Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Volume

38

Issue

4

First Page

804

Last Page

814

PubMed ID

38090747

Publisher

National Strength and Conditioning Association / Wolters Kluwer

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences / Exercise Medicine Research Institute

Funders

Edith Cowan University

Comments

Molinari, T., Radaelli, R., Rech, A., Brusco, C. M., Markarian, A. M., & Lopex, P. (2024). Moderators of resistance training effects in healthy young women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 38(4), 804-814. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004666

Abstract

Molinari, T, Radaelli, R, Rech, A, Brusco, CM, Markarian, AM, and Lopez, P. Moderators of resistance training effects in healthy young women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 804-814, 2024 - To systematically review and analyze the effects of resistance-based exercise programs and potential moderators of change in body fat percentage, whole-body fat and lean mass, muscle hypertrophy, muscle strength, and muscle power/rapid force in healthy young women (between 18 and 35 years). A systematic search was undertaken in 7 databases from inception to May 2022. Eligible randomized controlled trials examined the effects of resistance-based exercise programs on outcomes of interest in healthy young women. Meta-analysis was undertaken with a 3-level mixed-effects model. Associations between standardized mean difference (SMD) and potential moderators (number of sessions, weekly volume, and intensity) were tested by meta-regression models. Statistical significance was set at an a level of 0.05, whereas an a level of 0.05-0.10 was also considered for potential moderators of resistance training effects. Forty articles (n = 1,312) were included. Resistance-based exercise programs resulted in a significant improvement of 0.4 SMD (95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 0.2 to 0.5, p < 0.001) in lean mass/muscle hypertrophy and 1.2 SMD (95% CI: 0.9 to 1.5, p < 0.001) in muscle strength. A higher number of sessions was associated with changes in lean mass/muscle hypertrophy (B = 0.01 ± 0.00, p = 0.009), whereas a higher weekly volume approached statistical significance to moderate changes in muscle strength (B = 0.01 ± 0.01, p = 0.053). Body fat percentage (-0.4 SMD, 95% CI: -0.6 to -0.1, p = 0.006) and muscle power/rapid force (0.6 SMD, 95% CI: 0.2 to 1.1, p = 0.011) were significantly improved. In conclusion, a higher resistance training volume was associated with greater improvements in lean mass/muscle hypertrophy, muscle strength, and body fat percentage, whereas muscle power/rapid force improvements were observed irrespective of prescription characteristics. These findings may help in designing resistance training programs for muscle hypertrophy, strength and power, and body fat percentage in healthy women.

DOI

10.1519/JSC.0000000000004666

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Available for download on Wednesday, April 30, 2025

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