The Study
Effect of High-Intensity vs. Moderate-Intensity Resistance Training on Strength, Power, and Muscle Soreness in Male Academy Soccer Players
This study compared two ways of lifting weights and found that both helped soccer players get stronger and jump higher — but it didn't prove one way is better than the other. It's like testing two different study methods and seeing which one helps you get a better grade — you can say both worked, but you can't say one is the best unless you test it more carefully.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Two groups of teenage soccer players lifted weights once a week for six weeks—one group lifted super heavy but did few reps, the other lifted lighter but did more reps. A third group didn’t lift at all.
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 569 / 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 means soccer players can get stronger and more powerful with less time and effort by lifting heavier weights fewer times, without extra soreness.
- 2Both weight-lifting groups got stronger and jumped higher than the non-lifters.
- 3Only the heavy-lifting group jumped farther horizontally.
- 4Neither group got faster at sprinting.
- 5The heavy group lifted 58% less total weight but felt just as sore as the other group.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2023
Authors
S. McQuilliam, D. Clark, R. Erskine, Thomas E. Brownlee
Related Content
Claims (10)
People who have previously built muscle can maintain that muscle with low training volume if they train at high intensity.
When male academy soccer players perform high-intensity weight training at 90% of their maximum strength versus moderate-intensity training at 80% of their maximum strength, they experience the same level of muscle soreness afterward, even though the high-intensity session uses 58% less total work. This suggests that the total amount of work performed, not how hard each lift is, determines how sore the muscles become.
Male academy soccer players who train with heavy weights (90% of their maximum lift) jump farther horizontally after training than those who train with moderate weights (80% of their maximum lift), even though both groups improve their vertical jump height and strength.
In male academy soccer players, lifting weights at 90% of maximum strength causes no more muscle soreness after exercise than lifting at 80% of maximum strength, even though the higher intensity workout uses 58% less total weight lifted.
Training with weights at 70–85% of maximum capacity results in larger increases in maximal strength and power than training with lighter weights.
In male soccer players aged 16 to 19, one weekly session of high-intensity resistance training with heavy weights and few repetitions improves strength and jump performance to the same degree as a session with lighter weights and more repetitions, even though the high-intensity session uses 58% less total work.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.