Paper Review
Go heavy or go light? How does it impact strength and hypertrophy?
A mini review of Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Summary and overview
The paper compares the effects of low-load (<60% 1RM) and high-load (>60% 1RM) resistance training on muscle strength and hypertrophy. The meta-analysis found that high-load training is superior for increasing muscle strength, while both low- and high-load training are equally effective for inducing hypertrophy, provided that the sets are performed to failure.
But how do we apply this to practice? For me there are two key barriers:
- Using % of 1RM is unhelpful for bodyweight athletes.
- Defining anything over 60% of 1RM as high load is probably as broad a category as it is helpful.
Barrier 1 - Establishing rep ranges as %1RM
For our purposes the first problem is solved by taking a movement and working out how many good clean reps you can do. Then you can use the below table to roughly estimate the progression and it’s relative % of 1RM
This can be solved using Epley’s Equation¹ which is expanded on in the table below.
For example if I want to use ring rows to develop strength in my lats and I want to work at 75% of my 1RM. Based on the formula I should work a progression of ring rows that let’s me get 10 clean reps.
Repetitions | Percentage of 1RM | Repetitions | Percentage of 1RM |
1 | 100% | 11 | 73% |
2 | 94% | 12 | 71% |
3 | 91% | 13 | 70% |
4 | 88% | 14 | 68% |
5 | 86% | 15 | 67% |
6 | 83% | 16 | 65% |
7 | 81% | 17 | 64% |
8 | 79% | 18 | 63% |
9 | 77% | 19 | 61% |
10 | 75% | 20 | 60% |
Barrier 2 - 60%-100% is too big a range
In powerlifting (as referenced in Louis Simmons Conjugate System) speed work is often defined as 55%-60% (for 2-3 reps) and heavy strength work is anything over 90%-95% (for a single rep). So based on the above study both of these will lead to hypertrophy and strength gains. So the study is confirming these numbers but not saying anything new.
Another way to look at the study is to see anything over 20 reps as having minimal impact on strength but a good impact on hypertrophy.
Conclusion
Rep ranges and % of 1RM are important factors in training. Although the study conforms to what is generally taken as a given within strength training it is useful to have this view confirmed and also gives the chance to reflect on how best to apply these types of findings to our own practice.
References
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