Skeletal Muscle Plasticity

Endocrine Responses/Rest Intervals

SBS Academy: Unit 3

Module 3.2

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Understand basic progressive overload

2. Be able to describe the structure and organizational levels of

skeletal muscle

3. Understand and explain the 2 physiological factors inducing

muscle growth

4. Adaptation and the repeated bout effect (RBE)

5. Physiological release of anabolic and catabolic hormones

6. Examine acute and chronic hormonal changes

7. Distinguish between the importance of short vs. long rest

intervals
Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
Theory of Hypertrophy and Strength
Adaptations Within Skeletal Muscle

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 History of Training
Milo of Croton was the first
individual recorded to use
progressive resistance
training

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD

SAID
Specific Adaptations to
Imposed
Demands
Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
 Skeletal Muscle Tissue
MAIN POINT: VOLUNTARILY CONTRACTED

•  Long, cylindrical, multinucleate cells with

obvious striations
•  Initiates and controls voluntary movement
•  Found in skeletal muscles that attach to
bones or skin

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Central Nervous System

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 Excitation-Contraction
Coupling
The physiological process converting the
electrical signal (action potential) into a
mechanical response.

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Basic Skeletal Muscle Structure

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Basic Skeletal Muscle Structure

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Basic Skeletal Muscle Structure

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Factors Inducing
Skeletal Muscle Growth
1.  Muscle Protein Synthesis
2.  Myonuclear Domain Theory

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Protein Synthesis and
Turnover Ratio
•  Muscle Protein Synthesis (mPS)
–  Formation of new proteins in the muscle
•  Protein Degradation (Breakdown)
–  Breakdown of existing proteins within a muscle
•  Protein Turnover
–  Relationship between synthesis and
degradation
–  Synthesis > Degradation = Strength/
Hypertrophy
–  Degradation > Synthesis = Muscle Wasting

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Damage and Satellite Cell
Activation
•  Skeletal muscle undergoes myofiber
damage during training
–  Growth factors (IGF-1/MGF) will
activate satellite cells, leading to
further activation of signaling pathways

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Mechanisms: IGF-1 Cascade
and mTOR Signaling Pathway
Blood Flow

Sarcolemma Leucine IGF-1 Insulin

IRS-1
Nucleus PI3-K
MGF
Akt

Atrogin-1 / MURF TSC1/TSC2

rheb
Ubiquitin Proteosome System p70S6K
mTOR Protein Synthesis
4E-BP1
Protein Degradation

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Mechanical loading such as occurs during weight training causes trauma to the muscle fiber
which triggers cells with large nuclei located on the outside (periphery) of the muscle fiber to (1)
divide, (2) and fuse to the muscle fiber
thereby donating their nuclei to the fiber

The role of satellite cells in muscle fiber repair & in response to trauma. Adapted from Hawke et
al. (2002) Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
 Satellite Cell Activation

•  Normally quiescent (inactive)

•  Must be induced to proliferate,
differentiate, and fuse to growing/
regenerating myofiber
–  They are induced by loading/damage

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 -At a certain point, more nuclei must
be added for continued hypertrophy.

-A myonuclear domain is a nuclei and

Muscle fibers are multinucleated. Nuclei stained
with a florescent dye that binds to DNA. (Adapted
from Reggie Edgerton -University of California, Los Angeles).
the muscle area it controls. A muclei
controls a limited amount of area,
therefore new nuclei have to be
added to the muscle fiber for growth.

1. Increased Protein Synthesis 2. Cannot grow any further

unless new nuclei are added 3. Addition of nuclei allows for more growth

Take Home Message:

-The initial increase in hypertrophy is due to muscle protein synthesis (mPS)

-Eventually a new nuclei must be added from satellite cells to allow the myofibril to expand and
contribute to overall muscle fiber growthUnit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
 Myofiber Hypertrophy:
Depiction of Satellite Cell Activation/Repair
Myonuclei Plasma Membrane

Basal Lamina
Satellite Cells Proliferation Differentiation

Fusion

New Myonuclei

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Muscle Fiber Type
•  Type I – Slow Twitch
–  Resistant to Fatigue, High number of
mitochondria and capillary density as well
as enzyme activity
•  Type II – Fast Twitch
–  IIa – Glyocolytic Oxidative
–  IIx – Quickly fatigue, few mitochondria

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Motor Units/Size Principle
•  Motor Unit – A motor neuron and all of
the muscle fibers that it innervates.
–  Motor neuron – Neuron of the central
nervous system
•  Size Principle
–  How are motor units recruited?
–  Low-Threshold and High Threshold?

