The Claim

In previously resistance-trained young adult males, eight weeks of volume-equated high-repetition (12, 10, 8 reps) and low-repetition (6, 4, 2 reps) daily undulating periodization programs resulted in similar increases in one-repetition maximum strength for squat and bench press, as well as similar increases in muscle thickness of the chest, distal lateral quadriceps, and anterior quadriceps.

Source: Volume-equated high- and low-repetition daily undulating programming strategies produce similar hypertrophy and strength adaptations.

What the research says

Supports is higher

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

Supports
45score
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

In young adult males with prior weight training experience, eight weeks of either high-repetition or low-repetition resistance training programs, matched for total workload, produced identical gains in maximal strength and muscle thickness in the squat, bench press, chest, and quadriceps muscles.

See the scientific wording

In previously resistance-trained young adult males, eight weeks of volume-equated high-repetition (12, 10, 8 reps) and low-repetition (6, 4, 2 reps) daily undulating periodization programs resulted in similar increases in one-repetition maximum strength for squat and bench press, as well as similar increases in muscle thickness of the chest, distal lateral quadriceps, and anterior quadriceps, indicating that repetition range may not be a critical determinant of these adaptations when total training volume is held constant.

Why this might work

When muscles are repeatedly stressed with heavy or light weights as long as the total weight lifted is the same, the muscle fibers break down slightly and rebuild stronger, while the nervous system gets better at activating more muscle fibers, leading to bigger and stronger muscles.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study

  1. Study: Volume-equated high- and low-repetition daily undulating programming strategies produce similar hypertrophy and strength adaptations.

    In guys who already lift weights, doing workouts with either lots of reps or few reps—while keeping the total work the same—led to the same strength and muscle gains. So, it’s not about how many reps you do per set, but how much you lift overall.

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

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