Differences in Gains Between Individuals, and What You Can Do About It
The Stronger By Science Podcast
I Love It When Numbers Cluster Around Numbers
The average response was gains of 15 20%. The best responses were like 50 60%. So about three times better than average. One subject experienced an increase of 145%, which I don't take that completely at face value. But in terms of just the general variability, we see very similar to hypertrophy. And you see a pretty normal distribution here as well with most people experiencing gains in elbow flexion strength of around 20%.
In today's episode, Eric briefly addresses some feedback and responses to his previous article and segment about reverse dieting. After that, it’s all about differences in gains between individuals. Greg begins by exploring research that describes the degree to which training-induced improvements in strength, muscularity, and aerobic fitness vary from person to person. After that, Greg leans on the available research to provide evidence-based advice about what you can actually do about it, particularly if you suspect that you’re experiencing below-average gains.
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TIME STAMPS
Intro/Announcements (0:00)
Reverse dieting: feedback, responses, and a clarification (2:17)
Feat of Strength (22:10)
How much do muscle growth and strength gains differ between people? (25:10)
Hypertrophy variation in response to resistance training (29:08)
Strength and hypertrophy variation in response to resistance training (33:10)
Aerobic fitness variation in response to endurance training (36:56)
How much do strength gains vary? A look at SBS survey data and empirical data across the field (39:08)
- Improbable Data Patterns In The Work Of Barbalho Et Al: An Explainer
- Data-Based Muscle, Strength, And Fat-Loss Targets To Set Realistic Training Goals
Why is there so much inter-individual variability? (50:09)
- Genetics of muscle strength and power: polygenic profile similarity limits skeletal muscle performance
- Potent myofiber hypertrophy during resistance training in humans is associated with satellite cell-mediated myonuclear addition: a cluster analysis
- High responders to resistance exercise training demonstrate differential regulation of skeletal muscle microRNA expression
- Physiological Differences Between Low Versus High Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophic Responders to Resistance Exercise Training: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
- Cluster analysis tests the importance of myogenic gene expression during myofiber hypertrophy in humans
- Muscle Androgen Receptor Content but Not Systemic Hormones Is Associated With Resistance Training-Induced Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Healthy, Young Men
- Do Non-Responders to Exercise Exist—and If So, What Should We Do About Them?
What can you do about it? (59:21)
Make sure you have your ducks in a row outside of the gym (1:00:01)
Keep training (1:02:33)
Train more/harder (1:05:37)
Measure more variables (1:12:52)
Experiment with different training styles (1:18:28)
Embrace other benefits of training and/or find another entire type of training that you respond better to (1:31:14)
1:45:16 Summary/conclusions
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- Join the SBS Facebook group and Subreddit.
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- BulkSupplements: Next time you stock up on supplements, be sure to use the promo code “SBSPOD” (all caps) to get 5% off your entire order.
- MASS Research Review: Subscribe to the MASS Research Review to get concise and applicable breakdowns of the latest strength, physique, and nutrition research – delivered monthly.
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