If you’ve ever walked into a gym, picked up a pair of dumbbells, and felt unsure about whether you were actually making progress, you’re not alone. It’s a common struggle to feel like you’re putting in the effort but not seeing the physical changes in the mirror. We owe it to ourselves to understand the science of our bodies, move past the guesswork, and embrace a training style that yields tangible results.
The following guide breaks down the physiology, exercise, and nutritional requirements for female muscle growth. By understanding these mechanisms, you can stop exercising randomly and start training effectively.
What Is Female Muscle Growth and How Does It Work?
Muscle growth, scientifically known as hypertrophy, is an adaptation. It’s your body’s response to a specific type of stress. When you lift weights that are sufficiently challenging, you expose your muscle fibers to mechanical tension and your body to metabolic stress. This triggers a cascade of physiological events (1).
The Physiology of Hypertrophy
The process starts with the application of mechanical tension to your muscle fibers. When muscle fibers are subjected to a load they are not accustomed to – specifically loads often exceeding 65% of your one-repetition maximum (1RM) – the tension is sensed directly within the muscle cells. Specialized mechanoreceptors respond to the physical force by triggering a series of molecular signals (2).
Molecular Signaling Pathways
- mTOR Activation: Mechanical tension directly stimulates mTOR, which plays a role in the anabolic and catabolic signalling of muscle and can increase muscle fiber size (3).
- IGF-1/PI3K/Akt Pathway: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is released in response to mechanical tension and activates the PI3K/Akt pathway, which further stimulates mTOR (4).
- Myostatin Regulation: Myostatin, a negative regulator of muscle growth, is downregulated in response to mechanical tension, which allows for greater hypertrophy (5).
The Role of Satellite Cells
A key player in this process is the satellite cell. These are muscle stem cells located on the outer surface of the muscle fiber (6).
- Activation: Following a heavy training session, satellite cells are activated.
- Proliferation: They multiply and fuse to the existing muscle fibers.
- Donation: They donate their nuclei to the muscle fiber.
- Synthesis: More nuclei allow the muscle cell to synthesize more proteins (actin and myosin), leading to an increase in the size of the muscle fiber.
- Self-Renewal: A portion of satellite cells return to a quiescent state to maintain the satellite cell pool for future repair and growth.
Key Point: Satellite cells are particularly important for long-term hypertrophy and adaptations in response to high levels of mechanical tension (6, 7). They are less important for short-term hypertrophy, which can occur through increased protein synthesis alone (8).
Reasons why BetterMe is a safe bet: a wide range of calorie-blasting workouts, finger-licking recipes, 24/7 support, challenges that’ll keep you on your best game, and that just scratches the surface! Start using our app and watch the magic happen.
Hormonal Influences
While the mechanical process is similar in all humans, the hormonal environment differs between sexes.
- Testosterone: This is the primary anabolic (muscle-building) hormone (9). Women produce significantly less testosterone than men – typically about 15 to 65ng/dL compared to a man’s 300 to 1000 ng/dL (10). This is why women don’t “bulk up” accidentally.
- Estrogen: Often overlooked, estrogen helps with muscle repair (11), which allows women to often recover faster between sets and sessions than men (12).
- IGF-1 and Growth Hormone: These hormones play a crucial role in tissue repair and growth, and their secretion is stimulated by intense resistance training (4, 13 , 14).
By manipulating training intensity and volume, you optimize this hormonal release to support your muscle growth female goals.
Secondary Mechanisms That Support Hypertrophy
While mechanical tension is the primary driver, other mechanisms can contribute to hypertrophy:
- Muscle Damage: Microtrauma to muscle fibers can stimulate satellite cell activation and the release of growth factors (15). However, excessive damage may impair recovery and isn’t necessary for hypertrophy (16).
- Metabolic Stress: Accumulation of metabolites (e.g. lactate, hydrogen ions) during high-rep, low-rest training can create an anabolic environment by increasing hormonal responses and cell swelling (17).
Muscle damage and metabolic stress are secondary mechanisms that can enhance hypertrophy, but aren’t required for it.
Read more: 4-Week Gym Workout Plan to Support Your Goals
Why Is It So Hard to Build Muscle as a Woman?
A common narrative suggests that building muscle is exceptionally difficult for women due to low testosterone. However, recent research has suggested that muscle tissue in women has a similar capacity for growth as men, relative to their starting size (18).
