Strength and hypertrophy: programming for adaptation

ISSN position stand summarising the evidence on dietary protein intake for exercising individuals, including amount, timing, quality and distribution.

• A daily intake of roughly 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kg body mass is sufficient for most exercising people to build and maintain muscle.
• Spreading protein across meals (about 0.25 to 0.55 g/kg per serving) supports muscle protein synthesis better than skewing it to one meal.
• Total daily protein and adequate energy matter more than precise timing, though protein near training is reasonable.

Our appraisal: A position stand that leans on a reasonable body of controlled feeding and training studies, so its intake ranges are trustworthy, but it is a narrative synthesis by an interested society rather than a systematic review with GRADE. The headline numbers are sound; the more specific timing claims are weaker.

ISSN position stand reviewing the evidence on creatine monohydrate for exercise performance, muscle adaptation and safety.

• Creatine monohydrate is the most effective supplement for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean mass gains from training.
• It is safe and well tolerated in healthy people at recommended doses, with no consistent evidence of harm to kidney or liver function.
• A loading protocol is optional; a steady daily dose (around 3 to 5 g) reaches saturation over several weeks.

Our appraisal: Creatine is one of the better-evidenced ergogenic aids, and this stand reflects a large literature, but it is still a society position paper rather than an independent systematic review. The performance and safety conclusions are well supported; be more cautious about the broader clinical and cognitive claims it touches on.

ACSM position stand setting out how to structure and progress resistance training to develop strength, hypertrophy, power and muscular endurance in healthy adults.

• Progressive overload, variation and specificity are the core principles for continued adaptation.
• Training variables (load, volume, exercise choice, rest, frequency) should be manipulated toward the specific goal, with periodised programming recommended for advanced trainees.
• As general guidance, heavier loads with lower repetitions bias strength while moderate loads with higher volume bias hypertrophy, though the ranges overlap.

Our appraisal: A widely cited position stand synthesising a large body of training studies, but it is now over fifteen years old and predates much of the recent volume and proximity-to-failure literature. Treat its principles as sound scaffolding while checking specific dose claims against newer evidence.

National Strength and Conditioning Association position statement on the safety, benefits and prescription of resistance training for children and adolescents.

• Concludes that supervised, appropriately prescribed resistance training is safe and effective for children and adolescents.
• Finds no evidence that resistance training damages growth plates or stunts growth when technique and progression are sound.
• Recommends qualified supervision, correct technique and gradual progression as the conditions for safe training.

Our appraisal: A position statement drawing on a broad literature review; it settled the growth-plate myth and remains a practical reference, though it predates some newer long-term athletic development work. It tells you youth lifting is safe and beneficial when coached well, not the optimal programme for a given child.