More lifting makes you bigger and stronger, but after a while, extra sets help less for strength than for muscle size.
Scientific Claim
The relationship between weekly resistance training volume and strength gains exhibits stronger diminishing returns than the relationship between volume and muscle hypertrophy.
Original Statement
“Higher weekly volume is associated with greater hypertrophy and strength, with stronger diminishing returns for strength.”
Context Details
Domain
exercise
Population
human
Subject
weekly resistance training volume
Action
exhibits
Target
stronger diminishing returns for strength gains than for muscle hypertrophy
Intervention Details
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (2)
The Resistance Training Dose Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains.
More lifting helps you get stronger and bigger, but after a certain point, getting stronger doesn’t improve much no matter how much more you lift—whereas getting bigger keeps improving a bit longer.
The Resistance Training Dose Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains
More workouts build bigger muscles and make you stronger, but after a while, adding more workouts helps strength much less than it helps muscle growth — this study proves that.