If you're already experienced with weightlifting, doing rest-pause sets (short breaks between reps) for 8 weeks might help you lift a little more weight in squats than doing regular sets, but not better than drop sets.

Scientific Claim

In resistance-trained males, rest-pause training for 8 weeks, with equalized total volume, may lead to slightly greater improvements in barbell back squat 1RM compared to traditional resistance training, but not compared to drop-set training.

Original Statement

“Post hoc comparisons revealed that RP promoted higher 1RM than TRT (P = 0.001); no statistical differences in strength were observed between the other conditions.”

From study:Rest-pause and drop-set training elicit similar strength and hypertrophy adaptations compared to traditional sets in resistance-trained males.

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

probability

Can suggest probability/likelihood

Assessment Explanation

Randomization supports causal inference, but the abstract lacks effect sizes or confidence intervals, so 'may lead to slightly greater' is more appropriate than definitive language.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Rest-pause and drop-set training elicit similar strength and hypertrophy adaptations compared to traditional sets in resistance-trained males.

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2021 Nov

In a study with trained guys lifting weights, those who used rest-pause sets got stronger on the squat than those who did regular sets, but not stronger than those who used drop sets — just like the claim said.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Rest-pause and drop-set training elicit similar strength and hypertrophy adaptations compared to traditional sets in resistance-trained males.

Score: 54

DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2021-0278

Similar Assertions

For guys who already lift weights, doing short bursts of heavy lifts with brief rests in between can help them lift a little more weight after 8 weeks than doing regular sets, even if they do the same total amount of work.

96%

Doing short bursts of heavy lifts with brief rests in between can make you stronger in squats a little more than doing regular sets, if you're already trained and doing the same total amount of work.

94%

Whether you use rest-pause, drop sets, or regular sets, as long as you do the same total amount of work, your thigh muscles grow about the same size after 8 weeks of training.

79%

When people who already lift weights do drop sets or rest-pause sets instead of regular sets—while doing the same total amount of work—they don’t get bigger thigh muscles any faster or more than with normal training.

78%

When people do the same total amount of lifting work, whether they use rest-pause, drop-sets, or regular sets, their upper and middle thighs grow about the same.

76%