Research Summaries

Stay up-to-date with the latest research in exercise and nutrition.

Explore in-depth summaries of recent studies on fitness and bodybuilding, presented in a concise and informative format.

Blood Flow Restriction Training: A Strategy for Beginning Lifters? – BFRT is a promising alternative to traditional high-load resistance training for muscle hypertrophy (increase in muscle size) and strength gains.
Bigorexia: When the Pursuit of Muscle Becomes an Obsession – Bigorexia, a form of body dysmorphia marked by a relentless pursuit of muscularity, affects mostly men and is often accompanied by anxiety, depression, and an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder. Also known as muscle dysmorphia or reverse anorexia, bigorexia is a relatively recently defined disorder.
Nutrient Timing, Muscle Growth, & Performance – Protein Timing: Does It Really Matter for Muscle Growth and Performance? A research recap of M Lak, Bagheri R, Ghobadi H, et al. Timing matters? The effects of two different timing of high protein diets on body composition, muscular performance, and biochemical markers in resistance-trained males. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2024;11. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1397090A new study published in […]
How Bodybuilding Coaches Shape Training, Diet, and Supplementation – A recent study published in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (2023) sought to examine how bodybuilding coaches balance evidence-based approaches with practical experience.
Optimizing Muscle Growth: Nutritional Strategies for Hypertrophy – Emerging research suggests that a variety of dietary supplements can enhance the body’s ability to gain muscle beyond just protein intake. A recent study published in the Journal of Human Kinetics explores the role of different supplements—including carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and probiotics—in optimizing the skeletal muscle growth response to resistance training.
Training to Failure: What the Research Says About Strength and Hypertrophy – For decades, gym-goers and professional athletes alike have debated a critical question in resistance training: how close to failure should you train to maximize strength and muscle growth? A recent meta-analysis led by researchers from Florida Atlantic University, Deakin University, Auckland University of Technology, and Solent University seeks to provide clarity on this issue. Their study, titled “Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy,” analyzes data from 55 studies to determine how the number of repetitions left before failure—known as Repetitions in Reserve (RIR)—affects training outcomes.
Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy – A new narrative review mostly authored by folks at CUNY Lehman College, led by experts in exercise science, dissects the optimal training techniques for hypertrophy, focusing on key variables such as repetition tempo, range of motion (ROM), and exercise-specific kinematics.
The Science Behind Muscle Hypertrophy – Anabolic Signals and Strength Training in Sports Medicine Research recap of M Behringer, Heinrich C, Franz A. Anabolic signals and muscle hypertrophy – Significance for strength training in sports medicine. Sports Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Published online February 8, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.orthtr.2025.01.002 Muscle hypertrophy—the increase in muscle mass and cross-sectional area—is a fundamental process for both athletic […]