Abstract
In resistance training, the use of predicting proximity to momentary task failure (MF, i.e., maximum effort), and repetitions in reserve scales specifically, is a growing approach to monitoring and controlling effort. However, its validity is reliant upon accuracy in the ability to predict MF which may be affected by congruence of the perception of effort compared with the actual effort required. The present study examined participants with at least 1 year of resistance training experience predicting their proximity to MF in two different experiments using a deception design. Within each experiment participants performed four trials of knee extensions with single sets (i.e., bouts of repetitions) to their self-determined repetition maximum (sdRM; when they predicted they could not complete the next repetition if attempted and thus would reach MF if they did) and MF (i.e., where despite attempting to do so they could not complete the current repetition). For the first experiment (n = 14) participants used loads equal to 70% of a one repetition maximum (1RM; i.e., the heaviest load that could be lifted for a single repetition) performed in a separate baseline session. Aiming to minimize participants between day variability in repetition performances, in the second separate experiment (n = 24) they used loads equal to 70% of their daily isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Results suggested that participants typically under predicted the number of repetitions they could perform to MF with a meta-analytic estimate across experiments of 2.0 [95%CIs 0.0 to 4.0]. Participants with at least 1 year of resistance training experience are likely not adequately accurate at gauging effort in submaximal conditions. This suggests that perceptions of effort during resistance training task performance may not be congruent with the actual effort required. This has implications for controlling, programming, and manipulating the actual effort in resistance training and potentially on the magnitude of desired adaptations such as improvements in muscular hypertrophy and strength.
Highlights
Prolonged performance of physical tasks with fixed absolute demands results in a reduction in the capacity to meet their demands, and a requirement for greater effort to maintain performance
Within physical tasks such as resistance exercise the intensity of effort employed has been defined as the task demands relative to the current ability to meet those demands
Our results seem to suggest that trained participants with a minimum of 1-year training experience are not adequately accurate at predicting proximity to MF during the gestalt experience of resistance exercise
Summary
Prolonged performance of physical tasks with fixed absolute demands results in a reduction in the capacity to meet their demands (i.e., fatigue), and a requirement for greater effort to maintain performance. The application of predictions of proximity to task failure has been a popular approach within resistance training in recent years to manipulate and control the intensity of effort employed in a given bout (Hackett et al, 2012, 2016; Helms et al, 2016; Zourdos et al, 2016) Within physical tasks such as resistance exercise the intensity of effort employed has been defined as the task demands (i.e., the load) relative to the current ability to meet those demands (i.e., a person’s strength; Steele, 2014, 2020; Steele et al, 2017b, 2019). Predictive ability offers a behavioral test of the congruence of perception of effort and actual effort in resistance exercise tasks
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