Research
Mixed
Achieving a sex-specific high lean-mass profile is significantly associated with a combination of moderate-to-high training load, high recovery status, and adequate protein intake.
To maximize your lean mass, you need to hit the 'sweet spot' of training: high enough to stimulate growth, but not so high that you can't recover. Ensure you are eating enough protein (~1.75 g/kg) and sleeping well. It is the combination of these factors that predicts the best physique.
GoodConditionalHIGH confidence
Recovery status, training load within the favorable range, training experience, and protein intake were associated with greater odds of a sex-specific high lean-mass profile.
Why this rating
Logistic regression with significant odds ratios for key predictors.
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
DOI 10.48161/qcsj.v1n4a17
cross_sectional · n=240
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- 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.Good
- Recovery status is an independent and significant predictor of lean body mass index, moderating the relationship between training load and muscle growth.Good
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