The perception of difficulty often stems from programming rather than biological limitations.
Is It Physiology or Programming?
If you’re struggling with female muscle growth transformation, look at your workout log before you blame your genetics. The most common barrier is a lack of sufficient stimulus.
To trigger the hypertrophy cascade described above, the muscle should be taken close to failure (19). If you can perform 20 repetitions with a weight but stop at 10, you haven’t provided a sufficient stimulus to stimulate hypertrophy.
Dos for Female Muscle Growth
To ensure you are on the right path, adhere to these evidence-based principles.
Do Prioritize Progressive Overload
You must consistently challenge your muscles to do more over time. This can mean adding weight to the bar (intensity), adding reps (volume), or decreasing rest times (density) (20). If your workout looks exactly the same for six months, your body will look exactly the same too.
You can (21):
- Increase Weight: If you’re squatting 100 lbs for 8 reps, try 105 lbs next week while maintaining good form.
- Add Reps or Sets: Bench press 3 sets of 8 reps? Progress to 3 sets of 10 reps or 4 sets of 8 reps.
- Reduce Rest Time: Resting 2 minutes between sets? Cut it to 90 seconds to increase intensity.
- Slow Down Tempo: Lower the barbell during a bicep curl over 3-4 seconds instead of 1-2 seconds.
- Improve Form: Focus on a full range of motion during pull-ups, ensuring your chin clears the bar every time.
- Increase Training Frequency: Train legs twice a week instead of once, splitting focus between strength and hypertrophy.
- Incorporate Advanced Techniques: After your last set of shoulder presses, drop the weight by 20% and immediately perform another set to failure (drop set).
Do Lift Heavy Enough
“Heavy” is relative. For muscle growth, you generally want to work with a weight that is 60% to 80% of your 1RM (22). If you are doing sets of 8-12 reps, the last 2 reps should feel incredibly difficult to complete with perfect form.
Do Track Your Cycle
Your menstrual cycle affects your strength.
During the follicular phase (days 1-14), higher estrogen levels may allow you to tolerate higher volume and intensity. During the luteal phase (days 15-28), rising progesterone and body temperature might make high-intensity efforts feel harder (23).
Adjust your expectations accordingly.
Don’ts for Female Muscle Growth
Avoiding these common pitfalls can accelerate your progress significantly.
Don’t Rely Solely on “Toning” Workouts
Exercises with very light weights and very high reps (15+) often build muscular endurance rather than size (22). While valuable for health, they’re inefficient for hypertrophy. To change the shape of a muscle, you must increase its size.
Don’t Fear Carbohydrates
Glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is the primary fuel source for exercise (24). Low-carb diets can deplete glycogen stores, which may lead to decreased performance in the gym (25) and a “flat” look to the muscles.
Don’t Change Exercises Too Frequently
“Muscle confusion” is largely a myth. You need to perform the same compound movements for weeks or months to become neurologically efficient at them. Only when you’re efficient can you load the muscle safely enough to stimulate growth.
For those who are interested in maximizing muscle growth using minimal equipment, the bodyweight workout for mass provides a proven alternative approach.
What Is a Sustainable Female Muscle Growth Workout Plan?
A sustainable plan balances frequency, intensity, and recovery. For most women, a 4-day Upper/Lower split allows for high frequency (hitting muscles twice a week) with adequate recovery.
Before beginning, familiarize yourself with these terms:
- RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion): A scale of 1-10. An RPE of 8 means you could have done 2 more reps with good form.
- Rest: The time taken between sets. For hypertrophy, 60 seconds is standard (26).
The 4-Day Hypertrophy Split
| Day | Workout focus | Muscles targeted |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lower-Body A | Quads, glutes, calves |
| Tuesday | Upper-Body A | Chest, shoulders, triceps |
| Wednesday | Rest/active recovery | Mobility, light walking |
| Thursday | Lower-Body B | Hamstrings, glutes, back |
| Friday | Upper-Body B | Back, biceps, rear delts |
| Saturday | Rest | - |
| Sunday | Rest | - |
The Workout Program
Program Notes:
- Warm-up: 10 minutes of light cardio followed by dynamic stretching.
- Tempo: 3-0-1-0 (3 seconds down, 0 seconds pause, 1 second up).
- Progression: Increase weight by 2-5% when you can hit the top end of the rep range for all sets.
