The Effects of Weekly Variations in Resistance Training routine on Muscle Thickness and Strength Adaptations in Young Men

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

Department of Biological Sciences in Sports, Faculty of Sports Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aim: Given the significant relationship between muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle strength, the primary objective for athletes involved in resistance training is to enhance muscle mass and strength. Proper manipulation of training variables such as intensity, volume, frequency, exercise selection, rest interval, and tempo are essential for maximizing exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy. The present study examined the effects of weekly variations in resistance training on muscle thickness (MT) and strength adaptations in young men.
Methods: This research included 30 participants (age: 21.37±1.37 years, height: 174.48±3.34 cm, weight: 72.13±3.45 kg). They were randomly assigned into varying training groups whose training routine changed every week (VAR) or traditional training groups that did not change (TRAD) for ten weeks. For the VAR group training weeks were labeled as adaptation, metabolic stress, mechanical tension, muscle damage, and de-load week 2 cycles of this change occurred through the training intervention for them, but the TRAD group training routine did not change through the study.
Results: Both the TRAD and VAR groups showed significant increases in the MT of the biceps brachii muscle (BB) (VAR: P=0.001; TRAD: P=0.007), significant differences were observed between groups (P=0.012). Vastus lateralis (VL) MT increased significantly in both groups (P=0.001), no significant difference was observed between the two groups (P>0.05). Among the groups, lean body mass (LBM) increased significantly (P=0.001), TRAD group showed a significant decrease in body fat (P=0.49), there was no significant change in BMI of both groups (P>0.05). Both groups showed significant increase in bench press and back squat 1-RM strength test (P=0.001). Back squat showed a trivial non-significant difference between the groups (P=0.072).
Conclusion: The results showed that changing resistance training methods weekly was more effective than traditional resistance training for biceps hypertrophy. Nevertheless, the effects of VAR and TRAD exercises are similar in the case of the latissimus dorsi muscle.

Keywords

Journal of Military Medicine
Volume 26, Issue 2 - Serial Number 126
May and June 2024
Pages 2258-2268

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