Mixed
Higher weekly resistance training load is associated with greater lean body mass index (LBMI) in amateur bodybuilders, but this relationship is curvilinear, showing diminishing returns and potential stagnation at very high loads.
Track your weekly training load (sets x intensity/effort). You will likely see muscle gains as you increase this load, but once you reach a 'high' level, adding more volume yields very little extra muscle. Stop increasing volume when you hit the 'high' band; further increases may just add fatigue without adding size.
Training load showed a positive but curvilinear association with LBMI, with the strongest profile observed in athletes completing high but not excessive weekly loads.
Why this rating
Cross-sectional field study with a large sample (n=240) and robust statistical modeling (regression with interaction terms), though causality cannot be strictly proven.
Source
Associations Between Weekly Training Load, Recovery Status, and Lean Body Mass in Amateur Bodybuilders
Muhammad Shariful Islan et al. · Qubahan Journal of Coaching and Sports Sciences · 2022
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