The Study
Early-phase muscular adaptations in response to slow-speed versus traditional resistance-training regimens
This study is like a science experiment where people were randomly put into different exercise groups. It shows that certain types of exercise might cause muscle changes, but we can't be completely sure because we only have a short summary of the study.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists tested different ways of lifting weights to see which makes muscles grow best.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 541 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this shows how training speed and weight affect muscle growth in real people.
- 2Slow lifting made muscles grow more than normal lifting with light weights, but normal lifting with heavy weights made muscles grow the most overall.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Year
2012
Authors
M. Schuenke, Jennifer R. Herman, Roger M. Gliders, F. Hagerman, R. S. Hikida, Sharon R. Rana, K. Ragg, R. Staron
Related Content
Videos (2)
Claims (4)
For women who haven't lifted weights before, doing traditional heavy strength training with slow, controlled movements for 6 weeks gives the best overall muscle growth in all types of muscle fibers.
When women who haven't trained before do weightlifting for 6 weeks, their fast-twitch muscle fibers change: some decrease while others increase, and this happens no matter how fast or hard they train.
Performing resistance exercises with very slow repetitions results in less muscle growth than performing the same exercises at normal speeds.
For women new to lifting weights, doing slow reps with longer muscle contractions builds more muscle strength and size faster than regular-speed lifting at the same effort level over 6 weeks.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.