken: white meat rich in protein and low in fat. The consumption of this type of meat, combined with exercise, favors muscle hypertrophy.

Legumes: They have large amounts of iron and protein. They help with the transport of oxygen in the blood, improving physical distribution and stimulating the production of muscle mass.

Blue fish: in addition to being rich in protein, it contains omega 3, a healthy fat that has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, improving blood circulation and preventing the loss of muscle mass.

Cheese: it is rich in protein and calcium, an important mineral for muscle strength and contraction.

Nuts: in addition to providing protein, they also provide magnesium, an important mineral for muscle contraction. They are also rich in B vitamins and antioxidants, which promote muscle recovery after training.

HYPERTROPHY SPINNING BICYCLE ROUTINE FOR LEGS

If you have decided to increase the muscle mass of your legs, then we show you a spinning routine that will help you achieve it:

• Warm-up: between 5 and 10 minutes with a gentle intensity.
• Increases resistance up to 70% for 10 minutes.
• Do 20 pedal strokes at maximum intensity and return to 70% for 5 minutes.
• 20 pedal strokes at maximum intensity.
• Lower the intensity back to 70% for 3-5 minutes.
• End the series with a 5-minute cool-down at very low intensity to increase circulatory flow and recover from exertion more quickly.

CAUSES OF HYPERTROPHY TRAINING FOR LEGS

Specific training to increase muscle mass can cause local damage to the tissue involved. The damage can be confined to a small area or cause large tears in the sarcolemma, the membrane that covers muscle fibers.

Once the body perceives the damage, neutrophils (white blood cells of the immune system) are attracted to the damaged area. These remove damaged cell debris to help maintain fiber structure by releasing cytokines (cell proliferation and communication agents) that activate muscle cells.

If your goal is to start your leg hypertrophy training plan and you want to start doing it on a spinning bike, we invite you to visit the ATAA Sports online store where you will find the best indoor cycling bikes on the market. Do not let this chance go away!