Browse the evidence

Both free weights and machines can improve functional outcomes, with the extent of transfer being specific to the given task.

Both free weight and machine exercises should be included in training programs for functional improvements.

Long-term maintenance of a reduced weight provides the greatest health benefit.

Practitioners should emphasize the importance of long-term weight maintenance for health benefits.

High-velocity resistance training (HVRT) increases muscle strength, muscle thickness, and some measures of peak torque and physical performance in untrained healthy aging males.

Practitioners can use HVRT to effectively improve muscle strength and performance in older adults.

Varying exercise selection can influence muscle hypertrophy and strength gains.

Fitness professionals should consider incorporating a variety of resistance exercises to enhance muscle growth and strength.

Excessive, random variation in exercise selection may compromise muscular gains.

Avoid excessive changes in exercise selection to maintain optimal muscle growth and strength.

Both moderate-load and high-load training improved strength and power, as evidenced by increases in vertical jump (2.9 ± 3.2 cm) and back squat one repetition maximum (22.5 ± 8.1 kg).

Both training methods are effective for enhancing strength and power in untrained young women.

All training protocols significantly increased one repetition maximum (1RM) values post-training, with no significant differences between protocols.

Practitioners can expect similar strength gains across different rest intervals when volume is equalized.

Contrast training (CT) results in greater countermovement jump (CMJ) gains compared to resistance training (RT) with an effect size of 1.30.

Practitioners may consider incorporating contrast training to enhance vertical jump performance.

Contrast training (CT) shows higher countermovement jump (CMJ) performance compared to control groups with an effect size of 1.46.

Incorporating contrast training may lead to better jump performance compared to standard training.

Both pyramid (PR) and constant (CT) resistance training systems significantly improve muscular strength and muscle mass in resistance-trained older women.

Both training methods can be used effectively to enhance strength and muscle mass in older women.

Significant within-group increases in 1-RM bench press were observed for MJ, MJ + SJ, and SJ + MJ but not for SJ.

Varying the order of exercises can enhance strength gains in bench press.

Significantly greater increases in elbow extension 1-RM were noted for SJ, MJ + SJ, and SJ + MJ but not for MJ.

Single-joint exercises can be effective for improving elbow extension strength.

Powerlifters can accurately select loads to reach a prescribed RPE.

Trainers can trust that powerlifters are capable of selecting appropriate loads based on RPE.

Accuracy for 8-repetition sets at 8 RPE may be better for bench press compared with squat.

Coaches may need to adjust load prescriptions differently for bench press and squat.

Squat power was closer to the target RPE in week 3 compared to week 1.

Progressive training may enhance load selection accuracy for squat over time.

Strategies like monitoring, action planning, and highlighting benefits can help clients stick to their resistance exercise program.

Implement these strategies to enhance client adherence to resistance exercise.

Significant improvements in absolute and relative peak power and mean power were found across various loads ranging from 45 to 75% 1RM (p = 0.006-0.041 for peak power, p = 0.001-0.032 for mean power).

Resistance-trained individuals can expect improvements in power with high-load training.

Muscle strength increased by a higher amount in the high-responsive group compared with the low-responsive group in the 45° leg press and bench press.

High responders to resistance training can expect greater improvements in muscle strength.

Low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) produces lower rating of perceived exertion (RPE) values (6.8 ± 1.1) compared to high-load resistance training (HL-RT) (8.1 ± 0.8) before training.

Practitioners may consider LL-BFR for clients seeking lower perceived exertion during workouts.

Muscle strength (1 repetition maximum) increased more in HL-RT (13.7 ± 5.9%) compared to LL-BFR (6.9 ± 4.1%).

For optimal strength gains, practitioners may prefer HL-RT over LL-BFR.

Maximal strength shows a significant effect of frequency with an increase in effect size of 0.14 for every day increase in frequency.

Increasing resistance training frequency may lead to greater improvements in maximal strength for older adults.

The athlete increased horizontal force (F H) in his weak leg by 26% after a targeted training program.

Targeted strength training can effectively increase force production in weaker limbs.

The athlete increased maximal velocity (v max) by 2% and power (P max) by 15% after the training program.

Targeted training can lead to measurable improvements in sprint performance metrics.

Both resistance training groups (multijoint to single-joint and single-joint to multijoint) showed significant increases in muscle strength (16.4% and 12.7%, respectively) after 12 weeks.

Both training orders are effective for improving muscle strength in older women.