Ep. 229 - Is Failure More Important Than Volume For Hypertrophy (MASScast 4 ft. Dr. Zourdos & Zac Robinson)

In this MASScast episode, we’re joined not only by MASScast fellow host Dr. Mike Zourdos but also Ph.D. candidate Zac Robinson of Data Driven Strength, both of whom are co-authors on a pre-print that is making a lot of waves in the evidence-based community. Their series of meta-regressions has shown that perhaps the impact of failure is more substantial than previously believed, at least for hypertrophy. But is it that simple? Also, is this paper a “game changer” when it comes to the understanding how volume and effort relate to hypertrophy? Tune in to find out the details that almost everyone talking about this paper, besides the authors themselves, are getting wrong.

For more MASS science-based content check out https://massresearchreview.com (en español https://revistamass.com/)

00:00 A breakdown of what you are going to learn… in exactly one minute (and reintroducing the Dr Mike Zourdos and Zac Robinson)

4:38 Introducing the paper and how the data was analysed

Robinson 2023 Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy https://sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/295

Refalo 2023 Influence of Resistance Training Proximity-to-Failure on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36334240/

19:35 Estimating RIR from alternative set structures (cluster and rest redistribution sets) and velocity-based training

Carroll 2019 Skeletal Muscle Fiber Adaptations Following Resistance Training Using Repetition Maximums or Relative Intensity https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31373325/ 

Lasevicius 2022 Muscle failure promotes greater muscle hypertrophy in low-load but not in high-load resistance training. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31895290/ 

30:05 What surprised Mike about the findings? 

39:00 Going in-depth on the meta regression models and how resistance training variables interact with each other

Schoenfeld 2017 Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27433992/

Baz-Valle 2022 A Systematic Review of The Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Muscle Hypertrophy https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291645/ 

1:00:57 The relationship between volume and hypertrophy 

1:15:33 The broader issues with resistance training research

1:34:34 Concluding summary of the paper and where to find our guests

Zac Robinson

Instagram @zac.datadrivenstrength and @datadrivenstrength 

Data Driven Strength Podcast https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/datadrivenstrength

ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zac-Robinson-2

Dr Mike Zourdos

ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Zourdos-2