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
Possible Mechanism of Hyperplasia

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Factors Inhibiting Satellite Cell Activation
and Cell Cycle Progression

•  Myostatin: Protein which Inhibits muscle growth/

development by blunting proliferation of satellite cells
–  Highly expressed in muscles of patients with muscle
wasting and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Myostatin Inhibition

Lee SJ. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 20:61-86, 2004

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Myofiber Damage
•  Direct markers: Come From Muscle Biopsy
–  Z disk alterations
–  Desmin/Titin disruption (Structural Proteins)
•  Indirect markers
–  Strength loss
–  Edema
–  Decreased range of motion
–  Leakage of intramuscular enzymes or proteins
–  Delayed onset muscle soreness
–  Changes in peak torque angle
•  Angle of peak torque will increase with damage/
fatigue

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Myofiber Damage and the
RBE
•  RBE = Repeated Bout Effect
–  When the same exercise is performed within 6
months there is an attenuated (reduced)
damage response
•  A protection against muscle damage
–  What about when you change exercise, but
still train the same muscle group?

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

The RBE Occurs, Regardless of Exercise
Selection
When the exercise is changed between weeks, but
remains ‘muscle-specific’ the damage response is still
attenuated
Fixed Ex. Inc. – Inc. Varied Ex: Inc.-Preach

Zourdos and Kim et al. 2015 JSCR

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Endocrine Adapations to
Resistance Exercise
and
Rest Intervals

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Endocrine System
•  Endocrine System
–  System of glands which secretes different
hormones directly into the bloodstream
–  Hormonal effects may last from a few
hours to a few weeks
•  And resting concentrations may change over
time (months and years)

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Utilizing statistical analyses Kraemer (1983) developed an approach to
operationally describe any workout protocol through identification of five
specific acute training variables
(1)  choice of exercise,

(2)  order of exercise,

(3)  number of sets performed

(4)  rest period lengths and

(5)  resistance used or intensity of exercise. 

Given the above combinations, a virtually endless quantity of training

sessions can be developed, each yielding somewhat differing
adaptations.

Anderson and Kearney (1983) developed the, ‘Strength Training

Continuum.’ Less reps more strength, more reps for muscle endurance.

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

HORMONES REGULATE THE FOLLOWING
(1) Metabolism

(2) Growth and Development

(3) Tissue Function

(4) Sleep

(5) Mood 

Overall, hormone release is a sign of regulation

and adaptation

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 Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis

HPA Axis is part of the endocrine system in which many hormones are
released to control the body’s reaction to stress and regulate homeostasis.

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Data Examining Anabolic Hormones

Growth Hormone (GH)

Testosterone
Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1)

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Growth Hormone is released from The anterior pituitary
hormone and is stimulated to be released by growth
hormone releasing hormone (GHRF) in the
hypothalamas.

Function – Primary pituitary hormone responsible for

whole body growth including muscle tissue growth.

r  =  0.71  

Three dimensional depiction of growth hormone’s structure.

