Identifying the best workout to build muscle, particularly if you are over 40 can be a real challenge.

There are at least three different types of muscle fibers, type 1 slow twitch and type 2 fast twitch and ultra-fast twitch fibers, known as type 2a and type 2x respectively. Each of these muscle fiber types have different characteristics and can be trained differently in order to cause them to grow.

Understanding whether focusing on training specific for the different muscle fiber types for overall hypertrophy is an interesting and currently trending topic.

Type 1 fibers, also called slow twitch muscle fibers have a low threshold of activation and are recruited first by the nervous system. They generate force slowly and therefore have lower power output. Slow twitch fibers, which are primarily oxidative in metabolism fatigue slowly and are ideally suited to endurance low-intensity exercise or activities. Low intensity resistance training involves using lighter weights, perhaps below 40% of the 1 rep max lift (or 1RM) for higher numbers of reps (over 15) for a longer time under tension (or TUT). Given the endurance of these slow twitch fibers, a shorter recovery or rest interval is usually required when performing low intensity exercises which primarily recruit these type 1 fibers.

On the other hand, type 2 fibers also called fast twitch fibers - type 2a and type 2x - have a higher threshold of activation and require heavier weight or greater intensity for recruitment. Fast twitch fibers contract quickly with high power output. They generally rely on creatine phosphate stores and anaerobic glycolysis for energy generation, and therefore fatigue much more quickly that the slow twitch fibers. Fast twitch fibers are therefore more readily suited to high intensity or heavy weight exercise and activities, as well as those involving explosive powerful movements.

Slow and fast twitch fibers have similar potentials for hypertrophy or overall growth potential, particularly under conditions where low-intensity exercise is performed to failure.

Effective strategies for overall muscle growth or hypertrophy should focus on stimulating the growth of all muscle fiber types, both slow and fast twitch.

Therefore, to maximize hypertrophy, the best workout plan should:
✅ Include both low intensity, high rep range and high intensity low rep range exercises
✅ Low intensity exercises or sets should be taken often, but not always, to failure
✅ Advanced training techniques such as drop sets, rest pause sets, pyramid sets should be performed to fully stimulate the range of fiber types within a muscle or muscle group
✅ Although training to failure is a good approach, care should be taken to avoid extreme fatigue and overuse
✅ All training programs and workout plans should be periodized
✅ Both linear and nonlinear periodization approaches have been proven superior to non-periodized workout plans
✅ When a linear periodization approach is used, stepwise increases in intensity should be employed
✅ For nonlinear periodization, modifications to intensity may occur daily, weekly, or every other week

Overall, there may not be a significant benefit for long-term focus on any one muscle fiber type. 📅

Rather, ensuring that your workout approach and training program incorporate common strategies to increase time under tension like drop sets, pyramid sets and rest pause sets as well as be pre-planned and periodized are likely the best approaches for maximizing overall muscle growth or muscle hypertrophy

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