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Are We Exploring the Potential Role of Specialized Techniques in Muscle

Hypertrophy?

Article  in  International Journal of Sports Medicine · December 2020

DOI: 10.1055/a-1342-7708

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Are We Exploring the

Potential Role of Specialized
Techniques in Muscle
Hypertrophy?

DOI 10.1055/a-1342-7708
Int J Sports Med

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 Review Thieme

Are We Exploring the Potential Role of Specialized Techniques in

Muscle Hypertrophy?

Authors
Witalo Kassiano1 , Bruna Daniella de Vasconcelos Costa1 , João Pedro Nunes1 , Andreo Fernando Aguiar2,
Belmiro F. de Salles3, Alex Silva Ribeiro1, 2

Affiliations Abs trac t

1 Metabolism, Nutrition and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Specialized resistance training techniques (e.g., drop-set, rest-
Education and Sport Center, Londrina State University, pause) are commonly used by well-trained subjects for maximiz-
Londrina, Brazil ing muscle hypertrophy. Most of these techniques were designed
2 University of Northern Paraná, Londrina, PR, Brazil to allow a greater training volume (i.e., total repetitions × load),
3 Department of Physical Education, Federal University of due to the supposition that it elicits greater muscle mass gains.
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil However, many studies that compared the traditional resistance
training configuration with specialized techniques seek to equal-
Key words ize the volume between groups, making it difficult to determine
muscle mass, strength training, resistance-trained subjects, the inherent hypertrophic potential of these advanced strategies,
resistance training configurations as well as, this equalization restricts part of the practical extrapo-
lation on these findings. In this scenario, the objectives of this
accepted 15.12.2020 manuscript were 1) to present the nuance of the evidence that
published online 2021 deals with the effectiveness of these specialized resistance training
techniques and — primarily — to 2) propose possible ways to ex-
Bibliography plore the hypertrophic potential of such strategies with greater
Int J Sports Med ecological validity without losing the methodological rigor of
DOI 10.1055/a-1342-7708 controlling possible intervening variables; and thus, contributing
ISSN 0172-4622 to increasing the applicability of the findings and improving the
© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved. effectiveness of hypertrophy-oriented resistance training pro-
Georg Thieme Verlag KG, Rüdigerstraße 14, grams.
70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Correspondence
Witalo Kassiano
Physical Education and Sport Center,
Londrina State University
Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, km 380
86057-970 Londrina
Brazil
Tel.: (85)997981613, Fax: (43)33714144
witalo.oliveira@uel.br

Introduction others — aiming to maximize training-induced muscle hypertrophy

Muscle hypertrophy induced by resistance training (RT) is a phenom-
enon that occurs when muscle protein synthesis exceeds that of mus-
cle protein breakdown [1]. The magnitude of this morphological ad-
aptation seems to be inversely proportional to the training status of
the individuals, where resistance-trained individuals show a lower
magnitude of muscle mass gains than untrained/detrained individ-
uals [2]. Thus, resistance-trained individuals frequently use special-
ized RT techniques — such as rest-pause, drop-sets, pyramid, pre-
exhaustion, accentuated eccentric overload, 3/7 method, among
[3–7]. These approaches consider the manipulation of RT variables
focusing on putting a greater overload into the muscles beyond that
allowed by the conventional model, so such strategies may enhance
metabolic stress and mechanical tension [4]. In this context, some
techniques result in a higher training volume and/or density, the
same training volume in a shorter time [3, 8].
Since training volume is one of the main variables for inducing mus-
cle hypertrophy [3, 9], researchers usually try to equate this metric be-
tween the specialized and traditional RT protocols to eliminate the bias