Lower-Body A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | 3 | 6-8 | 8 | 2-3 mins |
| Romanian deadlift (RDL) | 3 | 8-10 | 8 | 2 mins |
| Walking lunges | 3 | 10-12 per leg | 7-8 | 90 secs |
| Leg extension | 3 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
| Standing calf raises | 4 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell bench press | 3 | 8-10 | 8 | 2-3 mins |
| Dumbbell shoulder press | 3 | 8-10 | 8 | 90 secs |
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 10-12 | 8 | 90 secs |
| Tricep rope pushdown | 3 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
| Lateral raises | 3 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift (conventional) | 3 | 6-8 | 8 | 2-3 mins |
| Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 8-10 per leg | 8 | 90 secs |
| Hip thrust | 3 | 10-12 | 8 | 2 mins |
| Seated leg curl | 3 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
| Seated calf raise | 4 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-up or assisted pull-up | 3 | 6-8 | 8 | 2-3 mins |
| Barbell row | 3 | 8-10 | 8 | 90 secs |
| Seated dumbbell curl | 3 | 10-12 | 8 | 90 secs |
| Face pull | 3 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
| Rear delt fly | 3 | 12-15 | 9 | 60 secs |
Exercise Execution Guidelines
Proper execution is essential for targeting the correct muscle and preventing injury. In this section, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for each exercise from the Lower-Body A, Upper-Body A, Lower-Body B, and Upper-Body B programs.
Barbell Back Squat
- Setup: Place the bar on your upper back (traps), not your neck. Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Stance: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly out (about 15-30 degrees).
- Descent: Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back and bending your knees simultaneously. Keep your chest up and spine neutral.
- Depth: Lower yourself until your hip crease is below the top of your knee (parallel or lower).
- Ascent: Drive through your mid-foot to stand back up, keeping your knees in line with your toes. Don’t let your knees cave inward.
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
- Setup: Stand holding a barbell or dumbbells against your thighs with an overhand grip. Your feet should be hip-width apart.
- Hinge: Unlock your knees slightly – they should stay in this fixed bent position throughout the rep. Push your hips backward as if trying to close a door behind you with your glutes.
- Lowering: Slide the weight down your thighs. Keep the weights in contact with your legs. Lower until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings (usually mid-shin level).
- Return: Drive your hips forward to return to the standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top. Do not overly arch your back.
Walking Lunges
- Setup: Stand tall, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides or use body weight only.
- Step Forward: Take a long step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about 90 degrees.
- Descent: The back knee should lightly touch or hover just above the ground. Keep your torso upright and your core braced.
- Push Up: Push through the heel of your front foot to rise and bring your back foot forward to repeat the lunge on the other leg.
- Alternation: Continue alternating legs for the prescribed number of reps.
Leg Extension
- Setup: Adjust the seat on the machine so your knees are in line with the pivot point.
- Ankles: Place your shins behind the padded bar.
- Lift: Extend your legs by contracting your quadriceps until your legs are straight, but don’t lock your knees.
- Lower: Slowly lower the weight back to the start position with control.
Standing Calf Raises
- Setup: Position yourself on a calf raise machine or step, with the balls of your feet on the platform and your heels hanging off.
- Lift: Push through your toes, raising your heels as high as possible and contracting your calves at the top.
- Pause: Hold briefly at the peak.
- Lower: Slowly lower your heels below the platform until you feel a stretch in your calves.
Whether you’re a workout beast or just a beginner making your first foray into the world of fitness and dieting – BetterMe has a lot to offer to both newbies and experts! Install the app and experience the versatility first-hand!
Dumbbell Bench Press
- Setup: Sit on a bench with dumbbells resting on your thighs. Lie back and use your thighs to help kick the weights up to the starting position above your chest.
- Position: Retract your shoulder blades against the bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor.
- Lowering: Lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner, keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle to your torso.
- Pressing: Push the dumbbells upward, bringing them close together at the top.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Setup: Sit on a bench with back support. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing forward or slightly inward.
- Press: Press the dumbbells directly overhead until your arms are fully extended, but avoid locking out your elbows.
- Lower: Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position at shoulder height, keeping your core engaged.
Lat Pulldown
- Setup: Sit at a lat pulldown station and grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Posture: Keep your chest up, your core braced, and your eyes forward.
