Effect of Manipulating Training Volume Flashcards
Manipulating Intensity of Loading
- MPS
- MPS upregulated when volume of exercise (kg lifted) matches
- If volume boosted (3-4x repetition level: 50% more total time under tension) MPS upregulated to similar levels as high intensity
Programming Variables
Volume load relative to specific RM = number of sets x number of repetitions x % RM for RR used
Exercise Volume
- Likely minimal amount of volume required to create “optimal” conditions for certain goals. Will be dependent on intensity of the set being performed
e.g. multiple sets required to stimulate hypertrophy pathway if working at low intensities
Exercise Recovery
- Dependent on goals. Techniques such as super settings/ drop sets etc can be a way of attaining volume in a shorter period of time
Tempo - repetition velocity
- Goal dependent, however, generally recommended to incorporate different tempo schemes. Particularly within the eccentric phase of the movement.
High Load vs Low load
- if you choose…
If you choose to exercise at a higher intensity, you don’t need to work to failure, you can work at a slightly lower RPE set and still get adaptations. Working at a lower intensity but not until fatigue will not cause changes in muscle cross-sectional area but will increase strength slightly, but not as much as high intensity. We need to get to repetitions fatigue to get the same adaptations as high intensity.
Acute/Novice
STUDY: The degree of p70s6k and s6 phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle in response to resistance exercise depends on the training volume
- 1, 3 & 5 set conditions at 6RM
- 1, 3 & 5 set conditions at 6RM
- In the mTOR pathway, there was no significant different between the training volume (all increase)
- There was a larger increase in the p70S6K in the 5 set group then in the 1 or 3 set group
- Some evidence to suggest that volume does seem to increase protein synthesis stimulation
Trained/Acute
STUDY: Resistance exercise volume affects myofibrillar protein synthesis and anabolic signaling molecule phosphorylation in young men
- 3 set vs 1 set
- Higher stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in the 3 set compared to the 1 set
Trained/Acute
STUDY: Intramuscular anabolic signaling and endocrine response following high volume and high intensity resistance exercise protocols in trained men
- p70s6k ( high volume vs high intensity)
In the p70S6k there was no difference between the high intensity and high volume group. But generally high volume does seem to stimulate more phosphorylation in this pathway.
Volume Manipulation: acute studies, what do we know?
- AKt-mtor
So higher levels of volume seem to stimulate AKt-mtor pathways to higher degree.
Untrained population/Novices
STUDY: Resistance exercise load does not determine training-mediated hypertrophic gains in young men
- 80% 1RM, 1 set to failure
- 80% 1RM, 3 sets to failure
- 30% 1RM, 3 sets to failure
Groups:
- 80% 1RM, 1 set to failure
- 80% 1RM, 3 sets to failure
- 30% 1RM, 3 sets to failure
The amount of p70SPK was higher in the higher intensity groups (80% 1RM 3sets & 80% RM 1 set) compared to the lower intensity group (30% 1RM 3 sets). The mTOR pathway was the same for all conditions. Didn’t observe a correlation between in p70S6K and the change in quadricep volume (hypertrophy)
Did see a general trend in higher volume (3 set groups) being related to quadricep volume. Not statistically significant. No difference in fibre type between the groups. In all three conditions, there was an increase in 1RM load compared to pre intervention results. The higher intensity groups observed greater increases in dynamic strength then the lower intensity high volume group. What was alluded was that when you go higher intensity you develop force throughout the whole time you carry out the movement, whereas for the low intensity high volume, you are overloading towards the end of the activity because we have to build up that fatigue
Untrained Population/Novice
HINT: Hypertrophy, strength, power outcomes (apart from dynamic movements) similar…
- Hypertrophy, strength, power outcomes (apart from dynamic movements) similar with 3 sets to failure at 30% vs 80% loading (1 or 3 sets)
- Better overall outcomes (strength and hypertrophy) for high intensity if volume matches
- Dynamic strength outcomes favor lifting with heavier load, mediated by increased voluntary activation of the nervous system
Untrained Population/Novice (Weekly load perspective)
STUDY: Application of the dose-response for muscular strength development: A review of meta-analytic efficiency and reliability for designing training prescription
Untrained vs trained
- sets per week
Untrained individuals don’t need as many sets a week per muscle group to see adaptations. As we get to more elite levels, they may need a higher set per muscle group to see adaptation.
Untrained Population/Novice (Weekly Load Perspective)
STUDY: The effect of weekly set volume on strength gains: A meta analysis
Shows that strength gains are in favour of high weekly sets per week when compared to low weekly sets. Also showed that the effects of the moderate and high weekly set groups were equivalent. So somewhere between 5-10 sets are favourable, but the dose-response is still unknown and the relationship between optimal sets and strength gains remain unquantified.
Manipulation of volume in trained individuals
STUDY: Single versus multiple sets in long-term recreational weightlifters
Hint: circuit
- Compare 1 and 3 set condition on a 9 machine circuit
- In some of the results we see trends where the 3 sets is slightly favourable but some of the adaptations suggest that the 1 set condition was showing meaningful improvements
- Although results showed that a higher set was more favourable, the authors suggested that a single set requires much less time to complete than a higher amount of sets
- However, the study design was in a circuit which means that after doing one set of one exercise, individuals move onto another exercise. Once they complete one set of all the exercises, they then start again until they have gone through the circuit 3 times. Therefore, there is about a 8-9 minute rest between one set of one exercise and the set following it on the same exercise. This long rest period may have affected the results and may have produced a different result when compared to doing 3 sets all after each other with a 1-2 minute rest between
Manipulation of volume in trained individuals
STUDY: Three sets of weight trained superior to 1 set with equal intensity for eliciting strength
Conventional style (1 set vs 3 sets)
- This study compared 1 set and 3 sets in a more conventional style where subjects had a small intra-set rest period between sets. Results showed that the higher set group results were slightly better.
- Unfortunately, this study has some statistical errors. In addition, the groups were not as matched as people originally thought.
Manipulation of Volume in trained individuals
STUDY: Strength and neuromuscular adaption following one, four, and eight sets of high intensity resistance exercise in trained males
- Compared a 1 set, 4 set and 8 set training group. All groups showed an improvement in their squat strength. The 4 set and 8 set group roughly got up to higher level of strength quicker than the 1 set group.
- Lower bar graph: Saw an increase in EMG or neural activity in the early phase window
- High bar graph: didn’t see any major differences in the contractile RDF with the different times because individuals were not told to contract as fast as they can
- Overall, can argue that more sets are favourable then lower sets
Manipulation of volume in trained individuals
STUDY: Resistance training volume enhance muscle hypertrophy but not strength in trained men
- 1, 3 and 5 set condition
- 1, 3 nd 5 set condition
- No real differences in strength between the conditions. Not clear whether more sets result in a larger improvement in trained men
- For hypertrophy, there was more evidence to suggest that more volume results in more hypertrophy on trained men
