Autoregulation by “Repetitions in Reserve” Leads to Greater Improvements in Strength Over a 12-Week Training Program Than Fixed Loading

In this study, 31 resistance-trained men participated twice weekly in an AR or a FL squat program. For the FL group, the load was prescribed as a percentage of the pre-test 1-repetition maximum, whereas for the AR group, the load was prescribed based on the number of “repetitions in reserve,” such that the intensities were theoretically the same (volume was also matched). Both groups showed a significant increase in front squat (FS) and back squat (BS) performance, but the magnitude of this was significantly greater for the AR program (FS: AR +11.7%, FL +8.3%, p = 0.004, = 0.255; BS: AR +10.8%, FL +7.1%, p = 0.006, = 0.233). The AR group was trained at a greater intensity (average weekly intensity; FS: AR 83.2 ± 13.3%, FL 80.4 ± 10.0%, p
Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Original Research Source Type: research