The barbell squat max is a good way to tell if one training method makes you stronger than another—even if you do the same total number of reps and sets.

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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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

The study found that people who did rest-pause squats got significantly stronger in their one-rep max than those who did regular squats, even though both groups did the same total amount of work—so yes, the one-rep max test is good at spotting this difference.

Contradicting (0)

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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

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.

77%

When women who lift weights do squats with a really heavy weight (close to their max), their leg and butt muscles have to work a lot harder than when they use lighter weights.

73%

For women who lift weights regularly, squatting with 80% or 90% of your max weight activates your muscles about the same — going heavier doesn’t seem to turn on more muscle once you hit that range.

71%

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.

70%