Kassiano W et al. Are We Exploring the …  Int J Sports Med | © 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.
 Review
associated with differences in volume between groups [10–12]. While
this is a valid scientific approach, it minimizes the ecological validity
to training rooms, since the possible advantages that justify the ap-
plication of these techniques (e.g., make a larger volume) are not ex-
plored. That is, in this context, the greater training volume induced by
these techniques should not be considered as a study bias or a con-
founding factor only, but rather a possible mean to maximize results.
This point needs to be better clarified to avoid that the greater train-
ing volume is neglected in hypertrophy-oriented RT programs. There-
fore, the purposes of this paper are to (a) present the evidence that
deals with the effectiveness of these specialized RT techniques and (b)
to propose possible solutions to explore the hypertrophic potential of
such strategies in future experimental designs.
Argumentation
A plethora of specialized techniques is used for potentially enhanc-
ing muscle hypertrophy. For example, in the drop-set, subjects
need to accomplish a set until the concentric muscular failure, to
remove about ~15–20 % of the load, and then perform another set
to failure after a minimum rest period [8]. Another specialized tech-
nique is the rest-pause, which consists of performing additional
repetitions after the concentric failure following short rest inter-
vals (10–20 s), without reducing the load [12]. Some RT practition-
ers also focus on putting greater intensity on the eccentric muscle
actions like performing cheating-repetitions (where strict exercise
form is abandoned) or forced-repetitions by the assistance of a
spotter who helps to perform additional repetitions after the con-
centric failure is reached. With the application of these specialized
techniques, it is proposed that greater mechanical tension and met-
abolic stress are achieved [4]. Also, carrying out more repetitions
beyond the first interruption of concentric failure (by the perfor-
mance of these specialized techniques) would be advantageous
due to additional volume (e.g., number of repetitions) performed,
and the increased possibility to recruit and fatigue an additional
amount of muscle fibers — especially those of high-recruitment
threshold, due to the size principle and the “motor unit substitu-
tion” — then, favoring to maximizing muscle hypertrophy [13, 14].
Some studies have observed greater increase in muscle size by
performing a specialized technique, although, for this condition,
training volume was higher too. Of note, Goto et al. [15] showed
that carrying out an additional drop-set to failure after five high-
load sets resulted in a significant increase in the muscle cross-sec-
tional area as opposed to the traditional RT protocol in trained men.
Similarly, Walker et al. [16] and English et al. [17] observed advan-
tages for the accentuated eccentric overload technique, compared
to traditional RT, on improving lean mass in young men. Also, Agu-
iar et al. [18] observed that adding a low load set to failure (~50 extra
repetitions) before RT (leg extension), in which the authors called it
as prior-exhaustive training, doubled the quadriceps muscle hyper-
trophy compared with the traditional RT, in young men.
In this sense, since volume is considered a determining variable
for muscle hypertrophy [9], other studies that assessed the effects
of advanced specialized techniques equalized the training volume
with a traditional training program aiming to eliminate this possible
confound factor. For example, Angleri et al. [10] compared the ef-
fects of the traditional, pyramid, and drop-set techniques with equal-
Kassiano W et al. Are We Exploring the …  Int J Sports Med | © 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.
Thieme
ized total volume-load in trained men, and observed similar hyper-
trophy for the three groups. In the same way, Ozaki et al. [11] ob-
served similar hypertrophy for the elbow flexors between drop-set
and traditional groups after eight weeks of training in untrained
young men; in parallel, volume-load was also similar between them.
Regarding the rest-pause, Prestes et al. [12], also in an experimental
design of volume equalized with the traditional RT protocol, ob-
served similar changes in lean mass, and muscle thickness of biceps
brachii and pectoralis major, in trained young adults; although an-
terior mid-thigh hypertrophy was greater for the rest-pause group.
Within this scenario, it appears that volume is a determinant factor
for the effects of specialized techniques on hypertrophy. However, some
studies show conflicting results. For instance, Stragier et al. [6] observed
an increase in the thickness of the biceps brachii significantly greater in
the 3/7 method group compared to the traditional configuration, even
with similar volume. With volume equated, Fink et al. [19] observed in-
creases in the cross-sectional area of the triceps brachii of approximate-
ly double in the drop-set group compared with the traditional group
(10.0 vs. 5.1 %, non-significant) after six weeks of RT in men with expe-
rience in RT. Ribeiro et al. [20] observed similar lean mass gains between
the pyramidal and traditional RT groups in trained older women, despite
the greater accumulated volume-load for the traditional configuration.
In this latter situation, it could be speculated that the advanced system
was more efficient (muscle gain per volume carried out). However, the
lack of a group that performed the specialized technique with the same
volume as the traditional group hampers us to affirm this. That is, it is
unknown whether this extra volume to be realized could generate ad-
vantages for the specialized technique group.
Nonetheless, in both experimental designs (with and without
equalizing the volume), when isolated, there are limitations as to the
application of the findings. One of the main problems associated
with the attempt of volume matching in the research setting is that
the specialized technique has not been explored in its original way
[4]. For example, in the study comparing traditional, pyramid, and
drop-set RTs [10], during the drop-set, the exercise was terminated
before the subjects achieve concentric failure to ensure the equali-
zation of the volume-load with the traditional protocol. On the other
hand, in studies without equalizing the volume, although it is closer
to what is done in the weight rooms, we cannot answer whether the
additional gain was due to factors related to the advanced strategy
itself, or if it was due to the increased training volume.
Suggestions for How We Can get Better
Answers
Given the scenario described above, we propose two ways to try to
overcome the challenges of answering these questions. The first pos-
sibility to obtain better answers about the potential role of special-
ized techniques in maximizing muscle hypertrophy may be in con-
ducting interventions with three groups: 1) a group that performs
RT in the traditional model; 2) a group that performs a specialized
technique with similar volume to the first; 3) and another that per-
forms a specialized technique on its original version, without restric-
tions on the number of repetitions performed. The second possibil-
ity is given by the presence of two groups, namely: 1) a group that
performs RT in the traditional model; and 2) a group that performs
a specialized technique, with no equated volume. In this second con-
 text, researchers should adopt the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)
as a statistical analysis model, using the volume as a covariate.
We believe that from these approaches we will be able to an-
swer with greater precision and external validity what is the poten-
tial role of specialized RT techniques in muscle hypertrophy while
keeping ideal internal validity either. Also, it will be able to verify
whether these possible advantages are due to the greater volume
or other mechanisms that might be triggered by the technique it-
self (e.g., greater metabolic stress, greater mechanical stress).
Nonetheless, it is necessary to note that, first, adding groups to an-
alyzes increases the unexplained variance in a statistic model and
type II error, reducing the statistical power, then requiring larger
samples per group, and second, these proposed approaches do not
remove human-heterogenic responses to RT [21, 22]. Finally, the
arguments presented herein are not intended to invalidate the find-
ings of studies already published.
Perspectives
From the experimental designs suggested to investigate the effects
of specialized techniques on muscle hypertrophy, we believe that
we will be able to get closer to what is done in the strength and con-
ditioning rooms — perform a greater volume and impose greater
overload on the muscles when compared to the traditional one,
through the different RT configurations. More precisely, these ap-
proaches will allow investigating the effects of specialized tech-
niques — especially those that allow a greater volume (e.g., drop-
set, rest-pause) —, with greater ecological validity without losing
the methodological rigor of controlling possible intervening vari-
ables; thus, contributing to increasing the applicability of the find-
ings and improving the effectiveness of hypertrophy-oriented re-
sistance training programs.
Compliance with Ethical Standards
The manuscript was developed based on the International Journal
of Sports Medicine ethical standards [23].
Funding
No external sources of funding were used in the preparation of this
article.
Conflict of Interest
The authors certify that there is no conflict of interest relevant to the
content of this manuscript.
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