Adapted from Lee-Benner (2006)
Studies show that immediate increases in GH
following exercise have a strong correlation
(relationship) to growth
Figure - 12 weeks of training, percentage growth and its relation to immediate increases in GH * P < 0.05 Adapted from
McCall et al. (1999)

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 What Else Increases Acutely?
•  Heart Rate
•  Cardiac Output
•  Sympathetic Activity
•  Protein Degradation

-Acute GH increase is not a goal of training

-GH response is not anabolic unless it is outside of the
physiological range

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Hakinnen et al. (1993) examined endogenous GH response to two different heavy-
resistance exercise protocols in 10 male strength athletes on two different days.
Session A. Subjects performed 20 sets Xs 1-RM in the squat lift
Session B. 10 Sets X 10 repetitions of 70 % of participants 1-RM

200 fold mean increase Take home Message

Moderately high
intensity Training – e.g.
8-12 maximal
repetitions for maximal
GH release

4.5 fold mean increase

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
 1000 Growth Hormone (µg/L)

*
800

600

400

200

0
5/3 10/3 5/1 10/1 5/1 10/3

Figure. 17 Growth hormone response to high vs. moderate intensity

and 1 vs. 3 minute rest periods for 8 exercises in 9 young males (24 yrs
of age). Adapted from Kraemer et al. (1990)
Bottom Line – Lactic Acid is not cleared optimally with 1 minute rest periods and builds up.
Why Lactic Acid stimulates GH – Lactic acid releases a hydrogen Ion making the blood more acidic, studies show that
growth hormone binding hormone binds to the anterior pituitary gland best at a lower pH (e.g. higher acidity)

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

GH works Indirectly through stimulating the release of Insulin Growth
Factor – 1 from the liver.

IGF-1:
(1) Directly stimulates protein synthesis or the building of muscle
proteins (growth) and
(2) stimulates the activation of Satellite cells and their fusion /
donation of nuclei to the muscle fiber

GH IGF

Muscle  Growth  
Muscle

 
IGF-­‐1  
 
Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
 Anabolic Hormones

Growth Hormone (GH)

Testosterone

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 •  95 % of test is derived from testicular
secretion (3-10 mg of test daily).

Basic structure of (A) testosterone and (B) cholesterol. Adapted

from Mathews et al. (2000)
•  However, in females it is derived
from adrenal glands, with 20 times less
Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GNRH) from the circulating than in males (Wilson et al.
hypothalamus stimulates leutinizing hormone (LH) from the 2001)
anterior pituitary, which acts on leydig cells to stimulate
testosterone synthesis and release from testes.

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

10 X 10 = more testosterone than vs. 20 X 1 RM
Volume facilitates acute hormonal release

Comparison of 20 sets of 1 RM vs 10 sets of 10 RM on testosterone

increases. Adapted from Hakkinen et al. 1993

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Mechanisms: IGF-1 Cascade
IGF-1 is an anabolic hormone which
stimulates a cascade of responses
in an anabolic pathways to
stimulate muscle protein synthesis

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Question: Do shorter rest
intervals and acute anabolic
hormone release lead to long
term gains?

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Study Examination: Buresh et al. 2009

•  12 males, Untrained
•  2 Groups:
–  1. Short Rest (SR) 2. Long Rest (LR)
–  SR = 1 minute rest, LR = 2.5 minutes rest

•  Randomized
•  10-Week Training Period

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Overall the LR group demonstrated
more hypertrophy and a trend toward
greater strength than SR

Buresh et al. 2009

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters
 Implications of Rest Intervals
•  Even for hypertrophy short rest intervals may not be
desirable

Ultimately, acute hormonal responses are not

very important and training should always be
set up to maximize training volume

•  As we know strength and growth are

related to volume and not damage

•  Total Volume = Sets X Reps X Weight Lifted

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Chronic Responses

Importance of time to Elicit Meaningful

Chronic Responses

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

Chronic Increased T/C Ratio
%Change Knee Extension Force

%Change in mean Test/Cort Ratio

Hakkinen et al. 1988

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 6 Weeks of Periodized Training Provides
No Difference in Resting Testosterone
No difference between groups: Representation of a main
time effect (p<0.05). Decrease at weeks 5 and 6.

* *

*p<0.05, significantly lower than baseline concentrations Zourdos et al. In Review

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters

 Conclusions / Summary
•  Progressive Overload and specificity are key

•  As we know strength and growth are

related to volume and not damage

•  Total Volume = Sets X Reps X Weight Lifted

Unit 3- Coaching For Powerlifters