ASSESSMENT PROJECT: CREATING MAXIMAL SKELETAL MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY

Rating Scale Description

1. I am creating a grading rubric for the purpose of evaluating a strength training athlete's overall ability to maximize muscular hypertrophy for growth of lean muscle tissue. Muscular hypertrophy can be obtained through technical anaerobic exercise movements and the athlete will be graded on their ability to execute these compound movements. Hypothesis goes as follows: If a weightlifter can create suitable time under tension and resistance that can activate the working muscle's connective fibers, then the athlete will generate muscular hypertrophy because of the progressive overload induced on the muscle being worked.

2. This assessment will pertain to healthy adult male and female strength training athletes from ages 18-40. Creating maximum muscular hypertrophy for growth is not possible as a novice weightlifter with no prior training/knowledge on particular weight training movements. The assessment and grading rubric is made specific for intermediate to advanced weightlifters whose ideal goal is to gain lean body tissue through specific anaerobic resistance training methods.

3. I am using my grading rubric as a pretest evaluation on each specific athlete to determine their baseline ability to exercise in a way that is conducive to creating muscular hypertrophy. In order for the athlete to adjust their weight training methods to maximize their potential results, an initial test on ability must be graded. This assessment will be used as an indicator to what aspects of anerobic weight training should to be worked on in order to properly gain muscle without injury or incorrect movement. The same grading system/rubric will be used after a 12 week training period as a posttest evaluation to mark improvements in training methods.

4. There are a variety of characteristics and components of inducing skeletal muscle hypertrophy through anaerobic exercise. It is very common for an even advanced lifter to exercise in a way that there isn’t enough recruitment of muscle fibers to increase the number of satellite cells in the body. Satellite cells function to facilitate growth, maintenance, and repair of damaged skeletal tissue. When a strength training athlete is lifting for the goal to increase muscle mass, the athlete must activate these dormant satellite cells by creating musculature overload through time under tension, micro trauma, and resistance overload. These components of skeletal muscle hypertrophy can be accomplished by lifting weights in a specific manner/form to create this recruitment of muscle fibers and cells within the body. I have selected to emphasize the significance of creating muscular hypertrophy because of the current quackery and false claims refuting the actual science of weight training exercise and how to gain lean muscle tissue. I am advocating this method of exercise physiology as the optimal way to increase body mass and overall anaerobic output.

5. My grading rubric has a specific grading scale evaluating an athlete’s overall ability to create muscular hypertrophy. Each athlete will participate in 7 different compound movements that require 7 specific ways to carry those movements correctly. Each compound movement goes as follows: Bench Press, Squat, Deadlift, Close Grip Bench Press, Seated Military Press, Pull-ups, and Bicep Curls. Each lift has a maximum point scale that can be obtained from completing each section. An athlete will be graded on form, time under tension, the ability to create resistance on eccentric portion of the rep, lifting velocity at 10 plus reps, and the ability to induce intensity by completing proper concentric form of each lift. There will be a maximum of 20 points per each lift that can be obtained overall in the grading rubric This will be a maximum total of 140 points. This rubric is a pretest that will be used as a posttest also after 12 weeks of hypertrophy training. NOTE: THIS IS NOT A GRADING EVALUATION ON INSTRUCTION FOR LIFTING WEIGHTS. THIS IS AN EVALUATION ON HOW TO TRAIN SPECIFIC FOR MUSCULAR GROWTH BY CREATING HYPERTROPHY-HIGH VOLUME HIGH INTENSITY.

6. Before the athlete's participate in the pretest and the grading rubric is used, the testing administrator needs to be aware of the following:

  • Standard Olympic Barbell equipment and weights must be used to accurately document the amount of weight lifted. ( York, CAP, and Uesaka are accredited Olympic Weight Brands)
  • All athletes are on a specific macronutrient diet that is in a 500 calorie surplus in order to properly measure the amount of weight gained after the 12 week training regimen. At that point the same evaluation will be administered and measurements will be taken.
  • All athletes must have received medical clearance by a Medical Doctor in order to participate in high intensity, high volume anaerobic exercise. Athlete’s measurements are also taken prior to engaging in the pretest evaluation.
  • All athletes will receive previous instruction by Strength and Conditioning professional to carry out the compound weightlifting movements with proper form to prevent athletic injury.
  • There will be a maximum of 2 compound movements performed each day in order to prevent fatigue and inaccurate results on the remaining lifts.
  • Athletes may not use any other equipment that may assist them in certain lifts. Weight belts and lifting straps or shirts shall not be permitted for this evaluation.
  • Each lift will be performed at 75% of the athlete's 1 max repetition. (For example: Greg bench presses 400 pounds maximum, he will be benching 300 pounds for numerous repetitions in this exercise.)

