Individual Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Responses to Traditional Resistance Training vs Drop Set System

Abstract

category: Fitness Assessment, Exercise Training, and Performance of Athletes and Healthy People - 102 Exercise Training Interventions in Healthy People Cleiton Augusto Libardi, Vitor Angleri, Carlos Ugrinowitsch. Federal University of São Carlos, SP, Brazil; University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. To maximize, or to prevent the stagnation of gains in muscle strength and mass, coaches have used resistance training (RT) systems. It has been showed that traditional RT (TRAD) and drop-set systems (DS) result in similar gains in muscle hypertrophy and strength. However, a large variability has been reported for muscle strength and hypertrophy outcomes even when subjects perform RT programs. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the individual muscle mass and strength gains to TRAD vs DS in well trained young men. METHODS: We used a within-subjects design in which 14 participants had one leg randomly assigned to TRAD (3-5 sets of 6-12 repetitions at 75% 1RM) and the other to DS [3-5 sets of ~50-75% 1RM to muscle failure]). Participants had one leg fixed in the TRAD while the contralateral leg performed either DS to allow for total training volume (TTV) equalization. Muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and one repetition maximum (1RM) were assessed at baseline and after 12-wks of RT. For group analyses, the accumulated TTV and changes in muscle CSA and 1-RM values were compared between TRAD and DS using paired t-tests. For individual analyses, if an individual that showed a difference in the response (for CSA or 1RM increases) from TRAD or DS (or vice-versa) within 2 typical errors (CSA typical error [TE] = 2.20%, 1RM TE = 2.62%), no difference in the response between RT schemes was considered. RESULTS: No significant differences in TTV (P > 0.05) were detected between protocols TRAD and DS. Muscle CSA and 1RM values increased significantly and similarly for TRAD and DS (P < 0.0001). This study highlights that some individuals showed greater muscle strength gains following TRAD (35.7% of individuals), and other show similar responses between TRAD and DS (64.3% of individuals). For muscle CSA, individuals showed similar responses to TRAD and DS. CONCLUSION: Despite the analysis groups show similar gains in strength and muscle hypertrophy, some individuals show greater strength gains for TRAD compared to the DS.