Not all thigh muscles respond the same way — one part might grow a bit better with stopping short, while another grows a bit better with pushing to failure.

Scientific Claim

The effect of training proximity-to-failure on muscle hypertrophy may vary by specific muscle within the quadriceps — with slight differences favoring RIR for rectus femoris and failure for vastus lateralis — suggesting muscle-specific responses to training intensity.

Original Statement

“Between-protocol differences in RF thickness slightly favoured RIR [−0.036 cm (HDI: −0.113 to 0.047)], but VL thickness slightly favoured FAIL [0.033 cm (HDI: −0.046 to 0.116)].”

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

probability

Can suggest probability/likelihood

Assessment Explanation

The abstract uses cautious language ('slightly favoured') and reports overlapping credible intervals, indicating uncertainty. The claim appropriately reflects this nuance without overstating significance.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Similar muscle hypertrophy following eight weeks of resistance training to momentary muscular failure or with repetitions-in-reserve in resistance-trained individuals

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2024 Jan

The study found that training to failure and leaving a few reps in reserve built similar overall leg muscle, but tiny differences suggested one muscle (rectus femoris) might grow a bit better with leaving reps in reserve, while another (vastus lateralis) might prefer going all the way to failure.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Similar muscle hypertrophy following eight weeks of resistance training to momentary muscular failure or with repetitions-in-reserve in resistance-trained individuals

Score: 54

DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2321021

Similar Assertions

Muscles don’t grow evenly—when you train your thigh, the top and middle parts of the front muscle grow more than the bottom, and the side muscle grows the same everywhere.

78%

Lifting light or heavy weights until failure doesn’t clearly make your fast-twitch muscle fibers bigger in your thighs — the data is too mixed to say one is better.

74%

Whether you lift light weights or heavy weights until you can't do another rep, your slow-twitch muscle fibers in your thighs grow about the same amount — but we can't be sure because the results are too uncertain.

73%

Getting stronger from lifting weights doesn’t always mean your muscles are getting bigger—and vice versa. Strength and size don’t go hand in hand.

72%

Getting stronger from lifting weights doesn’t always mean your muscles are getting bigger—and vice versa. Strength and size don’t go hand in hand.

72%