The Study
Strength And Muscular Adaptations Following 6 Weeks Of Rest-Pause Versus Traditional Multiple-Sets Resistance Training In Trained Subjects.
This study is like a test where people were randomly put into two groups to try different exercise methods. It suggests one method might be better for muscle endurance and size, 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
Two ways to lift weights were tested for 6 weeks in people who already exercise.
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 546 / 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, rest-pause training could help you do more leg reps and build bigger thigh muscles compared to regular training.
- 2Both ways made people similarly stronger.
- 3Rest-pause made legs much more enduring (27% better vs.
- 48%) and thighs thicker (11% bigger vs.
- 51%).
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of strength and conditioning research
Year
2017
Authors
J. Prestes, R. Tibana, Eduardo de Araujo Sousa, D. da Cunha Nascimento, Pollyanna de Oliveira Rocha, N. Camarço, N. M. Frade de Sousa, J. Willardson
Related Content
Claims (4)
This claim says that taking short breaks during sets or dropping weight between sets are useful training tricks for certain situations.
For people who already work out, taking short breaks during leg exercises leads to much better muscle stamina—27% better—than doing sets without breaks, which only improves by 8% after 6 weeks.
If you're already fit and do a special type of weight training called rest-pause for 6 weeks, you'll get just as strong as with regular training, and there's no real difference between the two methods.
When adults who already work out tried a special rest-pause weightlifting method for 6 weeks, their thigh muscles grew 11% thicker, while those doing regular weightlifting only saw 1% growth.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.