Effect of short-term equal-volume resistance training with different workout frequency on muscle mass and strength in untrained men and women
One page on PainSci cites Candow 2007: Strength Training Frequency
PainSci commentary on Candow 2007: ?This page is one of thousands in the PainScience.com bibliography. It is not a general article: it is focused on a single scientific paper, and it may provide only just enough context for the summary to make sense. Links to other papers and more general information are provided wherever possible.
Candow et al tested short-term resistance training in 29 gym newbies. These beginners trained either two or three times per week — two longers sessions, or three shorter ones — and “Both groups increased lean tissue mass (2.2%), squat strength (28%), and bench press strength (22-30%) with training (p < 0.05), with no other differences. These results suggest that the volume of resistance training may be more important than frequency in developing muscle mass and strength in men and women initiating a resistance training program.”
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
Changes in muscle mass and strength will vary, depending on the volume and frequency of training. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of short-term equal-volume resistance training with different workout frequency on lean tissue mass and muscle strength. Twenty-nine untrained volunteers (27-58 years; 23 women, 6 men) were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 groups: group 1 (n = 15; 12 women, 3 men) trained 2 times per week and performed 3 sets of 10 repetitions to fatigue for 9 exercises, group 2 (n = 14; 11 women, 3 men) trained 3 times per week and performed 2 sets of 10 repetitions to fatigue for 9 exercises. Prior to and following training, whole-body lean tissue mass (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) and strength (1 repetition maximum squat and bench press) were measured. Both groups increased lean tissue mass (2.2%), squat strength (28%), and bench press strength (22-30%) with training (p < 0.05), with no other differences. These results suggest that the volume of resistance training may be more important than frequency in developing muscle mass and strength in men and women initiating a resistance training program.
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
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- Gabapentinoids and Risk of Hip Fracture. Leung 2024 JAMA Netw Open.
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