- Pull: Pull the bar down toward your upper chest, driving your elbows straight down alongside your torso.
- Squeeze: Briefly squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom.
- Return: Slowly release the bar to the starting position under control.
Tricep Rope Pushdown
- Setup: Attach a rope to a high pulley on a cable station and grasp the ends with an overhand grip.
- Elbows: Keep your elbows tight to your sides and your forearms parallel to the floor.
- Extend: Push the rope down by extending your elbows, splitting the rope at the bottom for a full contraction.
- Return: Slowly return to the starting position, keeping your elbows stationary.
Lateral Raises
- Setup: Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, and your palms facing inward.
- Lift: Raise arms out to the sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent, until they reach shoulder height.
- Control: Pause briefly, then lower the weights slowly.
Rear Delt Fly
- Setup: Sit on the edge of a bench (or stand and hinge at the hips), holding dumbbells with your palms facing each other.
- Position: Keep your back flat and your chest up, your arms hanging beneath your shoulders.
- Lift: With a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to the sides until your elbows are at shoulder level.
- Lower: Slowly return to the starting position, maintaining control.
Deadlift (Conventional)
- Setup: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a barbell over mid-foot. Grip the bar with your hands just outside your shins.
- Position: Bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back flat and your shoulders over the bar.
- Lift: Drive through your heels to stand up, keeping the bar close to your body, with your hips and shoulders rising at the same rate.
- Lockout: Stand tall at the top, squeezing your glutes.
- Lower: Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to lower the bar back to the floor with control.
Bulgarian Split Squat
- Setup: Stand about two feet in front of a bench with your back to the bench. Place one foot, laces down, on the bench behind you.
- Descent: Lower your body by bending your front knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor, your knee over your ankle.
- Upright: Keep your torso upright and your core engaged.
- Push Up: Press through the heel of your front foot to return to standing.
- Repeat: Complete all reps on one side before switching.
Hip Thrust
- Setup: Sit on the ground with your upper back against a flat bench, your feet flat on the floor, and a barbell over your hips.
- Position: Roll the barbell over your hips and grip it evenly.
- Lift: Drive through your heels, thrust your hips upward, and squeeze your glutes at the top. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Pause: Hold briefly at the top with your glutes contracted.
- Lower: Lower your hips back to the starting position under control.
Seated Leg Curl
- Setup: Adjust a leg curl machine so the back of your lower legs rest on the pad and your knees are in line with the machine’s pivot.
- Grip: Grab the handles for support.
- Curl: Flex your knees to bring the pad down as far as comfortably possible, feeling the contraction in your hamstrings.
- Return: Slowly return to the starting position, resisting the weight.
Seated Calf Raise
- Setup: Sit at a seated calf raise machine, placing the balls of your feet on the platform and your thighs under the pad.
- Lift: Raise your heels as high as possible by squeezing your calves.
- Pause: Hold briefly at the top.
- Lower: Lower your heels as far as possible for a deep stretch in the calves.
To explore a structured progression for muscle gain, take a look at this comprehensive 12-week mass building workout.
How Long Will It Take a Woman to Build Muscle?
Physiologically, a change in muscle strength begins almost immediately after training, but visible results and true size changes take time (27).
For a beginner who is adhering to a structured plan, noticeable changes typically appear after 8 to 12 weeks of consistent training (27).
The Timeline of Adaptation
- Weeks 1-4 (Neural Adaptation): In the first month, most strength gains come from your nervous system learning to fire muscle fibers more efficiently (28). You’ll get stronger, but you may not see a size difference yet.
- Weeks 5-8 (Early Hypertrophy): Structural changes begin to accumulate. Glycogen storage increases, which makes muscles look “fuller”.
- Weeks 12+ (Visible Transformation): With consistent progressive overload, actual tissue accretion becomes visible.
On average, a woman can expect to gain 0.5 to 1.5 pounds of muscle per month in her first year of training. This rate decreases as you become more advanced.
Read more: Why You Should Combine Your Core and Cardio Workout Gym Routine Today
How Do I Know My Muscles Are Growing?
As muscle is denser than fat, the scale can be deceptive. You may be losing body fat while gaining muscle, which results in a stagnant scale weight (29). Instead, look for these signs to track your female muscle growth progression.
Improved Strength Metrics
If you’re lifting more weight for the same number of reps than you were last month, adaptation is occurring. Strength is highly correlated with muscle cross-sectional area (30).
