Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models
Published on: December 17, 2021
Heavier and lighter load resistance training to momentary failure produce similar increases in strength with
James Peter Fisher1, James Steele1
1School of Sport, Health and Social Sciences, Southampton Solent University, East Park Terrace, Southampton, SO14 0YN, UK.
Introduction:
It has been suggested that disparities in effort and discomfort between high- and low-load resistance training might exist, which in turn have produced unequivocal adaptations between studies.
Methods:
Strength responses to heavier load (HL; 80% maximum voluntary isometric torque; MVIT) and lighter load (LL; 50% MVIT) resistance training were examined in addition to acute perceptions of effort and discomfort. Seven men (20.6 ± 0.5 years, 178.9 ± 3.2 cm, 77.1 ± 2.7 kg) performed unilateral resistance training of the knee extensors to momentary failure using HL and LL.
Results:
Analyses revealed significant pre- to post-intervention increases in strength for both HL and LL, with no significant between-group differences (P > 0.05). Mean repetitions per set, total training time, and discomfort were all significantly higher for LL compared with HL (P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
This study indicates that resistance training with HL and LL produces similar strength adaptations, but discomfort should be considered before selecting a training load. Muscle Nerve 56: 797-803, 2017.
More Related Videos
07:30Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations
Published on: May 1, 2018
14:10Isometric and Eccentric Force Generation Assessment of Skeletal Muscles Isolated from Murine Models of Muscular Dystrophies
Published on: January 31, 2013
Related Concept Videos
Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
Isotonic and Isometric Muscle Contractions
Isotonic contractions
Isotonic contractions occur when a muscle changes length while...
Motor Unit Stimulation
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
Muscle Stimulation Frequency
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Design Consideration
The factor of safety is another key...
Fatigue Strength of Concrete