Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis

Brad S  Currier; Jonathan C Mcleod; Laura  Banfield; Joseph Beyene; Nicky J Welton; Alysha C   D’Souza; Stuart M  Phillips; al et

doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807

Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis

Brad S Currier, Jonathan C Mcleod, Laura Banfield, Joseph Beyene, Nicky J Welton, Alysha C D’Souza, Stuart M Phillips^*, al et

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

136 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective
To determine how distinct combinations of resistance training prescription (RTx) variables (load, sets and frequency) affect muscle strength and hypertrophy.

Data sources
MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched until February 2022.

Eligibility criteria
Randomised trials that included healthy adults, compared at least 2 predefined conditions (non-exercise control (CTRL) and 12 RTx, differentiated by load, sets and/or weekly frequency), and reported muscle strength and/or hypertrophy were included.

Analyses
Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis methodology was used to compare RTxs and CTRL. Surface under the cumulative ranking curve values were used to rank conditions. Confidence was assessed with threshold analysis.

Results
The strength network included 178 studies (n=5097; women=45%). The hypertrophy network included 119 studies (n=3364; women=47%). All RTxs were superior to CTRL for muscle strength and hypertrophy. Higher-load (>80% of single repetition maximum) prescriptions maximised strength gains, and all prescriptions comparably promoted muscle hypertrophy. While the calculated effects of many prescriptions were similar, higher-load, multiset, thrice-weekly training (standardised mean difference (95% credible interval); 1.60 (1.38 to 1.82) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for strength, and higher-load, multiset, twice-weekly training (0.66 (0.47 to 0.85) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for hypertrophy. Threshold analysis demonstrated these results were extremely robust.

Conclusion
All RTx promoted strength and hypertrophy compared with no exercise. The highest-ranked prescriptions for strength involved higher loads, whereas the highest-ranked prescriptions for hypertrophy included multiple sets.

Original language	English
Article number	bjsports-2023-106807
Journal	British Journal of Sports Medicine
Early online date	6 Jul 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 6 Jul 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
SMP reports grants or research contracts from the US National Dairy Council, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Roquette Freres, Ontario Centre of Innovation, Nestle Health Sciences, Myos, National Science and Engineering Research Council and the US NIH during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Nestle Health Sciences, non-financial support from Enhanced Recovery, outside the submitted work. SMP has patents licensed to Exerkine but reports no financial gains from any patent or related work. The remaining authors report no competing interests.

Funding Information:
No funding was received for this review. BSC is supported by an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral. JCM is supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. NJW was supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. ACD and JAJK are supported by a Canadian Graduate Scholarship – Master’s Program offered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. SMP is supported by the Canada Research Chairs programme.

Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Research Groups and Themes

Multi-parameter Evidence Synthesis Research

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10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807Licence: CC BY-NC

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Cite this

Currier, B. S., Mcleod, J. C., Banfield, L., Beyene, J., Welton, N. J., D’Souza, A. C., Phillips, S. M., & et, A. (2023). Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, Article bjsports-2023-106807. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807

@article{c26704779717437ead84ec6ec4c6b11f,

title = "Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis",

abstract = "Objective To determine how distinct combinations of resistance training prescription (RTx) variables (load, sets and frequency) affect muscle strength and hypertrophy. Data sources MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched until February 2022. Eligibility criteria Randomised trials that included healthy adults, compared at least 2 predefined conditions (non-exercise control (CTRL) and 12 RTx, differentiated by load, sets and/or weekly frequency), and reported muscle strength and/or hypertrophy were included. Analyses Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis methodology was used to compare RTxs and CTRL. Surface under the cumulative ranking curve values were used to rank conditions. Confidence was assessed with threshold analysis. Results The strength network included 178 studies (n=5097; women=45\%). The hypertrophy network included 119 studies (n=3364; women=47\%). All RTxs were superior to CTRL for muscle strength and hypertrophy. Higher-load (>80\% of single repetition maximum) prescriptions maximised strength gains, and all prescriptions comparably promoted muscle hypertrophy. While the calculated effects of many prescriptions were similar, higher-load, multiset, thrice-weekly training (standardised mean difference (95\% credible interval); 1.60 (1.38 to 1.82) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for strength, and higher-load, multiset, twice-weekly training (0.66 (0.47 to 0.85) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for hypertrophy. Threshold analysis demonstrated these results were extremely robust. Conclusion All RTx promoted strength and hypertrophy compared with no exercise. The highest-ranked prescriptions for strength involved higher loads, whereas the highest-ranked prescriptions for hypertrophy included multiple sets.",

author = "Currier, \{Brad S\} and Mcleod, \{Jonathan C\} and Laura Banfield and Joseph Beyene and Welton, \{Nicky J\} and D{\textquoteright}Souza, \{Alysha C\} and Phillips, \{Stuart M\} and al et",

note = "Funding Information: SMP reports grants or research contracts from the US National Dairy Council, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Roquette Freres, Ontario Centre of Innovation, Nestle Health Sciences, Myos, National Science and Engineering Research Council and the US NIH during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Nestle Health Sciences, non-financial support from Enhanced Recovery, outside the submitted work. SMP has patents licensed to Exerkine but reports no financial gains from any patent or related work. The remaining authors report no competing interests. Funding Information: No funding was received for this review. BSC is supported by an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral. JCM is supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. NJW was supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. ACD and JAJK are supported by a Canadian Graduate Scholarship – Master{\textquoteright}s Program offered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. SMP is supported by the Canada Research Chairs programme. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.",

year = "2023",

month = jul,

day = "6",

doi = "10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807",

language = "English",

journal = "British Journal of Sports Medicine",

issn = "0306-3674",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Healthy Adults

