Abstract
Objectives
To compare muscle recruitment, maximal force, and rate of force development changes
following different resistance exercise protocols with a constant volume-load.
Design
Within-subjects randomized crossover trial.
Methods
Fourteen (n = 14) resistance trained male participants completed three different resistance exercise
protocols involving 20 squat repetitions, prescribed at 80% of 1-repetition-maximum.
Protocol A consisted of 5 sets of 4 repetitions with 3 min inter-set rest intervals, protocol B was 5 sets of 4 repetitions with 20 s inter-set rest intervals, and the rest-pause method was an initial set to failure
with subsequent sets performed with a 20 s inter-set rest interval. Maximal squat isometric force output and rate of force
development (RFD) were measured before, immediately upon completion (IP), and 5 min (5P) following each protocol. Muscle activity from 6 different thigh and hip muscles
was measured with surface electromyography (EMG) at each time point, and during every
squat repetition.
Results
Participants completed the rest-pause method in 2.1 ± 0.4 sets, with a total protocol duration of 103 s compared to 140 s and 780 s for protocols B and A, respectively. All protocols elicited similar decreases (p < 0.05) in maximal force and RFD at IP, with full recovery at 5P. Increased motor unit
recruitment was observed during the rest-pause method compared to both protocols A
and B for all muscles measured (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
As a result of the increased EMG during exercise and no greater post-exercise fatigue,
it was concluded that the rest-pause method may be an efficacious training method
for resistance-trained individuals.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of Science and Medicine in SportAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- A cross-sectional comparison of different resistance training techniques in the Bench Press.J Strength Cond Res. 1999; 13: 247-258
- The role of metabolites in strength training II. Short versus long isometric contractions.Eur J Appl Physiol. 1995; 71: 337-341
- Effects of low intensity resistance exercise with short rest period on muscular function in middle-aged women.J Strength Cond Res. 2002; 16: 123-128
- Fatigue contributes to the strength training stimulus.Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994; 26: 1160-1164
- Strength and neuromuscular adaptation following one, four, and eight sets of high intensity resistance exercise in trained males.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011;
- Fundamentals of resistance training: progression and exercise prescription.Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004; 36: 674-688
- Factors affecting the rate of phosphocreatine resynthesis following intense exercise.Sports Med. 2002; 32: 761-784
- ACSM position stand: Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults.Med Sci Sport Exerc. 2009; 41: 687-708
- A critical analysis of the claims for inter-set rest intervals, endogenous hormonal responses, sequence of exercise, and pre-exhaustion exercise for optimal strength gains in resistance training.Med Sport. 2010; 14: 126-156
- The effects of different rest intervals between sets on volume components and strength gains.J Strength Cond Res. 2008; 22: 146-152
- Effects of different weight training exercise/rest intervals on strength, power and high intensity exercise endurance.J Strength Cond Res. 1995; 9: 216-221
- The effects of rest interval length and training on quadriceps femoris muscle. Part 1: Knee extensor torque and muscle fatigue.J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2004; 44: 111-118
- Short vs. long rest period between the sets in hypertrophic resistance training: influence on muscle strength, size, and hormonal adaptations in trained men.J Strength Cond Res. 2005; 19: 572-582
- The effect of rest interval length on metabolic responses to the bench press exercise.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2007; 100: 1-17
- Effects of short vs. long rest period between sets on elbow-flexor muscular endurance during resistance training to failure.J Strength Cond Res. 2007; 21: 1320-1324
- Effects of rest interval during high-repetition resistance training on strength, aerobic fitness and repeated-sprint ability.J Sports Sci. 2007; 25: 619-628
- Relation between size of neurons and their susceptibility to discharge.Science. 1957; 126: 1345-1347
- Changes in isometric force and relaxation-time, electromyography and muscle fibre characteristics of human skeletal muscle during strength training and detraining.Acta Physiol Scand. 1985; 125: 573-585
- Resistance exercise volume affects myofibrillar protein synthesis and anabolic signalling molecule phosphorylation in young men.J Physiol. 2010; 588: 3119-3130
- The degree of p70S6k and S6 phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle in response to resistance exercise depends on the training volume.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010; : 1-9
- Introduction to Surface Electromyography.Aspen Publishers Inc., Gaithersburg1998
- Comparison of algorithms for estimation of EMG variables during voluntary isometric contractions.J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2000; 10: 337-349
- The effect of resistance exercise on humoral markers of oxidative stress.Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008; 40: 542-548
- Acute hormonal and neuromuscular responses to hypertrophy, strength and power type resistane exercise.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009; 105: 695-704
- The effect of weight training volume on hormonal output and muscular size and function.J Strength Cond Res. 1997; 11: 148-154
- Electromyogram and mechanogram changes in fresh and fatigued muscle during sustained contraction in men.Eur J Appl Physiol. 1998; 78: 494-501
- The effect of 5, 10, and 20 repetition maximums on the recovery of voluntary and evoked contractile properties.J Strength Cond Res. 2002; 16: 209-218
- Effects of intra-session rest interval on strength recovery and reliability during high intensity exercise.J Strength Cond Res. 1998; 12: 152-156
- Acute neuromuscular responses to resistance training performed at different loads.J Sci Med Sport. 2006; 9: 135-142
- Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in maximal compared to explosive strength loading.Eur J Appl Physiol. 1998; 77: 176-181
Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 22, 2011
Accepted:
August 19,
2011
Received in revised form:
August 12,
2011
Received:
November 29,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
