Mechanical tension
Mechanical tension is the force a muscle produces against a load and is considered the main stimulus for hypertrophy.
Also known as: Tension stimulus
When a muscle contracts against a demanding resistance, sensors in the fibers fire signals that lead to muscle protein construction. That is why lifting challenging loads and taking sets close to failure (with solid technique) is usually more decisive for growth than any isolated advanced technique.
Mechanical tension is one of the three classic mechanisms of hypertrophy, alongside muscle damage and metabolic stress — and the most important of them. Increasing it over time is the essence of progressive overload. SelfShapeAI works in its favor by guiding load, reps and proximity to failure, and logging that progression workout by workout.
See also
Sources
Scientific references behind this entry.
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