Brad J Schoenfeld

City University of New York City - Lehman College | CUNY · Department of Health Sciences

Meta-analysis has become commonplace within sport and exercise science for synthesising and sum-marising empirical studies. However, most research in the field focuses upon mean effects, particularly the effects of interventions to improve outcomes such as fitness or performance. It is thought that individual responses to interventions vary conside...

Regimented resistance training (RT) has been shown to promote increases in muscle size. When engaging in RT, practitioners often emphasize the importance of appropriate exercise technique, especially when trying to maximize training adaptations (e.g.: hypertrophy). This narrative review aims to synthesize existing evidence on what constitutes prope...

Different methods can be used to assess muscle hypertrophy, but the effects of training on regional changes in muscle size can be detected only using direct muscle measurementssuch as muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, or volume. Importantly, muscle size increases vary across regions both within and between muscles following resistance trainin...

This systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed the effect of low-load resistance training (LL-RT) with blood ow restriction (BFR) versus highload resistance training (HL-RT) on muscle hypertrophy focusing on the repetition scheme adopted. Four databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials that compared the effect of LL-RT with...

Background Augmented feedback is often used during resistance training to enhance acute physical performance and has shown promise as a method of improving chronic physical adaptation. However, there are inconsistencies in the scientific literature regarding the magnitude of the acute and chronic responses to feedback and the optimal method with wh...

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different rest interval lengths (RIL) on repetition performance, rating of discomfort and blood lactate responses during lower body single-joint and multi-joint exercises. This study employed a counterbalanced design where each subject performed the Smith machine back squat (BS) and leg extens...

Based on emerging evidence that brief periods of cessation from resistance training (RT) may re-sensitize muscle to anabolic stimuli, we aimed to investigate the effects of a 1-week detraining interval at the midpoint of a 9-week RT program on muscular adaptations in resistance-trained individuals. Thirty-nine young men and women were randomly assi...

2023). Throwing cold water on muscle growth: A systematic review with meta-analysis of the effects of post-exercise cold water immersion on resistance training-induced hypertrophy. SportRχiv. 1 ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the literature and perform a meta-analysis of the existing data on the effects of post-exerc...

Objectives: Strength training is widely recommended to improve strength, muscle mass and power. However, the feasibility and potential efficacy of strength training using lighter loads near failure on these outcomes in middle and older-aged adults remains unclear. Methods: 23 community-living adults were randomized into two groups: Traditional s...

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of electromagnetic resistance alone, as well as in combination with variable resistance or accentuated eccentric methods, with traditional dynamic constant external resistance exercise on myoelectric activity during elbow flexion. The study employed a within-participant randomized, cross-over des...

Escalante, G, Barakat, C, Tinsley, GM, and Schoenfeld, BJ. Nutrition, training, supplementation, and performance-enhancing drug practices of male and female physique athletes peaking for competition. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2023-The purpose of this descriptive investigation was threefold: (a) to assess the nutrition, training, supplemen...

Resistance training is a method of enhancing strength, gait speed, mobility, and health. However, the external load required to induce these benefits is a contentious issue. A growing body of evidence suggests that when lower load resistance training [i.e., loads < 50% of one-repetition maximum (1RM)] is completed within close proximity to concentr...

The present paper aimed to systematically review case studies on physique athletes to evaluate longitudinal changes in measures of body composition, neuromuscular performance, chronic hormonal levels, physiological adaptations, and psychometric outcomes during pre-contest preparation. We included studies that (1) were classified as case studies inv...

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(3): 513-524, 2023. Cell swelling caused by resistance training is proposed to provide an anabolic stimulus for muscle growth and it is believed that these effects are heightened with the use of low loads. The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of two volume-equated resistance training...

This document overviews the items included in the SMART-LD scale and explains the grading criteria for each item. One point is awarded for questions that receive an answer of “yes”; zero points are awarded for questions that receive an answer of “no”.

The purpose of this paper was to carry out a systematic review with a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that examined the combined effects of resistance training (RT) and creatine supplementation on regional changes in muscle mass, with direct imaging measures of hypertrophy. Moreover, we performed regression analyses to determine the p...

Emerging evidence indicates that the use of low-load resistance training in combination with blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) can be an effective method to elicit increases in muscle size, with most research showing similar whole muscle development of the extremities compared to high-load (HL) training. It is conceivable that properties unique to LL...

