Greg was recently on the Data Driven Strength Podcast to chat about their meta-regression on proximity to failure and hypertrophy. In the episode, Greg, Zac, and Josh discuss what we know about the mechanisms underpinning muscle growth and the weaknesses of the "effective reps" model. We think it's a conversation worth sharing, so we're re-releasing it in our feeds today as a special bonus episode. TIME STAMPS AND NOTESIntro (0:00:00)Overview of New Proximity to Failure Meta-Regression (0:07:31)Common Misinterpretations of the Results (0:19:41)The Resurgence of the Effective Reps Model (0:22:41)The Desire for a Proxy Metric of Hypertrophy (0:42:41)The Mechanistic Rationale of Effective Reps (1:20:41)Other Factors Influencing Muscle Growth (1:52:41)Metabolic Stress as a Mediator (2:11:41)Is Force on the Fiber Level High at the End of a Set? (3:07:41)Practical Applications (3:42:41) PAPERS MENTIONEDExploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy : A Series of Meta-Regressions | SportRxivStimuli and sensors that initiate skeletal muscle hypertrophy following resistance exerciseCan cardio (eventually) make you bigger?Mechanisms of mechanical overload-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy: current understanding and future directionsDifferent load intensity transition schemes to avoid plateau and no-response in lean body mass gain in postmenopausal women | SpringerLinkA motor unit-based model of muscle fatigue | PLOS Computational BiologySkeletal muscle models composed of motor units: A review - ScienceDirectNeural Drive is Greater for a High-Intensity Contraction Tha... : The Journal of Strength & Conditioning ResearchEffects of fatiguing, submaximal high‐ versus low‐torque isometric exercise on motor unit recruitment and firing behaviorSurface electromyographic frequency characteristics of the quadriceps differ between continuous high- and low-torque isometric knee extension to momentary failure - ScienceDirectDifferent neuromuscular recruitment patterns during eccentric, concentric and isometric contractions(PDF) Neuromuscular responses to isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions of the knee extensors at the same torque-time integralNeuromuscular fatigue development during maximal concentric and isometric knee extensionsImprovements in skeletal muscle fiber size with resistance training are age-dependent in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC MORE ABOUT DDSYouTube channelTraining Takeaway Newsletter — Data Driven StrengthIG: @datadrivenstrength @zac.datadrivenstrength @josh.datadrivenstrength @jake.datadrivenstrength @drake.datadrivenstrength  (Credit: Their intro music is by Joystock)
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