RT Journal Article
T1 Cluster sets and traditional sets elicit similar muscular hypertrophy: a volume and effort‑matched study in resistance‑trained individuals
A1 Vargas-Molina, Salvador
A1 García-Sillero, Manuel
A1 Maroto-Izquierdo, Sergio
A1 Baz‑Valle, Eneko
A1 Bautista‑Mayorga, Borja
A1 Murri, Mora
A1 Schoenfeld, Brad J.
A1 Benítez-Porres, Javier
K1 Educación física
AB Background and Objective Previous studies examining the effects of cluster sets (CS) compared to traditional sets (TS)protocols on muscle hypertrophy have primarily equated to volume load. This inevitably has resulted in a lower number ofrepetitions performed in TS compared to CS, thereby leading to a suboptimal hypertrophic stimulus. The present study aimedto compare the impact of CS and TS protocols, both performed with the same number of sets and repetitions, but with loadsadjusted to the same range of repetitions in reserve (RIR) on muscle hypertrophy.Methods Ten resistance-trained volunteers (7 men and 3 women, 21.0 ± 1.5 years, 64.3 ± 6.9 kg, and 169.3 ± 6.2 cm) partici-pated in this study. Participants performed two training protocols over an 8-week period, with two weekly sessions consistingof 5 sets of 12 repetitions of the leg press and leg extension exercises. The study employed a within-participant, unilateraldesign where one limb performed a TS protocol and the contralateral limb performed 3 clusters of 4 repetitions with a 20-sintra-set rest period of the same exercises (CS). Muscle thickness was assessed via ultrasound and thigh lean tissue masswas assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry pre- and post-study.Results Results showed similar increases in muscle thickness (p < 0.001, ES = 0.56, and p = 0.012, ES = 0.42, respectively)and lean tissue mass (p = 0.002, ES = 0.11, and p < 0.001, ES = 0.13, respectively) in both CS and TS conditions.Conclusion In conclusion, when sets, repetitions, and load adjustments were equalized based on RIR, a CS protocol elicitssimilar increases in muscle thickness and lean mass compared to a TS protocol
PB Springer Nature
YR 2025
FD 2025-02
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/37901
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/37901
LA eng
NO Vargas-Molina, S., García-Sillero, M., Maroto-Izquierdo, S., Baz-Valle, E., Bautista-Mayorga, B., Murri, M., Schoenfeld, B. J., & Benítez-Porres, J. (2025). Cluster sets and traditional sets elicit similar muscular hypertrophy: a volume and effort-matched study in resistance-trained individuals. European Journal Of Applied Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-025-05712-6
NO Funding Funding for open access publishing: Universidad de Málaga/ CBUAAcknowledgements Supported by Universidad de Málaga (Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech). M.M. is supportedby Miguel Servet II program (CPII22-00013) and by the project "PI19/00507" by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and co-fundedby the European Union. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA. The research protocol was approved by the EthicsCommittee of the University of Malaga (code: 38-2019-H)
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 20 ene 2026