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of resistance training under hypoxic conditions (RTH) on muscle hypertrophy and strength development. Searches of PubMed-Medline, Web of Science, Sport Discus and the Cochrane Library were conducted comparing the effect of RTH versus normoxia (RTN) on muscle hypertrophy (c...

Background: Range of motion (ROM) during resistance training is of growing interest and is potentially used to elicit differing adaptations (e.g. muscle hypertrophy and muscular strength and power). To date, attempts at synthesising the data on ROM during resistance training have primarily focused on muscle hypertrophy in the lower body. Objective...

Purpose This study evaluated the concurrent training (CT) effect in combination with either progressive energy restriction (PER) or severe energy restriction (SER) on body composition and strength-related variables in resistance-trained women. Methods Fourteen women (29.5 ± 3.8 years; 23.8 ± 2.8 kg·m⁻²) were randomly assigned to a PER (n = 7) or S...

This study explored the effects of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on muscular endurance, power, and velocity in resistance exercise. Nineteen resistance-trained men ingested either 0.3 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate or 0.21 g/kg of placebo (sodium chloride) 180-60 minutes before exercise. The exercise protocol involved performing 3 sets with 70% of one-r...

Objective: The effects of ROM manipulation on muscle strength and hypertrophy response remain understudied in long-term interventions. Thus, we compared the changes in strength and regional muscle hypertrophy after training in protocols with different ranges of motion (ROM) in the seated dumbbell preacher curl exercise using a within-participant e...

Introduction: If the aim is to increase maximal strength (MSt) and muscle mass, resistance training (RT) is primarily used to achieve these outcomes. However, research indicates that long-duration stretching sessions of up to 2 h per day can also provide sufficient stimuli to induce muscle growth. In RT literature, sex-related differences in adapta...

Traditional heavy resistance exercise (RE) training increases maximal strength, a valuable adaptation in many situations. That stated, some populations seek new opportunities for pushing the upper limits of strength gains (e.g., athletes and military personnel). Alternatively, other populations strive to increase or maintain strength but cannot per...

The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of the relative contributions of biomechanical, anthropometric, and psychological factors in explaining maximal bench press (BP) strength in a heterogeneous, resistance-trained sample. Eighteen college-aged participants reported to the laboratory for three visits. The first visit consisted...

Creatine monohydrate (CM) is an established and effective dietary supplement, but it is not the only form of creatine. We analyzed forms of creatine for sale on Amazon.com" title="http://Amazon.com">Amazon.com and evaluated if the advertised claims are supported by the available scientific evidence. We also analyzed the cost per gram of the forms o...

This study's purpose was to compare the effects of different carbohydrate (CHO) intakes on body composition and muscular strength following eight weeks of resistance training (RT) in pre-conditioned men. In addition, we explored the individual responses to different CHO intakes. Twenty-nine young men volunteered to participate in this study. The pa...

The purpose of this paper was to systematically review and meta-analyze the effects of drop set training (DS) vs. traditional training (TRAD) on measures of muscle strength and hypertrophy. We carried out a comprehensive search on PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases for studies that satisfied the following criteria: (a) had...

The practice of fasting recently has been purported to have clinical benefits, particularly as an intervention against obesity and its related pathologies. Although a number of different temporal dietary restriction strategies have been employed in practice, they are generally classified under the umbrella term “intermittent fasting” (IF). IF can b...

Time is considered a primary barrier to exercise adherence. Therefore, developing time-efficient resistance training (RT) strategies that optimize muscular adaptations is of primary interest to practitioners. A novel approach to the problem involves combining intensive stretch protocols with RT. Conceivably, integrating stretch into the inter-set p...

Several studies have explored the effects of capsaicin and capsiate on endurance performance, with conflicting findings. This systematic review aimed to perform a meta-analysis examining the effects of capsaicin and capsiate vs. placebo on endurance performance in humans. Seven databases were searched to find eligible studies. The effects of capsai...

Objective: To examine the effect of plyometric jump training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy in healthy individuals. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to September 2021. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The main overall finding (44 e...

This study investigated the effects of a relatively high‐ versus moderate‐volume resistance training program on changes in lean mass during caloric restriction. 38 resistance‐trained males were randomized to perform either a high‐volume (HVG; 5 sets/exercise) or a moderate‐volume (MVG; 3 sets/exercise) resistance training program. Both groups were...

