The Rundown

Simple Strength. If you’re just starting a weight training program or have been doing one for years, you may have noticed there is no shortage of advice on the ideal resistance workout. While there is a generalized set of guidelines to build strength and power, everyone seems to have an opinion on what combination of reps, sets and loads works best.

A team of kinesiologists from McMaster University decided to explore the subject with a systematic review. The goal was to determine how different resistance training affects muscle strength, hypertrophy and physical function in healthy adults.

The researchers looked at thousands of studies (178 made the final review) and focused on three training areas: heavier versus lighter loads, single versus multiple sets and the number of workouts per week.

Their main finding was that complex or physically demanding routines did not lead to superior results, particularly for novices. While focusing on lifting heavier weights resulted in more strength gains and doing more repetitions with lighter weights optimized muscle size, all resistance training programs increased strength and hypertrophy. Put another way, healthy adults can perform a weight training program of their choice rather than searching for an ‘optimal’ routine.

*For general guidance on achieving strength and muscle size gains, the researchers recommend performing two sets of your favorite resistance exercise per muscle group, twice a week, and taking it to near failure. (If you’re experienced, reaching failure by the end of the set yields better results).

Self Compassion=More Resilience. If you’re trying to achieve a weight loss goal and beating yourself up over setbacks, a study from Drexel University has a message: A little kindness goes a long way.

Researchers from Drexel University’s Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Sciences explored whether practicing self-compassion helps people become more resilient. They collected data from 140 people who were trying to lose weight through a group-based lifestyle modification program. Participants answered surveys on their phones a few times a day to report if they had eaten more than they intended, a food they didn’t intend or at a time they didn’t intend and how they were responding to the lapse.

The team found that when participants had more self-compassionate responses to their lapse they reported better mood and self-control over their eating and exercise behavior in the time following the lapse.

Lead author Charlotte Hagerman added that many people worry that self-compassion will lead to complacency and settling for inadequacy but this study is “a great example of how self-compassion and accountability can work together.”

Extra Point

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