PRO 8 min read

Muscle Growth

Laura Schneider ✓

Diets Premium Expert • 25.03.2026

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Scientifically reviewed by a clinical dietitian: This article has been peer-reviewed for adherence to IŻŻ, WHO, and PTGiP clinical nutritional standards.

Diets Premium Expert Laura Schneider

min read 8 min

Scientifically reviewed by a clinical dietitian 25.03.2026

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Key Takeaways

Strength training leads to the formation of microscopic damages in muscle fibers, which result in an increase in volume after the regeneration process. This is the mechanism that leads to muscle growth. However, some experts believe that once a muscle fiber reaches a certain size, it divides, resulting in an increase in the number of fibers, thereby opening up new possibilities for further muscle development. This process is known as muscle hyperplasia.

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What is the phenomenon of increasing the number of muscle fibers?

The phenomenon of increasing the number of muscle fibers is not related to the qualitative growth of muscle fibers, but to their greater quantity. Normally, when we exercise, we do not increase the number of muscle cells, but we increase the amount of myofibrils and mitochondria that are contained in them. In short, in humans, when muscle mass increases, the number of muscle cells does not increase. The volume of muscles increases due to the so-called muscle hypertrophy, which we call the synthesis of muscle tissue, but only after reaching the state of myofibrils and mitochondria that are contained in them.

Mechanism of excessive muscle cell development

In order to understand the process of excessive muscle cell development, it is important to know that human muscle cells are divided into two types: muscle cells that determine the size and strength of muscle fibers, and satellite cells that allow the body to synthesize new organic tissues in order to regenerate internal muscle cell damage. Satellite cells remain mobile to move to the site of damage in the event of injury and connect to the main muscle fiber, leading to an increase in the number of nuclei in muscle cells. The connection of these cells with the sarcoplasm of the muscle cell is the cause of the process of excessive muscle cell development, but it is not yet the excessive development of the muscle fiber, which occurs later.

Factors influencing the rate of protein synthesis

Amino acids constitute the foundational substance from which the body synthesizes new protein structures. Therefore, it is essential to pay special attention to appropriate nutrition. Anabolic hormones respond to strength training and play a pivotal role in the process of protein synthesis. This process leads to supercompensation, enabling the organism to adapt to ever-increasing loads. The most significant hormones in bodybuilding are testosterone and somatotropin.

How to attain muscle hyperplasia?

There are three unique types of training programs that are centered around the development of muscle hyperplasia. To reach the pinnacle of muscle hyperplasia, a duration of 2 to 3 years of training is necessitated, following which the muscle cells will attain their maximum size. However, it's essential to initially focus on muscle hypertrophy, as it lays the foundation for the successful development of hyperplasia. Once a trainer necessitates 2 to 3 years of training, the muscle cells will achieve their maximum size, and subsequently, the maximum cell size of the muscles should also be optimized post-hyperplasia.