For elite male judo players, doing explosive strength training with light weights—without pushing to the point of exhaustion—works just as well or even better for building muscle and strength than going until their muscles give out.

For male judo athletes who are already pretty advanced, lifting heavy weights for 6 weeks might build more muscle and strength than doing fast, light lifts—even if both workouts push muscles to the max.

If elite male judo guys do bicep curls with dumbbells twice a week for six weeks—whether they go super fast with light weights, lift heavy until they can’t anymore, or go fast without pushing to failure—their biceps still get thicker and stronger, even during their competition season.

If super strong male judo guys bulk up more with heavy weight training, they might actually get less powerful for their size, meaning bigger muscles don’t always mean better performance.

Lifting heavy weights until you can't lift anymore makes young male athletes much stronger than lifting lighter weights over 8 weeks, showing that heavier loads train muscles and nerves better.

Lifting heavy weights until you can't lift anymore makes young male athletes much stronger than lifting light weights over 8 weeks, even if both make muscles grow about the same size.