Do workout styles make your legs bigger or stronger?
Muscle power and muscle hypertrophy of the lower limbs among practitioners of functional fitness training and strength training
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Functional fitness and strength training produced identical muscle hypertrophy despite vastly different training styles.
Most assume weightlifting is the gold standard for muscle growth, while CrossFit is seen as more endurance-focused—yet here, they’re neck-and-neck in muscle size.
Practical Takeaways
If you want bigger legs and explosive power, choose the training style you enjoy most—CrossFit or weightlifting both work equally well.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Functional fitness and strength training produced identical muscle hypertrophy despite vastly different training styles.
Most assume weightlifting is the gold standard for muscle growth, while CrossFit is seen as more endurance-focused—yet here, they’re neck-and-neck in muscle size.
Practical Takeaways
If you want bigger legs and explosive power, choose the training style you enjoy most—CrossFit or weightlifting both work equally well.
Publication
Journal
Sport Sciences for Health
Year
2023
Authors
Silas Nery de Oliveira, G. M. B. Zapello, D. Knihs, G. Fischer, A. Moro
Related Content
Claims (9)
People who do CrossFit and people who lift weights end up with about the same size leg muscles after years of training — the type of workout doesn’t seem to change muscle growth much.
Just because CrossFit and weightlifters jumped about the same height doesn’t mean they’re equally powerful — the test might not have been sensitive enough to spot a real difference.
People who do CrossFit, lift weights, or just stay active all generate about the same peak power when jumping — no one group is significantly stronger or more explosive.
Whether you do CrossFit or lift weights regularly, your thigh muscles end up about the same size after years of training.
People who do CrossFit might jump a little higher than weightlifters, but the difference is so small it could just be random chance.