Does building more muscle lead to increased strength? A fresh research study offers a definitive response
A recent pre-print study conducted by Loughborough University has delved into the role of muscle size versus neural adaptations in strength gains during a 15-week lower-body resistance training program. Here's a summary of the key findings:
Subjects and Training
Thirty-nine healthy young men, all without recent training history, participated in the study. They underwent resistance training three times a week, focusing on leg extensions, leg curls, and leg presses.
Measurements
The researchers measured several aspects of the participants' bodies and performance:
- Muscle Size: Using high-resolution MRI, the quad muscle volume was measured, showing a significant increase of approximately 13% after training.
- Muscle Activation: Neuromuscular activation was assessed with surface EMG to track how well the nervous system activates muscles during exercise.
- Strength: Leg strength was tested via one-rep max and isometric maximum voluntary torque before and after training.
Findings
The study found that muscle growth is the primary driver of strength gains in longer training periods. While neural adaptations also play a role, the increase in muscle size is more directly linked to enhanced strength.
Conclusion
In summary, the Loughborough University study suggests that muscle size is a more significant predictor of strength gains compared to neural adaptations over a longer training period. This means that while neural factors contribute to strength improvements, the increase in muscle mass is a more substantial factor in achieving greater strength.
The study highlights the importance of hypertrophy-focused training for continued progress in strength. When muscle growth and neural activation were examined simultaneously, muscle growth emerged as over five times more influential in predicting strength improvements. The study also focused on lower-body strength gains and did not include individuals with prior training experience.
In light of the Loughborough University study, it appears that an emphasis on muscle growth, a facet of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise, is crucial in achieving significant strength gains, as opposed to just neural adaptations. The increase in muscle size, a reflection of muscle growth, is found to be more directly linked to enhanced strength, especially during longer training periods, shedding light on the importance of science-backed approaches in health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise.