T2 - A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis

AU - Currier, Brad S

AU - Mcleod, Jonathan C

AU - Banfield, Laura

AU - Beyene, Joseph

AU - Welton, Nicky J

AU - D’Souza, Alysha C

AU - Phillips, Stuart M

AU - et, al

N1 - Funding Information: SMP reports grants or research contracts from the US National Dairy Council, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Roquette Freres, Ontario Centre of Innovation, Nestle Health Sciences, Myos, National Science and Engineering Research Council and the US NIH during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Nestle Health Sciences, non-financial support from Enhanced Recovery, outside the submitted work. SMP has patents licensed to Exerkine but reports no financial gains from any patent or related work. The remaining authors report no competing interests. Funding Information: No funding was received for this review. BSC is supported by an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral. JCM is supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. NJW was supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. ACD and JAJK are supported by a Canadian Graduate Scholarship – Master’s Program offered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. SMP is supported by the Canada Research Chairs programme. Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2023/7/6

Y1 - 2023/7/6

N2 - Objective To determine how distinct combinations of resistance training prescription (RTx) variables (load, sets and frequency) affect muscle strength and hypertrophy. Data sources MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched until February 2022. Eligibility criteria Randomised trials that included healthy adults, compared at least 2 predefined conditions (non-exercise control (CTRL) and 12 RTx, differentiated by load, sets and/or weekly frequency), and reported muscle strength and/or hypertrophy were included. Analyses Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis methodology was used to compare RTxs and CTRL. Surface under the cumulative ranking curve values were used to rank conditions. Confidence was assessed with threshold analysis. Results The strength network included 178 studies (n=5097; women=45%). The hypertrophy network included 119 studies (n=3364; women=47%). All RTxs were superior to CTRL for muscle strength and hypertrophy. Higher-load (>80% of single repetition maximum) prescriptions maximised strength gains, and all prescriptions comparably promoted muscle hypertrophy. While the calculated effects of many prescriptions were similar, higher-load, multiset, thrice-weekly training (standardised mean difference (95% credible interval); 1.60 (1.38 to 1.82) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for strength, and higher-load, multiset, twice-weekly training (0.66 (0.47 to 0.85) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for hypertrophy. Threshold analysis demonstrated these results were extremely robust. Conclusion All RTx promoted strength and hypertrophy compared with no exercise. The highest-ranked prescriptions for strength involved higher loads, whereas the highest-ranked prescriptions for hypertrophy included multiple sets.

AB - Objective To determine how distinct combinations of resistance training prescription (RTx) variables (load, sets and frequency) affect muscle strength and hypertrophy. Data sources MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched until February 2022. Eligibility criteria Randomised trials that included healthy adults, compared at least 2 predefined conditions (non-exercise control (CTRL) and 12 RTx, differentiated by load, sets and/or weekly frequency), and reported muscle strength and/or hypertrophy were included. Analyses Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis methodology was used to compare RTxs and CTRL. Surface under the cumulative ranking curve values were used to rank conditions. Confidence was assessed with threshold analysis. Results The strength network included 178 studies (n=5097; women=45%). The hypertrophy network included 119 studies (n=3364; women=47%). All RTxs were superior to CTRL for muscle strength and hypertrophy. Higher-load (>80% of single repetition maximum) prescriptions maximised strength gains, and all prescriptions comparably promoted muscle hypertrophy. While the calculated effects of many prescriptions were similar, higher-load, multiset, thrice-weekly training (standardised mean difference (95% credible interval); 1.60 (1.38 to 1.82) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for strength, and higher-load, multiset, twice-weekly training (0.66 (0.47 to 0.85) vs CTRL) was the highest-ranked RTx for hypertrophy. Threshold analysis demonstrated these results were extremely robust. Conclusion All RTx promoted strength and hypertrophy compared with no exercise. The highest-ranked prescriptions for strength involved higher loads, whereas the highest-ranked prescriptions for hypertrophy included multiple sets.

U2 - 10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807

DO - 10.1136/bjsports-2023-106807

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 37414459

SN - 0306-3674

JO - British Journal of Sports Medicine

JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine

M1 - bjsports-2023-106807

ER -

Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Research Groups and Themes

Access to Document

Handle.net

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Cite this