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Int J Sports Med 2023; 44(08): 599-604
DOI: 10.1055/a-2053-8426
Training & Testing

Muscle Hypertrophy Responses to Changes in Training Volume: A Retrospective Analysis

Júlio Benvenutti Bueno de Camargo
1   Department of Human Movement Science, Methodist University of Piracicaba – Taquaral Campus, Piracicaba, Brazil
,
Paulo Henrique Barbosa
1   Department of Human Movement Science, Methodist University of Piracicaba – Taquaral Campus, Piracicaba, Brazil
,
Felipe Alves Brigatto 
1   Department of Human Movement Science, Methodist University of Piracicaba – Taquaral Campus, Piracicaba, Brazil
,
Tiago Volpi Braz 
1   Department of Human Movement Science, Methodist University of Piracicaba – Taquaral Campus, Piracicaba, Brazil
,
Charles Ricardo Lopes
1   Department of Human Movement Science, Methodist University of Piracicaba – Taquaral Campus, Piracicaba, Brazil
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Abstract

This study assessed associations between changes in the weekly number of sets performed and the percentage change in muscle thickness of the biceps (MTBB) and triceps (MTTB) brachii muscles. Through a retrospective analysis, sixty-eight resistance-trained subjects that participated in previous studies had their previous training volumes analyzed and compared to the volume imposed during each individual study. The relationship between variables was determined through Spearman correlation and a k-cluster analysis was performed to subdivide the participants into three groups and classified as:<0%; 0–50%, and >50% increase in the number of sets for both muscle groups. Moderate and weak correlations were observed between the alterations in training volume and changes in MTBB (rs=0.44, p=0.001) and MTTB (rs=0.35, p=0.002), respectively. A significant difference was noted between<0% to >50% for MTBB and MTTB (p=0.017; p=0.042, respectively), while no significant difference was observed between<0% to 0–50% and 0–50% to >50% (both p >0.05) for both muscle groups. In conclusion, muscle hypertrophy of the upper limbs is only weakly to moderately associated with changes in training volume of trained subjects.

Key words

strength training - number of sets - morphology - muscle thickness


Publication History

Received: 28 September 2022

Accepted: 28 February 2023

Article published online:
09 May 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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