Rest-pause training helps you lift heavier without making your muscles bigger—so maybe your nervous system gets better at using your muscles, not just your muscles getting bigger.
Scientific Claim
In resistance-trained males, the absence of between-group differences in hypertrophy despite a strength advantage with rest-pause training suggests that neural adaptations may play a larger role in strength gains than muscle growth.
Original Statement
“Our findings suggest that RP promotes slightly superior strength-related improvements compared with TRT, but hypertrophic adaptations are similar between conditions.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
probability
Can suggest probability/likelihood
Assessment Explanation
The authors infer a mechanistic interpretation from divergent outcomes. Probability language is required due to lack of direct neural measurements and small sample size.
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.
People who used rest-pause training got stronger without their muscles growing bigger than others, which means their strength gains probably came from their nerves getting better at telling muscles to work harder, not from bigger muscles.