An interventional study of Resistance Training with Deloading Periods and Continuous Resistance Training in Muscle Hypertrophy in Healthy Young Men, sponsored by University of Gaziantep. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to male participants aged 18 Years to 25 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-02-13.
Sponsored by University of Gaziantep · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
This study investigates the effects of deloading periods (short breaks or reductions in training volume) in a 8-week resistance training program on muscle strength and hypertrophy in young, untrained individuals.
Participants were randomly assigned to two training conditions:
Deload Training Group: Reduced training volume for one week every four weeks. Continuous Training Group: Regular training without reductions. Muscle thickness was measured using ultrasound, and muscle strength was evaluated through a 10-repetition maximum (10RM) test before and after the intervention.
The findings showed that both training strategies led to significant increases in muscle strength and size, with no major differences between groups. This suggests that incorporating deloading periods does not negatively impact muscle development and may serve as an effective alternative for individuals with time constraints or minor injuries.
This study was conducted at Gaziantep University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, with approval from the university's ethics committee.
This study examines the effects of deloading periods (planned reductions in training volume and frequency) within an 8-week resistance training program on muscle hypertrophy and strength in untrained young individuals.
The study utilized a randomized within-subject design, where each participant's limbs were assigned to one of two conditions:
Deload Training Condition: Training volume and frequency were reduced during Weeks 4 and 8 to allow for recovery.
Continuous Training Condition: No reductions in training volume were applied. The resistance training program included unilateral leg extension and unilateral dumbbell biceps curl exercises performed twice per week. The training intensity was adjusted to ensure participants reached voluntary muscular failure within the 8-12 repetition range.
Assessments \& Measurements:
Muscle Hypertrophy: Measured using B-mode ultrasound at different quadriceps and biceps locations.
Muscle Strength: Evaluated through 10-repetition maximum (10RM) testing before and after the intervention.
Statistical Analysis: A 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare training conditions, with effect sizes analyzed to determine the significance of adaptations.
The study was approved by the Gaziantep University Health and Sports Sciences Ethics Committee and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki guidelines.
656 studies on the registry are indexed under Hypertrophy; 87 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 19 is below the median of 50 across 460 interventional studies indexed under Hypertrophy.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants in this group followed an 8-week resistance training program with deloading periods every four weeks. During these deload weeks, training volume and intensity were reduced to facilitate recovery while maintaining training adaptations.
Behavioral: Resistance Training with Deloading Periods
Participants in this group followed an 8-week continuous resistance training program with no reductions in training volume or intensity. This group served as a comparison to assess the effects of deloading periods on muscle hypertrophy and strength.
Behavioral: Continuous Resistance Training
Participants performed an 8-week unilateral resistance training program in which training volume and intensity were reduced during weeks 4 and 8 to facilitate recovery and adaptation.
Participants followed an 8-week unilateral resistance training program without any deloading periods. Training volume and intensity remained consistent throughout the study.
Muscular Strength
Changes in muscle strength will be assessed using 10-repetition maximum (10RM) testing before and after the intervention. Strength assessments will be conducted for both the quadriceps (leg extension) and biceps brachii (dumbbell curl).
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Muscle Hypertrophy
Changes in muscle thickness will be measured using B-mode ultrasound imaging. Measurements will be taken at multiple anatomical points on the quadriceps and biceps brachii muscles before and after the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data (IPD) will be shared with other researchers upon reasonable request. Data will be available after study completion and publication, following ethical approval and data-sharing agreements. Researchers interested in accessing the data may contact the corresponding author.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Csr
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Gaziantep