If your squat 1RM goes from 100 lbs to 135 lbs, it’s highly likely you have built muscle tissue to support that load.
Changes in Body Measurements
The tape measure is often more honest than the scale.
- Waist: May decrease or stay the same.
- Glutes/Thighs: May increase in circumference.
- Shoulders/Arms: May show a slight increase.
If your waist is getting smaller while your hips remain the same or grow, you’re successfully recomping (building muscle while losing fat).
How Your Clothes Fit
Pay attention to how non-stretch clothing fits.
- Jeans feeling tighter in the thighs, but looser in the waist is a classic sign of lower body hypertrophy.
- Shirts feeling tighter around the shoulders or arms indicates upper-body growth.
The “Pump” During Training
While temporary, experiencing a “pump” – the swelling of a muscle due to increased blood flow during exercise – indicates you’re successfully targeting the muscle and creating metabolic stress. While a pump alone doesn’t guarantee growth, the absence of one may mean you aren’t engaging the target muscle effectively.
What Should a Woman Eat to Gain Muscle?
Training provides the stimulus, but nutrition provides the building blocks. Without adequate fuel, your body can’t synthesize new tissue. A wholesome muscle-gain diet requires a surplus of energy and specific macronutrient ratios (31).
Protein: The Building Blocks
Protein is non-negotiable for muscle repair (32).
- Recommendation: Consuming 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is optimal for maximizing muscle protein synthesis (32).
- Sources: Chicken breast, lean beef, turkey, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, lentils, and whey protein isolate.
- Timing: Aim to spread this intake across 3-5 meals per day to keep protein synthesis elevated.
Carbohydrates: The Fuel
Carbohydrates spare protein (preventing it from being used for energy) and fuel intense contractions (33).
- Recommendation: 3 to 5 grams per kilogram of body weight, depending on your activity level (34).
- Sources: Oats, rice, potatoes, quinoa, fruits, and whole-grain breads.
- Timing: Center your carb intake around your workout window (pre- and post-workout) to maximize performance and recovery.
Fats: Hormonal Health
Dietary fats are essential for many important processes, including hormone production, which involves testosterone and estrogen needed for growth (35).
- Recommendation: 20 to 35 % of total caloric intake (35).
- Sources: Avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish such as salmon.
Hydration and Micronutrients
Water is essential for transporting nutrients to cells, together with many other vital functions (36). Aim for at least 3 liters of water daily, but this can fluctuate depending on a variety of factors. In addition, make sure you’re getting enough:
- Iron: Vital for energy levels (37), particularly for menstruating women.
- Calcium and Vitamin D: Essential for bone health and muscle contraction (38, 39).
- Magnesium: Helps with muscle relaxation and recovery (40).
To explore the role of carbohydrates in effective muscle gain, check out our article, do you need carbs to build muscle?
To build muscle as efficiently as possible, a woman should consume a slight caloric surplus (250-500 calories above maintenance), prioritize protein intake (1.6-2.2g/kg), and follow a high-volume hypertrophy program that utilizes progressive overload. The classification of body types is largely based on physical appearance and general tendencies, but it lacks robust scientific backing. Research does not support the idea that individuals can be neatly categorized into one of three body types. Human physiology is far more complex, and factors such as genetics, hormonal profiles, nutrition, and training history play a much larger role in determining how easily someone builds muscle (15). Yes, eggs are an excellent food for muscle building as they provide high-quality protein with a perfect amino acid profile and healthy fats (in the yolk) that support hormonal health (41). A day of eating for muscle gain should include a protein source at every meal (e.g. eggs for breakfast, chicken for lunch, fish for dinner), complex carbohydrates to fuel training (oats, rice, potatoes), and healthy fats (avocado, nuts) to support cell function. Greek yogurt is a good muscle-building food as it contains roughly twice the protein of regular yogurt and is rich in casein protein, which digests slowly and provides a steady stream of amino acids to muscles (42).Frequently Asked Questions
How can a woman build muscle fast?
What body type builds muscle easily?
Are eggs good for building muscle?
What should I eat in a day to gain muscle?
Is Greek yogurt good for building muscle?
The Bottom Line
Building muscle as a woman isn’t about accidentally becoming “too bulky” overnight – it’s a deliberate, scientifically-driven process that requires patience, intensity, and fuel.
