Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Lifting Weights Near Failure Doesn't Make Much Difference (If You Already Lift a Lot)
This study on resistance-trained individuals found no significant difference in muscle growth or strength gains between varying proximity to failure (RIR1-4) and consistently training close to failure (RIR1). However, varying proximity to failure did result in lower perceived exertion.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
One author (BJS) is on the scientific advisory board for Tonal Corporation, a fitness equipment manufacturer.
Identified Weaknesses
The study focused on resistance-trained individuals, so the findings might not apply to untrained individuals.
With around 30 participants completing the study, the statistical power might not be sufficient to detect small but meaningful differences.
Partly supervised training
While participants recorded their training, the lack of full supervision might introduce variability and inaccuracies in reported repetitions and RIR estimations.
The 10-week intervention period might be too short to observe significant differences in muscle growth or strength adaptations, especially in experienced lifters.
Rating Explanation
The study employs a reasonable methodology and addresses a relevant question, but the small sample size, limited generalizability to trained individuals, and partly supervised nature of the training limit its impact. The disclosed conflict of interest with one author is noted but doesn't seem to directly compromise the study's integrity.
Good to know
This is our free standard analysis. Paperzilla Pro fact-checks every citation, researches author backgrounds and funding sources, and uses advanced AI reasoning for more thorough insights.
File Information
Original Title:
Influence of Varying Proximity-to-Failure on Muscular Adaptations and Repetitions-in-Reserve Estimation Accuracy in Resistance-Trained Individuals
Uploaded:
September 12, 2025 at 09:12 AM
© 2025 Paperzilla. All rights reserved.