The Claim
In resistance-trained individuals, increasing the number of repetitions while maintaining constant load produces similar lower-body muscle hypertrophy across most quadriceps and calf muscle sites over an 8-week period compared to increasing load while maintaining constant repetitions.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
Among people who regularly lift weights, increasing the number of repetitions with the same weight leads to the same amount of muscle growth in the quadriceps and calf muscles over eight weeks as increasing the weight with the same number of repetitions.
See the scientific wording
In resistance-trained individuals, increasing the number of repetitions while maintaining constant load produces similar lower-body muscle hypertrophy across most quadriceps and calf muscle sites over an 8-week period compared to increasing load while maintaining constant repetitions, suggesting repetition progression is a viable alternative to load progression for muscle growth.
When doing many reps with the same weight, some leg muscles get tired faster from built-up waste products, forcing other muscles to work harder to finish the movement. This extra work stretches and stresses those muscles enough to trigger growth, matching the growth seen when lifting heavier weights.
What the research says
1 studyFor people who already lift weights, doing more reps with the same weight builds leg muscles just as well as lifting heavier weights with the same number of reps—over 8 weeks, both methods worked equally well.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.