Effects of Detraining on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy Induced by Resistance Training: A Systematic Review
Open accessAbstract
A detraining period after resistance training causes a significant decrease in trained-induced muscular adaptations. However, it is unclear how long muscle strength and hypertrophy gains last after different detraining periods. Thus, the present systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the chronic effects of detraining on muscle strength and hypertrophy induced by resistance training. Searches were conducted on PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and Web of Science. The difference in means and pooled standard deviations of outcomes were converted into Hedges’ g effect sizes (g). Twenty randomized and non-randomized trials (high and moderate risks of bias, respectively, and fair quality) were included for qualitative analysis of muscle strength and hypertrophy, while only two studies were included in the meta-analysis for maximum muscle strength. The resistance training group presented a significant increase in one-repetition maximum (1RM) chest press (g: 4.43 [3.65; 5.22], p < 0.001) and 1RM leg press strength (g: 4.47 [2.12; 6.82], p < 0.001) after training. The strength gains observed in the resistance training group were also maintained after 16–24 weeks of detraining (g: 1.99 [0.62; 3.36], p = 0.004; and g: 3.16 [0.82; 5.50], p = 0.008; respectively), when compared to the non-exercise control group. However, 1RM chest press and leg press strength level was similar between groups after 32 (g: 1.81 [−0.59; 4.21], p = 0.139; and g: 2.34 [−0.48; 5.16], p = 0.104; respectively) and 48 weeks of detraining (g: 1.01 [−0.76; 2.79], p = 0.263; and g: 1.16 [−1.09; 3.42], p = 0.311; respectively). There was not enough data to conduct a meta-analysis on muscular hypertrophy. In conclusion, the present systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that, when taking random error into account, there is no sufficient high-quality evidence to make any unbiased claim about how long changes in muscle strength induced by RT last after a DT period. Moreover, the effect of different DT periods on muscle hypertrophy induced by RT remains unknown since there was not enough data to conduct a meta-analysis with this variable.
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Training interruptions can lead to a loss of muscle strength and mass.
“On the other hand, training interruptions, caused by a variety of planned and unplanned factors ranging from illness to vacations, can lead to a loss of muscle strength and mass [7].”
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References 60 · Cited by 16
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Higgins, J.P.; Thomas, J. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, 2nd ed.; Chandler, J., Cumpston, M., Li, T., Page, M., Welch, V., Eds.; Wiley-Blackwell: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2020.
- Authors
- Encarnação, I. G. A., Viana, R. B., Soares, S. R. S., Freitas, E. D. S., de Lira, C. A. B., & Ferreira-Junior, J. B.
- Affiliations
- Universidade Politécnica de Bragança (PT)
- Universidade Estadual de Goiás (BR)
- Universidade de Brasília (BR)
- Arizona State University (US)
- Faculty of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil
- Department of Education, Federal Institute of Sudeste of Minas Gerais, Rio Pomba 36180-000, Brazil
- ORCID
- Venue
- Muscles
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2022-01-07
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-15
- ISSN
- 2813-0413 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4206052139
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 0.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Muscles (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Keywords
- detraining, resistance training, muscle strength, muscle hypertrophy, one-repetition maximum, strength retention, chest press, leg press
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