Rethinking Task Failure In Resistance Training Research: A Framework For Submaximal Exercise Prescription

Authors

• William B. Hammert, University of Mississippi
• Enrique N. Moreno, University of Mississippi
• Robert W. Sallberg, University of Mississippi
• Yujiro Yamada, University of Mississippi
• Emily E. Metcalf, University of Mississippi
• Evan W. Young, University of Mississippi
• Ryo Kataoka, The University of Southern Mississippi
• Jeremy P. Loenneke, University of Mississippi

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2026

School

Kinesiology and Nutrition

Abstract

Resistance exercise performed to task failure is often prescribed in muscle growth research to standardize effort and minimize between-participant variability. While effective for eliciting robust hypertrophic responses, this approach may also obscure meaningful differences attributable to manipulation of specific training variables, thereby reducing experimental sensitivity. The present perspective outlines a conceptual framework for implementing submaximal resistance exercise prescriptions to enhance methodological precision when investigating skeletal muscle growth. We discuss the potential limitations of task failure designs, emphasizing how maximal effort protocols can saturate muscle growth responses and constrain interpretability. We then provide a few considerations for applying submaximal models, including standardized pre-testing to determine individual maximum repetition capacities and strategies for exercise prescription and progression that maintain a submaximal intent. Important design factors include the selection of proximity to task failure, the choice between absolute (fixed offset from failure) and relative (percentage of maximal repetitions) frameworks, and the development of progression strategies. It is our opinion that anchoring training prescriptions to empirically derived pre-testing data will improve reproducibility, preserve between-group differences, and enhance the interpretability of muscle growth outcomes. Submaximal exercise prescriptions may thus offer a methodological foundation for advancing experimental design in resistance training research and refining our understanding of how specific training variables influence skeletal muscle growth adaptations.

Publication Title

European Journal of Applied Physiology

Recommended Citation

Hammert, W., Moreno, E., Sallberg, R., Yamada, Y., Metcalf, E., Young, E., Kataoka, R., Loenneke, J. (2026). Rethinking Task Failure In Resistance Training Research: A Framework For Submaximal Exercise Prescription. European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/21968