Mixed

Macroscopic increases in muscle size (hypertrophy) do not necessarily reflect proportional increases in contractile (myofibrillar) protein; instead, they often result from sarcoplasmic expansion (fluid, glycogen, non-contractile proteins), leading to a dilution of myofibrillar protein concentration.

When you see muscle size increase, do not automatically assume it is all 'quality' contractile tissue. A significant portion of early or even chronic hypertrophy can be 'sarcoplasmic'—driven by fluid, glycogen, and non-contractile proteins. This means your strength-to-size ratio might not improve as much as your tape measure suggests. Focus on strength metrics and protein synthesis markers, not just visual size, to gauge true contractile adaptation.