Varied strength training has a positive effect on developing strength, but not on muscle growth, a new study finds.
For years, the word around gyms has been that to put on muscle, you need to vary your training with regards to weight, repetitions, and exercises.
But the new findings show that so-called “periodized strength-training”—where training is varied by increasing and decreasing variables such as the amount of weight lifted, as well as the number of repetitions—benefits strength development.
“The study establishes that periodized strength training is conducive to the development of strength, but not muscle mass. If one wants to get stronger, it is important to vary their training,” says Jesper Lundbye-Jensen, associate professor in the department of nutrition, exercise, and sports at the University of Copenhagen and last author of the paper in Sports Medicine. …