Investigation of an experimental weight-training programme

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of conventional weight-training (control) with an experimental programme. The training programme consisted of 12 sessions, 3 a week for 4 weeks. The experimental group (n = 12) performed sets of forearm flexion with a barbell until a 20% decline in maximal force was noted. The controls (n = 11) trained according to established weight-training principles. Isometric tests were performed on both the right and left forearm flexors and during forearm flexion with a barbell: the tests were continued for a 3-week post-experimental period. The subjects were matched on all tests at the start of the experiment. Larger reductions in muscle torque within the training sessions were noted among the experimental subjects--19.8 +/- 2.0, 16.9 +/- 1.9 and 18.0 +/- 1.8% for right, left and combined elbow flexion respectively, compared to 11.8 +/- 2.7, 14.9 +/- 4.1 and 13.4 +/- 3.1% for the controls. The volume of training (number of lifts) was 30.4% higher for the experimental subjects. Muscle strength increased in both groups (P less than 0.05). The controls improved by 12.7 +/- 6.9, 24.9 +/- 22.1, 18.3 +/- 12.3 and 30.3 +/- 11.1% for right, left, combined isometric strength and the barbell test respectively. These did not differ significantly from the corresponding results for the experimental group--7.6 +/- 8.8, 17.0 +/- 12.4, 11.8 +/- 9.3 and 29.1 +/- 10.6% (P greater than 0.05). Neither the decrease in force during a single training session nor the volume of training were related to the training effect expressed as an increase in muscle force (P greater than 0.05). The effectiveness of the conventional programme in producing similar improvements in muscle strength to the experimental programme suggests that a high volume of training is unnecessary for strength gains.