ABOUT THIS EPISODE
How does muscle actually grow?
In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy launch a new Performance Series by breaking down hypertrophy — the science of building muscle size, improving tissue capacity, and training smarter for long-term strength, athletic performance, and injury prevention.
This episode goes beyond “lift heavy and get sore.” Muscle growth is not just about damage. It is about remodeling, mechanical tension, protein synthesis, recovery, rep ranges, tendon preparation, nervous system signaling, and how the body adapts to repeated stress over time.
Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy explain why hypertrophy training should not only focus on the muscle belly, but also the tendon, musculotendinous junction, fascia, capillary beds, motor units, and joint capacity. They also discuss why training angles matter, why full range of motion must be earned, why failure training is not always necessary, and why recovery is where growth actually happens.
In this episode, we cover:
Hypertrophy and how muscle actually grows
Muscle belly vs. tendon training
The musculotendinous junction
Mechanical tension and protein synthesis
Muscle remodeling vs. muscle damage
Why “no pain, no gain” is incomplete
Sliding filament theory and movement angles
Sarcomeres, muscle fibers, fascia, and ribosomes
Type 1, Type 2, and Type 2X muscle fibers
Rep ranges for hypertrophy
Why 6–15 reps is a practical starting point
Training close to failure without always going to failure
Weekly volume and sets per muscle
Diminishing returns and overtraining risk
Tendon warm-ups and short-to-long loading
Full range of motion vs. controlled range of motion
Hypertrophy vs. strength, power, and athletic performance
Rate of perceived exertion
Stimulate, retrain, and detrain phases
Recovery, sleep, nutrition, and long-term adaptation
Key takeaway:
Hypertrophy is not just muscle damage. Hypertrophy is remodeling.
The goal is to create enough mechanical tension to signal growth, then give the body enough recovery, nutrition, sleep, and time to adapt.
The muscle belly matters.
The tendon matters.
The nervous system matters.
The joint matters.
And recovery matters more than most people think.
If you want to build muscle that lasts, stop only chasing soreness and start training the entire system.
Resources:
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/myonuclear-muscle-memory/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-025-02344-w?utm
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/11/1041?utm
https://simplifaster.com/articles/keep-getting-faster-on-your-own-four-more-weeks-of-speed-training/
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Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.
