Training & movement
AResistance training prescription for muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy adults: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
Lopez P, Radaelli R, Taaffe DR, Newton RU, Galvão DA, Trajano GS, Teodoro JL, Kraemer WJ, Häkkinen K, Pinto RS · 2023 · British Journal of Sports Medicine
REZA evidence rating A: High confidence
Methodology
Meta-analysis
Population
178 studies for strength, 55 for hypertrophy; healthy adults, mostly untrained
Intervention
Different combinations of load (low/moderate/high), sets (single/multi), and frequency (1/2/3+ days/week) resistance training vs control
Findings
For strength, high load combined with multiple sets and 2x/week frequency had the highest probability of superiority. For hypertrophy, multiple sets outperformed single sets, while load and frequency mattered less once sets were equated — volume remains the primary driver of hypertrophy.
Outcome measures
Maximal strength (1RM), muscle hypertrophy (muscle cross-sectional area, thickness)
Limitations
Most included studies involved untrained participants; limited data on trained populations; network assumptions (transitivity) may be violated by heterogeneity in training protocols.
Original source
DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-106367
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