How do you read a study properly?
Short answer
Check four things: who was studied, what was measured, how large the effect was and how long the study ran. A single study is one data point. Meta-analyses pool many, but are only as good as the studies they include.
Figures
- 8–12 · weeks is the typical training study length
- 4 · questions for every study
The population
Untrained people build muscle with almost any programme in their first months. Results from such studies transfer to advanced lifters only to a limited extent. Check how close the participants are to you.
The measurement
Fat-free mass includes water and glycogen. Muscle thickness by ultrasound measures only one site. 1RM strength also rises through better technique.
Reviews
A position stand such as the ACSM's summarises many reviews. These reviews often share the same primary studies, so the number of reviews overstates the amount of data. Rankings from network analyses carry wide uncertainty.
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews · Currier · 2026 · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise PubMed DOI Study note
- Resistance training prescription for muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy adults: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis · Currier · 2023 · British Journal of Sports Medicine PubMed DOI Study note
Summaries by SetCtl, not medical advice.