Is repetition failure critical for the development of muscle hypertrophy and strength?
Abstract
This investigation sought to determine the effect of resistance training to failure on functional, structural and neural elbow flexor muscle adaptation. Twenty‐eight males completed a 4‐week familiarization period and were then counterbalanced on the basis of responsiveness across; non‐failure rapid shortening (RS; rapid concentric, 2 s eccentric), non‐failure stretch‐shortening (SSC; rapid concentric, rapid eccentric), and failure control (C, 2 s concentric, 2 s eccentric), for a 12‐week unilateral elbow flexor resistance training regimen, 3 × week using 85% of one repetition maximum (1 RM). 1 RM, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), muscle cross‐sectional area (CSA), and muscle activation (EMG RMS) of the agonist, antagonist, and stabilizer muscles were assessed before and after the 12‐week training period. The average number of repetitions per set was significantly lower in RS 4.2 [confidence interval (CI): 4.2, 4.3] and SSC 4.2 (CI: 4.2, 4.3) compared with C 6.1 (CI: 5.8, 6.4). A significant increase in 1 RM (30.5%), MVC (13.3%), CSA (11.4%), and agonist EMG RMS (22.1%) was observed; however, no between‐group differences were detected. In contrast, antagonist EMG RMS increased significantly in SSC (40.5%) and C (23.3%), but decreased in RS (13.5%). Similar adaptations across the three resistance training regimen suggest repetition failure is not critical to elicit significant neural and structural changes to skeletal muscle.
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There are a number of studies that report no additional muscle strength or hypertrophy benefits of training to repetition failure.
“However, there are a number of studies that report no additional muscle strength [93–98] or hypertrophy [96] benefits of training to repetition failure.”
From Minimalist Training: Is Lower Dosage or Intensity Resistance Training Effective to Improve Physical Fitness? A Narrative Review (2024) · cites this paper as [98]
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Resistance exercise load does not determine training-mediated hypertrophic gains in young men
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“However, there are a number of studies that report no additional muscle strength [93–98] or hypertrophy [96] benefits of training to repetition failure.”
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- Authors
- Sampson, J. A., & Groeller, H.
- Affiliations
- University of Wollongong (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Sampson, J. A.
- Venue
- Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-03-24
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 375-383
- ISSN
- 0905-7188 (ISSN-L)
- 1600-0838
- OpenAlex
- W1541519129
- Cited by
- 111
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 12.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Online (University of Wollongong) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- New South Wales Fire Brigades (Australia)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Muscle activation and electromyography studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- muscle hypertrophy, muscle strength, elbow flexors, muscle cross-sectional area, muscle activation, antagonist muscle activation, stretch-shortening cycle, one-repetition maximum, neural adaptation, skeletal muscle adaptation
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Adolescent, Adult, Biomechanical Phenomena, Elbow Joint, Humans, Hypertrophy, Male, Muscle Contraction, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscle Strength, Resistance Training, Young Adult
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