The present review aims to explore and discuss recent research relating to the lactate response to resistance training and the potential mechanisms by which lactate may contribute to skeletal muscle hypertrophy or help to prevent muscle atrophy. First, we will discuss foundational information pertaining to lactate including metabolism, measurement,...

Background: Progressive overload is a principle of resistance training exercise program design that typically relies on increasing load to increase neuromuscular demand to facilitate further adaptations. However, little attention has been given to another way of increasing demand-increasing the number of repetitions. Objective: This study aimed...

Resistance exercise range of motion (ROM) influences muscular adaptations. However, there are no consistent practical guidelines about the optimal ROM for maximizing muscle hypertrophy. The objective of the present paper was to systematically review the literature for studies that compared the effects of full ROM (fROM) and partial ROM (pROM) on mu...

INTRODUCTION: Futsal is a demanding team sport that involves strenuous high-intensity bouts of running accelerations and decelerations along with kicking, tackling, turning, changes of direction and repeated sprinting; these demands require high strength and power of the lower limbs. Additionally, like other small-sided games, futsal requires a hi...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in changes in muscle strength and muscle thickness (MT) of the plantar flexor muscles between traditional resistance training (RT) involving passive rest and RT combined with inter-set stretch in the calf raise exercise. Employing a within-subject design, 21 young, healthy men performed plantar...

The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of performing a lower body resistance training program in one long or two shorter sessions in 1 day on training volume and affective measures. Employing a randomized-crossover design, 23 resistance-trained women (22 ± 2 years, 166 ± 6 cm, and 66.4 ± 7.5 kg) performed two training days consistin...

Age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and performance, commonly referred to as sarcopenia, has wide-ranging detrimental effects on human health, the ramifications of which can have serious implications for both morbidity and mortality. Various interventional strategies have been proposed to counteract sarcopenia, with a particular emphasis on...

Introduction The effects of dietary protein on body composition and physical performance seemingly depend on the essential amino acid profile of the given protein source, although controversy exists about whether animal protein sources may possess additional anabolic properties to plant-based protein sources. Purpose To compare the effects of a no...

Objective: To evaluate changes in body composition and strength after menstrual cycle-based or traditional undulating resistance training (RT) programs in women. Equipment and methods: Ten resistance-trained and eumenorrheic women (26.6 ± 3.0 years; 164.7 ± 6.5 cm; 62.3 ± 6.8 kg) were randomly assigned to a menstrual cycle-based periodized upper/lo...

Objective: To examine the effect of plyometric jump training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy in healthy individuals. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to September 2021. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The main overall finding (44 e...

This study investigated the effects of a 3-week power-oriented resistance training programme performed at moderate altitude on the lower-limb maximal theoretical power and force-velocity (F-V) imbalance of elite judokas. Twenty-two elite male judokas were randomly assigned to either a hypobaric hypoxia or normoxia group. Mechanical outputs from an...

Background Metabolic stress is considered a key factor in the activation of hypertrophy mechanisms which seems to be potentiated under hypoxic conditions.This study aimed to analyze the combined effect of the type of acute hypoxia (terrestrial vs simulated) and of the inter-set rest configuration (60 vs 120 s) during a hypertrophic resistance train...

Background The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a 12-week upper/lower split- versus a full-body resistance training program on maximal strength, muscle mass and explosive characteristics. Fifty resistance untrained women were pair-matched according to baseline strength and randomized to either a full-body (FB) routine that trained al...

Importance: Strength training exercise is recommended for improving physical function in older adults. However, whether strength training (lifting and lowering weights under control) and power training (PT) (lifting weights fast and lowering under control) are associated with improved physical function in older adults is not clear. Objective: To...

Many sports employ caloric restriction (CR) to reduce athletes' body mass. During these phases, resistance training (RT) volume is often reduced to accommodate recovery demands. Since RT volume is a well-known anabolic stimulus, this review investigates whether a higher training volume helps to spare lean mass during CR. A total of 15 studies met i...

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the effects of single-joint (SJ) and multijoint (MJ) resistance exercises on muscle hypertrophy of the limb muscles. A systematic search was performed to identify randomized trials that directly compared hypertrophic changes between SJ and MJ resistance exercises, as well as combinations...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of altering the duration of the eccentric phase in isotonic contractions on muscle hypertrophy and strength of the quadriceps femoris. Ten healthy young adults (8 men and 2 women: Height: 173.3 ± 9.6 cm: Body mass: 69.84 ± 10.88 kg; Body fat: 19.47 ± 8.42%; Age: 25.3 ± 4.8 years) performed unila...

