Can Bar Speed Tell You How Heavy You're Lifting?
A 2026 study on female soccer players confirms that mean propulsive velocity in the full squat accurately predicts relative load — and that this relationship holds regardless of age.
Cluster Sets vs. Straight Sets: Which Builds More Strength?
Intra-set rest changes how fatigue accumulates — but does it actually build more strength? A look at what the research says about cluster training versus tradit
Does Red Light Therapy Boost Resistance Training Results?
A 2026 meta-analysis found no clear strength advantage from adding red light therapy to resistance training in older adults — but the recovery story is more nuanced.
What Does This Week's Strength Research Tell Us?
Three new studies published in 2026 converge on a single, practical insight: volume and proximity to failure both matter — but context determines how much, and for whom.
Can You Double Your Training Volume Without Hurting Hypertrophy?
A 2026 study found that doubling your weekly resistance training volume doesn't impair muscle growth compared to modest increases — but the details matter for how you apply this.
How Close to Failure Should You Train for Best Results?
A 2026 randomised crossover study found that training closer to failure increases neuromuscular and metabolic fatigue — but the right stopping point depends on your exercise and load, not a single universal rule.
Heavy vs Light Loads for Hypertrophy: What Does the Research Show?
The load on the bar matters less than how hard you push each set. Here's what the best available evidence — including Schoenfeld's meta-analyses and a 2026 syst
Is Ultrasound a Reliable Way to Measure Muscle Growth?
A 2025 study found that ultrasound muscle thickness measurements significantly underestimated — and failed to correlate with — MRI-measured muscle growth in trained individuals. If you've been using ultrasound data to judge your progress, the numbers may be misleading you.
Does Muscle Length Matter More Than Load for Hypertrophy?
Two new studies challenge the assumption that heavier loads always produce better muscle adaptations. The real variable worth tracking may be where in the range of motion you're actually training.
Does Blood Flow Restriction Training Build Muscle as Well as Heavy Lifting?
A 2026 controlled trial found that high-load resistance training outperforms blood flow restriction for lateral gastrocnemius hypertrophy, while both methods produce similar results in the soleus. The difference comes down to muscle fiber type.
Does Range of Motion Matter for Hypertrophy?
A 2026 study found that training at long muscle lengths with moderate loads and partial range of motion produced hypertrophy equal to full ROM training at high intensity. Here's what that means for how you structure your sessions.
Vibration Plate Research: What Does the Science Actually Show?
Whole-body vibration training has been studied for strength, bone density, and neuromuscular performance. The results are more nuanced than the marketing sugges
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