The effect of resistance training prescription on muscle strength and health.

Participants will undergo an 8-week resistance training (RT) intervention where they will attend the La Trobe University, Bendigo Campus three days per week which will be separated by a 48-hour recovery period. The intervention will be administered individually, although multiple participants might be completing the intervention at the same time. The RT sessions will be supervised by qualified personal with previous experience in implementing RT programs (exercise scientist, exercise physiologist, strength and conditioning coach), some of which will be members of the research team. The duration for each RT session will be approximately 50 minutes. All exercise sessions will be completed under supervision to allow adherence to the intervention to be assessed and monitored. The RT dose (sets × repetitions × number of exercises × intensity) has been equated between the two intervention groups, with the variation in the prescribed RT dose being 2.8%. Two ‘high dose’ RT interventions will be prescribed, the details of each intervention are provided below. Intervention Group One: 50% 1RM, 2-sets of 14-repetitions across 6-exercises (bench Press, 45° leg press, smith machine seated overhead press, barbell biceps curl, calf raise, lat pulldown), 3-minutes rest between sets and exercises. Total dose of RT = 8400. Intervention Group Two: 80% 1RM, 3-sets of 6-repetitions across 6-exercises (bench Press, 45° leg press, smith machine seated overhead press, barbell biceps curl, calf raise, lat pulldown), 3-minutes rest between sets and exercises. Total dose of RT = 8640.