The DOI matches its Crossref record; 67 of the 67 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of low- versus high-load resistance training (RT) on muscular adaptations in well-trained subjects. Eighteen young men experienced in RT were matched according to baseline strength and then randomly assigned to 1 of 2 experimental groups: a low-load RT routine (LL) where 25-35 repetitions were performed per set per exercise (n = 9) or a high-load RT routine (HL) where 8-12 repetitions were performed per set per exercise (n = 9). During each session, subjects in both groups performed 3 sets of 7 different exercises representing all major muscles. Training was performed 3 times per week on nonconsecutive days, for a total of 8 weeks. Both HL and LL conditions produced significant increases in thickness of the elbow flexors (5.3 vs. 8.6%, respectively), elbow extensors (6.0 vs. 5.2%, respectively), and quadriceps femoris (9.3 vs. 9.5%, respectively), with no significant differences noted between groups. Improvements in back squat strength were significantly greater for HL compared with LL (19.6 vs. 8.8%, respectively), and there was a trend for greater increases in 1 repetition maximum (1RM) bench press (6.5 vs. 2.0%, respectively). Upper body muscle endurance (assessed by the bench press at 50% 1RM to failure) improved to a greater extent in LL compared with HL (16.6 vs. -1.2%, respectively). These findings indicate that both HL and LL training to failure can elicit significant increases in muscle hypertrophy among well-trained young men; however, HL training is superior for maximizing strength adaptations.
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In the citing paper
“Research into resistance training variables shows that load, volume, frequency, and rest intervals, influence the amount of skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced [33–35].”
From Effects of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy on Fat Mass and Glucose Homeostasis in Humans and Animals: A Narrative Review with Systematic Literature Search (2025) · cites this paper as [33]
In the citing paper
“Both high-load (> 60% of one-repetition maximum, 1RM) and low-load (< 60% 1RM) protocols can induce hypertrophy of a similar magnitude [33].”
From Effects of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy on Fat Mass and Glucose Homeostasis in Humans and Animals: A Narrative Review with Systematic Literature Search (2025) · cites this paper as [33]
In the citing paper
“Even resistance-trained individuals show increases in strength when training with very light loads, albeit to a lesser extent than with the use of heavy loads [16,17].”
From Loading recommendations for muscle strength, hypertrophy, and local endurance: a re-examination of the repetition continuum. (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
In the citing paper
“For example, our group [17] reported similar increases in muscle thickness of the biceps, triceps and quadriceps between moderate- (~10RM) and light- (~30RM) loads in a cohort of resistance-trained men performing a total body RT program over 8 weeks.”
From Loading recommendations for muscle strength, hypertrophy, and local endurance: a re-examination of the repetition continuum. (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
Citations
Cites
Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults
(2009) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e3181915670 · Cited by 4,332 · cited 1×
“These results run contrary to generally accepted hypertrophy training guidelines, which profess that loads of at least 65% are necessary to stimulate muscle growth in welltrained individuals (25,26,31).”
ResultProgression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults
(2002) · Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise · doi:10.1097/00005768-200202000-00027 · Cited by 2,979
Fundamentals of Resistance Training: Progression and Exercise Prescription
KRAEMER, W. J., & RATAMESS, N. A. (2004) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000121945.36635.61 · Cited by 1,992 · cited 2×
“required to fully recruit higher threshold motor units (26).”
BackgroundResultEssentials of Strength Training and Conditioning
Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. (1994) · Cited by 1,535
Neural adaptation to resistance training
SALE, D. G. (1988) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/00005768-198810001-00009 · Cited by 1,421
The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training
Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010) · Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · doi:10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181e840f3 · Cited by 1,214 · cited 1×
“Early-phase RT strength adaptations are predominantly related to improvements in the ability of the nervous system to efficiently activate and coordinate muscles, whereas the role of hypertrophy for strength becomes increasingly more relevant as one gains experience (51,54).”
BackgroundSelf-citationCampos, G., Luecke, T., Wendeln, H., Toma, K., Hagerman, F., Murray, T., Ragg, K., Ratamess, N., Kraemer, W., & Staron, R. (2002) · European Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1007/s00421-002-0681-6 · Cited by 1,066
Neural Adaptations to Resistive Exercise
Gabriel, D. A., Kamen, G., & Frost, G. (2006) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.2165/00007256-200636020-00004 · Cited by 840
Strength and cross‐sectional area of human skeletal muscle.
Maughan, R. J., Watson, J. S., & Weir, J. (1983) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1113/jphysiol.1983.sp014658 · Cited by 750
A Meta-analysis to Determine the Dose Response for Strength Development
RHEA, M. R., ALVAR, B. A., BURKETT, L. N., & BALL, S. D. (2003) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000053727.63505.d4 · Cited by 666
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Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017) · Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000002200 · Cited by 851
“(42) Young trained men (n = 18) High load: 3 3 8–12RM 1-0-2 for both groups No 8 wks; 33 Bench press, barbell military press, wide grip pulldowns, seated cable row, barbell back squat, machine leg press, and machine knee Ultrasound Significant preintervention to postintervention increases in muscle thickness in both g…”
BackgroundSelf-citationHughes, L., Paton, B. M., Rosenblatt, B., Gissane, C., & Patterson, S. D. (2017) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2016-097071 · Cited by 775
Adaptations to Endurance and Strength TrainingPreprint
Hughes, D. C., Ellefsen, S., & Baar, K. (2017) · Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine · doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a029769 · Cited by 661
“8 Cite this article as Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2018;8:a029769 w w w .p er sp ec ti ve si n m ed ic in e. o rg et al. 2012; Ogasawara et al. 2013; Schoenfeld et al. 2015; Morton et al. 2016).”
BackgroundVigotsky, A. D., Halperin, I., Lehman, G. J., Trajano, G. S., & Vieira, T. M. (2018) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00985 · Cited by 503
Morton, R. W., Oikawa, S. Y., Wavell, C. G., Mazara, N., McGlory, C., Quadrilatero, J., Baechler, B. L., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2016) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00154.2016 · Cited by 404
“Recognizing the high interindividual response variability in hypertrophy and strength gain that occurs with RT (13, 27, 28, 48), we conducted the study with a large enough number of participants to allow detection of a 15% difference in hypertrophy via muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) change and a 10% differenc…”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluential
Metadata
- Authors
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Peterson, M. D., Ogborn, D., Contreras, B., & Sonmez, G. T.
- Affiliations
- Lehman College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Schoenfeld, Brad J.
- Venue
- Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
- Published
- 2015-10
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 2954-2963
- ISSN
- 1064-8011 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1995833662
- Cited by
- 418
- References
- 67
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 38 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 8
- FWCI
- 35.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- resistance training, training load, muscle hypertrophy, muscle strength, trained men, training to failure, muscular endurance, back squat, bench press, elbow flexors, elbow extensors, quadriceps
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Adult, Humans, Hypertrophy, Male, Physical Fitness, Random Allocation, Muscle, Skeletal, Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity, Muscle Strength, Resistance Training, Young Adult
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