Muscle Typology and Strength Training Adaptations (MT-ST)

Influence of Muscle Typology and Training Frequency on Chronic Strength Training Adaptations

The overall aim of this project is to investigate if the responsiveness to chronic resistance training is dependent on the muscle typology. In a second aim we will investigate the most optimal training frequency for slow-twitchers and fast-twitchers. For the latter we hypothesize that slow-twitchers might cope better with higher frequencies and higher volumes compared to fast-twitchers.

Male and female adult participants (18-45y) will be recruited. The subjects' muscle typology will be non-invasively estimated in the leg muscles by measurement of muscle carnosine using H-MRS. In total 21 subjects (11 slow and 10 fast subjects) will participate. Subjects will be assigned to a whole-body resistance training exercise protocol of 9 weeks in wich arm A and leg A will train 3 times per week and arm B and leg B will train 2 times per week. Before and following the training period, subjects will be subjected to different measurements (fitness level, muscle volume, strength tests, blood sampling, muscle biopsies).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Exercise; Muscle Fiber Type; Training Frequency
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Muscle typology + exercise training; Other: Muscle typology + training frequency

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Oost-Vlaanderen
    • Gent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium, 9000
      • Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Fast or slow muscle typology
• 18 - 45 years old
• no strength training experience

Exclusion Criteria:

• Vegan/vegeterian diet
• Supplement intake
• chronic diseases
• Hypertension,
• Smoking
• Medication use
• Coagulation disorder, infectious diseases

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Slow muscle typology group; The participants receive the same exercise training intervention, but they are divided in two groups: a slow typology group and a fast typology group based on their inherent physiological characteristics: their muscle fiber type.	Other: Muscle typology + exercise training; Exercise training: Participants perform 9 weeks of strength training at 60% of their 1RM.; Other: Muscle typology + training frequency; Training frequency: leg A and arm A of the participants train 3 times per week, leg B and arm B train 2 times per week.
Active Comparator: Fast muscle typology group; The participants receive the same exercise training intervention, but they are divided in two groups: a slow typology group and a fast typology group based on their inherent physiological characteristics: their muscle fiber type.	Other: Muscle typology + exercise training; Exercise training: Participants perform 9 weeks of strength training at 60% of their 1RM.; Other: Muscle typology + training frequency; Training frequency: leg A and arm A of the participants train 3 times per week, leg B and arm B train 2 times per week.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline muscle volume at 9 weeks	Muscle volume of the legs and the upper arms - MRI	Pre and post the 9 weeks training period
Change from baseline dynamic muscle strength at 3 weeks	Upper legs and upper arms - strength training devices	Pre, mid and post 9 weeks training period
Change from baseline dynamic muscle strength at 6 weeks	Upper legs and upper arms - strength training devices	Pre, mid and post 9 weeks training period
Change from baseline dynamic muscle strength at 9 weeks	Upper legs and upper arms - strength training devices	Pre, mid and post 9 weeks training period
Change from baseline isometric muscle strength at 9 weeks	Upper legs and upper arms - Biodex	Pre and post 9 weeks training period
Change in muscle fiber type specific hypertrophy at 9 weeks	Legs - Biopsy (vastus lateralis)	Pre and post 9 weeks training period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change of baseline antropometry at 9 weeks	Height, weight, skinfolds	Pre and post 9 weeks training period
Change of baseline skeletal muscle protein content at 9 weeks	Histochemistry and protein content of markers of relevance for skeletal muscle function	Pre and post 9 weeks training period
Change of baseline histochemistry at 9 weeks	Histochemistry of markers of relevance for skeletal muscle function	Pre and post 9 weeks training period
Change from basline fatigue feeling over 9 weeks training period	Number of repetitions during every training, questionnaire (VAS-scale) before every training, RPE after every training	Assessed every training during the 9 weeks training period
Change from baseline fasting insulin, glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides at 9 weeks	Fasted blood samples	Pre and post 9 weeks training period

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Ghent
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Wim Derave, University Ghent

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 9, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 8, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): December 8, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 12, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 25, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): November 4, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 12, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 11, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Strength training; Muscle typology
• Other Study ID Numbers: BC-10253

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No