When you do weightlifting with changing resistance (like bands or machines that get harder or easier), your muscles briefly turn on a growth signal called MyoG more than with regular weights—but this doesn’t mean you’ll end up bigger in the long run.

42

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

42

Community contributions welcome

42

Resistance training variable manipulations are less relevant than intrinsic biology in affecting muscle fiber hypertrophy

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2022 May

The study found that mixing up your workout routine (like changing weights and rest times) makes a muscle gene (MyoG) spike more right after exercise than doing the same routine every time — but in the end, both types of training built the same amount of muscle. So the bigger spike doesn’t mean bigger muscles.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Resistance training variable manipulations are less relevant than intrinsic biology in affecting muscle fiber hypertrophy

Score: 42

DOI: 10.1111/sms.14134

Similar Assertions

When people who already work out do a type of lifting where the resistance changes during the movement, their muscles send out a stronger 'grow' signal right after — but that doesn’t mean they end up bigger than if they did regular lifting.

42

0

90%

Lifting weights helps people build bigger, stronger muscles, probably because it makes their muscles produce more protein and release helpful signaling molecules that help them grow and work better.

1

0

73%

When you lift weights, your muscles release special signaling molecules that might help your body build bigger muscles and get stronger overall.

1

0

72%

Lifting weights makes your muscles start building more protein right after the workout, and mixing up your routine a little bit gives your muscles a tiny extra boost right after lifting—but in the long run, both routines build about the same amount of muscle.

46

0

72%