LAUSR

The purpose of the present study was to compare the longitudinal effects of six weeks of rest-pause versus traditional multiple-set RT on muscle strength, hypertrophy, localized muscular endurance, and body composition in trained subjects. Eighteen trained subjects (mean ± SD; age = 30.2 ± 6.6 years; weight = 74.8 ± 17.2 kg; height = 171.4 ± 10.3 cm) were randomly assigned to either a traditional multiple-set group (n = 9; 7 males and 2 females; 3 sets of 6 repetitions with 80% of 1-RM and 2 min rest intervals between sets) or a rest-pause group (n = 9; 7 males and 2 females). The results showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) between groups in 1RM strength (rest-pause: 16 ± 11% for BP, 25 ± 17% for LP, and 16 ± 10% for BC versus traditional multiple-set: 10 ± 21% for BP, 30 ± 20% for LP and 21 ± 20% for BC). In localized muscular endurance, the rest-pause group displayed significantly greater (p < 0.05) repetitions, only for the LP exercise (rest pause: 27 ± 8% versus traditional multiple set: 8 ± 2%). In muscle hypertrophy, the rest-pause group displayed significantly greater (p < 0.05) thickness, only for the thigh (rest-pause: 11 ± 14% versus traditional multiple-set: 1 ± 7%). In conclusion, resistance training performed with the rest-pause method resulted in similar gains in muscle strength as traditional multiple-set training. However, the rest-pause method resulted in greater gains in localized muscular endurance and hypertrophy for the thigh musculature.