We read with interest the meta-analytic review of Pallarés et al. (doi: 10.1111/sms.14006), which assessed the effects of full vs. partial range of motion (fROM vs. pROM) resistance training interventions on neuromuscular, functional, and structural adaptations. We congratulate the authors on a comprehensive review of current data on a topic that h...

The present study analyzed the effects from day-before to day-of bodybuilding competition on intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW), total body water (TBW), and bioimpedance analysis (BIA) parameters (resistance, R; reactance, Xc; and derived scores) in bodybuilding athletes. We assessed anthropometry and BIA (foot-to-hand; tetrapolar...

Fitness professionals routinely employ a variety of resistance training exercises in program design as a strategy to enhance muscular adaptations. However, it remains uncertain whether such an approach offers advantages over a fixed-exercise selection. The objective of this paper was to review the effects of exercise variation on muscle hypertrophy...

The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that compared muscle hypertrophy and strength gains between resistance training protocols employing very low (VLL < 30% of 1-repetition maximum (RM) or >35RM), low (LL30%–59% of 1RM, or 16–35RM), moderate (ML60%–79% of 1RM, or 8–15RM), and high (HL ≥ 80% of 1R...

Purpose: Resistance training combined with appropriate dietary intake can promote a concomitant increase in skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and reduction in fat mass, a condition termed body recomposition. This study's primary purpose was to explore the effects of protein ingestion on body recomposition following 24 weeks of resistance training (RT) in...

Purpose: To conduct a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis of the current literature as to the effects of interval training (IT) vs moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) on measures of body composition, both on a whole-body and regional level. Methods: We searched English-language papers on PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, and s...

Background We aimed to perform an umbrella review of meta-analyses examining the effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on exercise performance. Methods We systematically searched for meta-analyses that examined the effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on exercise performance. The methodological quality of the included reviews was...

Lack of time is among the more commonly reported barriers for abstention from exercise programs. The aim of this review was to determine how strength training can be most effectively carried out in a time-efficient manner by critically evaluating research on acute training variables, advanced training techniques, and the need for warm-up and stretc...

Objective In this review, we critically evaluate studies directly comparing the effects of plyometric vs. resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Methods We conducted electronic searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science to find studies that explored the effects of plyometric vs. resistance training on muscle...

Human muscle fibers are generally classified by myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms characterized by slow to fast contractile speeds. Type I, or slow-twitch fibers, are seen in high abundance in elite endurance athletes, such as long-distance runners and cyclists. Alternatively, fast-twitch IIa and IIx fibers are abundant in elite power athletes, suc...

Based on a comprehensive review and critical analysis of the literature regarding the effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on exercise performance, conducted by experts in the field and selected members of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), the following conclusions represent the official Position of the Society: 1. Sup...

Whole egg may have potential benefits for enhancing muscle mass, independent of its protein content. The yolk comprises ∼40% of the total protein in an egg, as well as containing several nonprotein nutrients that could possess anabolic properties (e.g., microRNAs, vitamins, minerals, lipids, phosphatidic acid and other phospholipids). Therefore, th...

A training plan, or an exercise prescription, is the point where we translate sport and exercise science into practice. As in medicine, good practice requires writing a training plan or prescribing an exercise programme based on the best current scientific evidence. A key issue, however, is that a training plan or exercise prescription is typically...

The study aimed to compare the effects of drop set resistance training (RT) versus traditional RT on markers of maximal muscle strength and regional hypertrophy of the quadriceps femoris. Sixteen recreationally active young men had one leg randomly assigned to the drop-set method (DS) and the other to training in a traditional manner (TRAD). Partic...

Objective: To compare the effects of different resistance training programs on measures of muscle strength and hypertrophy. Methods: Sixty-seven untrained subjects were randomized to one of two groups: Split Workout Routine (n=35), in which muscle groups were trained twice per week in an A/B split consisting of eight sets per session, or Full-Bo...

Hypertrophy can be operationally defined as an increase in the axial cross-sectional area of a muscle fiber or whole muscle, and is due to increases in the size of pre-existing muscle fibers. Hypertrophy is a desired outcome in many sports. For some athletes, muscular bulk and, conceivably, the accompanying increase in strength/power, are desirable...