072 Why you’re probably reading hypertrophy studies wrong

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris start with a bizarre 1950s workout from Barton Horvath before breaking down how to actually understand hypertrophy research. They discuss what common measurements such as muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, EMG and strength testing really tell us, where they can mislead us, and why understanding the physiology behind a study matters as much as reading its results.

Key topics include:

Barton Horvath’s 1950s “unusual” routineWhat researchers actually mean when they measure “hypertrophy,” and the differences between muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, muscle volume and muscle biopsiesWhat EMG can and cannot tell us about muscle activation, recruitment and exercise selectionWhat researchers actually mean by “recovery"Why vertical jump performance can be more sensitive to fatigue than maximal isometric strengthThe difference between a large numerical effect and a statistically significant effect

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