The Study
Effect of Resistance Training to Muscle Failure vs. Volitional Interruption at High- and Low-Intensities on Muscle Mass and Strength
This study is like a science experiment where people were randomly assigned to different exercise plans. It shows that these specific exercise methods really did cause muscle growth and strength gains in the people who did them. But we can't be sure it would work exactly the same for everyone else.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Stopping before your muscles get too tired builds muscle and strength as much as pushing to complete exhaustion, whether using heavy or light weights.
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 554 / 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, these are meaningful improvements for beginners.
- 2Strength increased 26–34%, muscle size 6–8%, muscle angle 9% after 12 weeks.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2018
Authors
S. Nóbrega, C. Ugrinowitsch, Lucas Pintanel, Cintia Barcelos, C. Libardi
Related Content
Videos (2)
Claims (6)
When men who don't usually exercise start lifting weights, the angle of their muscle fibers changes by about 9% in 12 weeks. It doesn't matter if they lift heavy or light weights, or if they push until they can't do any more reps or not.
Lifting lighter weights can build just as much muscle as lifting heavy weights in beginners over 12 weeks, even if you do fewer total reps.
For beginners, stopping resistance exercises just before your muscles give out works just as well as pushing to complete failure for building muscle strength and size, whether you're lifting heavy or light weights.
When untrained men lift heavy weights, their muscles work harder and show more activity than when they lift lighter weights, no matter how many times they lift until they can't anymore.
When untrained men lift weights until they can't do any more reps, they get more tired over time compared to stopping earlier, meaning their muscles wear out faster.
When men who don't usually exercise do high-intensity weight training for 12 weeks, they lift more total weight overall than if they do low-intensity training, even if they do the same number of workouts and sets.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.