A comparison of volume equated knee extensions to failure, or not to failure, upon rating of perceived exertion and strength adaptations

The present study aimed to compare the effects of repetition duration-, volume- and load-matched resistance training to momentary muscular failure (MMF) or not to muscular failure (NMF) on maximal voluntary isometric knee extensor strength. This design also allowed testing of the efficacy of ‘5x5’ training. Nine recreationally active males (21.4 ±1.2 years; 1.79 ± 0.07 m; 78.4 ±7.1 kg) performed unilateral resistance training at 80% of max torque 2 x / week for 6 weeks. Using their non-dominant leg participants performed 5 sets of 5 repetitions (NMF). Using their dominant leg participants performed 25 repetitions in as few sets as possible (MMF). All repetitions were performed at a pace of 2s concentric, 1s isometric pause, and 2s eccentric with a 2-minute rest interval between sets. Analyses identified significant pre- to post-intervention strength increases for both MMF and NMF, with effect sizes (ESs) of 2.01 and 1.65, respectively, with no significant differences between conditions (p > 0.05). Peak and mean RPE was significantly higher for MMF compared to NMF conditions (pThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author