Scoring v0.1 - AI v0.1

We Have a Study on Cheat Reps (Finally)

By House of Hypertrophy

Our Score

15 / 100
0 / 100

Main point

Cheat reps may be as effective as strict reps for muscle hypertrophy, but more research is needed to fully understand their effects and safety.

Tl;Dw:

  • When you lift weights, you can use strict form or cheat a little by swinging the weight
  • A study found that cheating a little didn't make your muscles bigger any faster than using strict form
  • But it's still important to be careful when lifting weights so you don't get hurt
  • More research is needed to know for sure if cheating is okay or not
  • You should always try to use good form when lifting weights, but a little cheating might not be the end of the world

Summary

A study was conducted on 25 previously untrained individuals to compare the effects of cheat reps and strict reps on muscle hypertrophy. The participants trained unilateral dumbbell curls and push downs two times per week for 8 weeks, with one arm using cheat reps and the other arm using strict reps. The results showed that increases in muscle thickness were similar between both conditions, suggesting that the use of external momentum in cheat reps neither helped nor hindered hypertrophy of the target muscles. The study's findings are informative, but more evidence is needed to fully understand the effects of cheat reps on muscle growth and safety. The conclusion is that while cheat reps may not be as effective as strict reps in terms of progressive overload and tracking progress, they may still be a viable option for some individuals, and more research is needed to determine their safety and effectiveness.

Evidence from Author

The main Assertions by importance (4)

  • Cheat reps and strict reps have similar effects on muscle hypertrophy.

    ( 1 ) 13/100

    Explained:The study found that both cheat reps and strict reps resulted in similar increases in muscle thickness, suggesting that the use of external momentum does not hinder hypertrophy. This is a significant finding, as it challenges the conventional wisdom that strict reps are necessary for optimal muscle growth.

    Context:The context of this assertion is a study on untrained individuals who performed unilateral dumbbell curls and push downs with either cheat reps or strict reps.

    At: 3:10:

    "The study found that increases in all regions were similar between both conditions."

    Evidence (1)
    13 / 100
    From Author
    Why true:The study found similar increases in muscle thickness between both conditions, which suggests that the use of external momentum does not hinder hypertrophy.
    How it is true:The study conducted an experimental design with untrained individuals, which provides strong evidence for the assertion.
    ELI5
    • The study tested the claim by having participants perform either cheat reps or strict reps.
    • They found similar increases in muscle thickness between both conditions.
    • This means that the use of external momentum does not hinder hypertrophy.
    None
    Study Type:Human Study
    DOI:N/a
    94ee8494-65d7-41ed-bfb8-3cab4ad7807c
    Experimental Study
    Human
    None
    Publication 01/01/1970
    PRO
    PRO

  • Cheat reps and strict reps have similar effects on muscle hypertrophy.

    ( 1 ) 13/100

    Explained:The study found that both cheat reps and strict reps resulted in similar increases in muscle thickness, suggesting that the use of external momentum does not hinder hypertrophy. This challenges the common assumption that strict technique is necessary for optimal muscle growth.

    Context:The context of this assertion is a study on weightlifting and muscle hypertrophy, where participants performed either cheat reps or strict reps and their muscle thickness was measured.

    At: 3:10:

    "The study found that increases in all regions were similar between both conditions, thus as the authors describe, the use of external momentum neither helped nor hindered hypertrophy of the target muscles."

    Evidence (1)
    13 / 100
    From Author
    Why true:The study found similar increases in muscle thickness between both conditions, supporting the assertion that cheat reps and strict reps have similar effects on muscle hypertrophy. This is based on the experimental design of the study.
    How it is true:The study conducted an experimental design, where participants were randomly assigned to either cheat reps or strict reps, and their muscle thickness was measured. This provides strong evidence for the assertion.
    ELI5
    • The study tested the claim by having participants perform either cheat reps or strict reps.
    • They found that both conditions resulted in similar increases in muscle thickness.
    • This means that the use of external momentum does not hinder hypertrophy of the target muscles.
    None
    Study Type:Human Study
    DOI:N/a
    94ee8494-65d7-41ed-bfb8-3cab4ad7807c
    Experimental Study
    Human
    None
    Publication 01/01/1970
    PRO
    PRO

  • The use of cheat reps may not increase the risk of injury.

    ( 1 ) 13/100

    Explained:The study found that none of the participants who used cheat reps dropped out due to injury, suggesting that the use of external momentum may not increase the risk of injury. However, the study notes that the absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence, and that more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between cheat reps and injury risk.

    Context:The context of this assertion is a study on untrained individuals who performed unilateral dumbbell curls and push downs with either cheat reps or strict reps.

    At: 6:21:

    "None of the five participants who dropped out did so due to injury."

    Evidence (1)
    13 / 100
    From Author
    Why true:The study found that none of the participants who used cheat reps dropped out due to injury, which suggests that the use of external momentum may not increase the risk of injury.
    How it is true:The study conducted an experimental design with untrained individuals, which provides some evidence for the assertion, but more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between cheat reps and injury risk.
    ELI5
    • The study tested the claim by having participants perform either cheat reps or strict reps.
    • They found that none of the participants who used cheat reps dropped out due to injury.
    • This means that the use of external momentum may not increase the risk of injury, but more research is needed to confirm this finding.
    None
    Study Type:Human Study
    DOI:N/a
    94ee8494-65d7-41ed-bfb8-3cab4ad7807c
    Experimental Study
    Human
    None
    Publication 01/01/1970
    PRO
    PRO

  • The use of cheat reps may not increase the risk of injury.

    ( 1 ) 13/100

    Explained:The study found that none of the participants who dropped out of the study did so due to injury, suggesting that the use of cheat reps may not increase the risk of injury. However, the study notes that the absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence, and more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between cheat reps and injury risk.

    Context:The context of this assertion is a study on weightlifting and muscle hypertrophy, where participants performed either cheat reps or strict reps and their injury risk was assessed.

    At: 6:21:

    "30 individuals were originally recruited but five dropped out, however none of these five dropped out due to injury."

    Evidence (1)
    13 / 100
    From Author
    Why true:The study found that none of the participants who dropped out of the study did so due to injury, supporting the assertion that the use of cheat reps may not increase the risk of injury. This is based on the experimental design of the study.
    How it is true:The study conducted an experimental design, where participants were randomly assigned to either cheat reps or strict reps, and their injury risk was assessed. However, the study notes that more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between cheat reps and injury risk.
    ELI5
    • The study tested the claim by having participants perform either cheat reps or strict reps.
    • They found that none of the participants who dropped out of the study did so due to injury.
    • This means that the use of cheat reps may not increase the risk of injury, but more research is needed to confirm this.
    None
    Study Type:Human Study
    DOI:N/a
    94ee8494-65d7-41ed-bfb8-3cab4ad7807c
    Experimental Study
    Human
    None
    Publication 01/01/1970
    PRO
    PRO
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