By following a structured plan, prioritizing progressive overload, and fueling your body with intention, you can achieve a female muscle growth transformation that enhances your strength, metabolism, and confidence. The journey to a stronger body starts with the decision to pick up the weights and the discipline to keep picking them up.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.
SOURCES:
- Anabolic signals and muscle hypertrophy – Significance for strength training in sports medicine (2025, sciencedirect.com)
- Molecular responses to acute exercise and their relevance for adaptations in skeletal muscle to exercise training (2021, journals.physiology.or) 2
- mTOR as a Key Regulator in Maintaining Skeletal Muscle Mass (2017, frontiersin.org) 3
- Mechanisms of IGF-1-Mediated Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy and Atrophy (2020, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) 4
- Signaling Pathways that Mediate Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: Effects of Exercise Training (2012, intechopen.com) 5
- Molecular responses to acute exercise and their relevance for adaptations in skeletal muscle to exercise training (2011, journals.physiology.org) 6
- Starring or Supporting Role? Satellite Cells and Skeletal Muscle Fiber Size Regulation (2017, journals.physiology.org)
- Revisiting the roles of protein synthesis during skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced by exercise (2019, journals.physiology.org)
- Hormones, Hypertrophy, and Hype: An Evidence-Guided Primer on Endogenous Endocrine Influences on Exercise-Induced Muscle Hypertrophy (2024, journals.lww.com)
- Position Stand on Androgen and Human Growth Hormone Use (2009, journals.lww.com)
- Effect of Estrogen on Musculoskeletal Performance and Injury Risk (2019, frontiersin.org)
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20842083/ (2010, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- The therapeutic potential of IGF-I in skeletal muscle repair (2013, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Understanding the role of growth hormone in situations of metabolic stress (2022, joe.bioscientifica.com)
- The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training (2010, journals.lww.com)
- Muscle damage and inflammation during recovery from exercise (2016, journals.physiology.org)
- Role of metabolic stress for enhancing muscle adaptations: Practical applications (2017, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Sex differences in absolute and relative changes in muscle size following resistance training in healthy adults: a systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis (2025, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Intensity of effort and momentary failure in resistance training: Are we asking a binary question for a continuous variable? (2022, sciencedirect.com)
- Progressive Overload Explained: Grow Muscle & Strength Today (n.d., blog.nasm.org)
- Complexity: A Novel Load Progression Strategy in Strength Training (2019, frontiersin.org)
- Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum (2021, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Power in the flow: how menstrual experiences shape women’s strength training performance (2025, frontiersin.org)
- Carbohydrates, Physical Training, and Sport Performance (2010, journals.lww.com)
- Low carbohydrate, high fat diet impairs exercise economy and negates the performance benefit from intensified training in elite race walkers (2016, physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- Rest interval between sets in strength training (2009, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Adaptations to Endurance and Strength Training (2018, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- The increase in muscle force after 4 weeks of strength training is mediated by adaptations in motor unit recruitment and rate coding (2019, physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com) 29
- The Difference Between Muscle Weight vs. Fat Weight (2024, health.clevelandclinic.org) 31
- Correlation Between Muscle Fiber Cross-Sectional Area And Strength Gain Using Three Different Resistance-Training Programs In College-Aged Women (2010, journals.lww.com) 32
- Is an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Resistance Training (2019, frontiersin.org) 33
- International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise (2017, jissn.biomedcentral.com) 34
- The Effect of Carbohydrate Intake on Strength and Resistance Training Performance: A Systematic Review (2022, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Current knowledge about sports nutrition (2011, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Athletes’ nutritional demands: a narrative review of nutritional requirements (2024, frontiersin.org)
- Water Intake, Water Balance, and the Elusive Daily Water Requirement (2018, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Unlocking iron: nutritional origins, metabolic pathways, and systemic significance (2025, frontiersin.org)
- Calcium (2024, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Vitamin D, muscle and bone: Integrating effects in development, aging and injury (2015, sciencedirect.com)
- Magnesium Matters: A Comprehensive Review of Its Vital Role in Health and Diseases (2024, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- The Health Benefits of Egg Protein (2022, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Greek Yogurt and 12 Weeks of Exercise Training on Strength, Muscle Thickness and Body Composition in Lean, Untrained, University-Aged Males (2019, frontiersin.org)
Reviewed by 
Reviewed by 