7. Results will be analyzed evaluating each compound movement individually and then evaluate the grading rubric overall for a maximum total of 140 points. This will not be a pass/fail assessment as this is being used as a tool to evaluate what technical aspects of each compound movement has to be improved in order to maximize muscular output. After the 12 week training process the same assessment will be administered to see if the athlete’s ability to create hypertrophy and take posttest body measurements. The posttest body measurements plus the grading scale combined will show if the athlete was able to put on lean muscle tissue by creating skeletal muscle hypertrophy through intense anaerobic training. This will be an overall summative assessment as the grading rubric is being used as a pretest to evaluate the athlete’s technical ability, and then used as a posttest to mark improvement.

Resources:

Richard Joshua Hernandez, B.S. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D.The Mystery of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy.Retrieved November 30, 2014, from

NAME: ______

DATE: ______

AGE: ______

ATHLETIC SPORT: ______

HEIGHT:

WEIGHT (LBS):

MEASUREMENTS IN INCHES: (PRETEST)

ARMS
NECK
CALVES
THIGHS
CHEST
WAIST
MAX POINTS / Bench Press / Barbell squat / Deadlift (NON OLYMPIC) / Seated Military Press / Pull ups-Medium prone grip / Close GRIP BENCH PRESS / Barbell bicep curl
4 / Demonstrates proper eccentric form by lowering weight bar down to chest (4secs) / Demonstrates proper eccentric form by squatting down parallel 90° at the knees / Demonstrates proper form by lifting bar up from ground engaging posterior muscles of the body / Demonstrates proper eccentric form by lowering weight bar down below the chin or full range of motion / Demonstrates proper form by lifting bodyweight up above pull up bar for full range of motion / Demonstrates proper eccentric form by lowering weight bar down to chest (4secs) / Demonstrates proper eccentric form by lowering barbell at arm’s length for full range of motion
3 / Holds weight bar at chest level with elbows at 90° / Chest is bowed out and lower back kept at upright position / Hips are above the bar and weight is distributed to the heels of the feet / Elbows are parallel to each other and at 90° / Grip is pronated and wider than shoulder width / Holds weight bar at chest level with elbows close to body. / Grip is underhand and shoulder width apart
3 / Demonstrates proper concentric form by lifting weight bar up from chest and locking arms out / Ascends properly without letting the knees bow inward. Driving the weight with the heels of your feet / Ascends properly by bringing the barbell above knees and driving hips forward using flexors/glutes / Demonstrates proper concentric form by pressing the barbell up above head and locking arms out / Demonstrates proper concentric form by pulling body up to where your chin is above the pull up bar / Demonstrates proper concentric form by lifting weight bar up from chest and locking arms out / Demonstrates proper concentric form by curling the bar towards your chest.
3 / Shows proper time under tension and pectoral hypertrophy by squeezing chest at each repetition / Shows proper time under tension and leg hypertrophy by squatting parallel through each eccentric repetition / Creates hypertrophy by not locking concentric repetition and stopping eccentric rep below knee / Shows proper time under tension and deltoid hypertrophy by pressing with arms without engaging chest&back / Shows proper time under tension by not locking the arms out or swinging the body for momentum / Shows proper time under tension and tricep hypertrophy by squeezing triceps at the concentric peak / Shows proper time under tension by squeezing the bicep at the concentric peak and squeezing the triceps at the eccentric peak
3 / Hand placement is slightly wider than shoulder width along with a prone grip hold. / Leg positioning is slightly wider than shoulder width with feet slightly angled outward. / Leg positioning is shoulder width w/ bar flush against the shins. / Back is flush against the back of seat and grip is pronated and shoulder width / Body is pulled by arms only engaging
the entire back
in the process / Grip is pronated and positioned inside of anterior deltoids. / Body is in a still position without using the back for momentum.
2 / Shows increased time under tension by performing 3 sets of 10+reps / Shows increased time under tension by performing 4 sets of 12+reps / Shows increased time under tension by performing 3 sets of 10 reps / Shows increased time under tension by performing 3 sets of 10 reps / Shows increased time under tension by performing 3 failure sets / Shows increased time under tension by performing 3 sets of 10 reps / Shows increased time under tension by performing 3 sets of 10 reps
2 / Takes 180 secs between sets for maximal anabolic response / Takes 180 secs between sets for maximal anabolic response / Takes 180 secs between sets for maximal anabolic response / Takes 180 secs between sets for maximal anabolic response / Takes 180 secs between sets for maximal anabolic response / Takes 180 secs between sets for maximal anabolic response / Takes 180 secs between sets for maximal anabolic response
Total :

GRADING RUBRIC: CREATING MAXIMAL MUSCULAR HYPERTROPHY WITH COMPOUND MOVEMENTS