The Claim

In trained females, progressive increases in training volume of two sets per fortnight and four sets per fortnight result in similar improvements in leg press one-repetition maximum and vastus lateralis cross-sectional area over a 12-week period, indicating a plateau effect beyond a minimum volume threshold.

Source: Does increasing the resistance-training volume lead to greater gains? The effects of weekly set progressions on muscular adaptations in females

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
47score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Description
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Among women who already train regularly, increasing leg workout volume by either two or four sets every two weeks leads to the same gains in leg strength and muscle size after 12 weeks, suggesting that going beyond a certain volume does not produce additional benefits.

See the scientific wording

In trained females, a progressive increase of two sets per fortnight and four sets per fortnight both lead to similar improvements in leg press one-repetition maximum and vastus lateralis cross-sectional area over 12 weeks, suggesting a plateau effect beyond a minimum volume threshold.

Why this might work

When muscles are trained regularly, they build more protein up to a certain point. After that, adding more workouts doesn’t make them grow any bigger or stronger because the muscle cells can’t use extra stress to make more protein.

Supported mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Does increasing the resistance-training volume lead to greater gains? The effects of weekly set progressions on muscular adaptations in females

    In women who already lift weights, increasing leg workouts by either 2 or 4 extra sets every two weeks led to the same strength and muscle gains after 12 weeks—so doing more didn’t help beyond a certain point.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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