Whether it’s long-distance endurance roadwork or heavy resistance training, everyone responds to exercise a little differently. We’re all unique in that respect. This fact is highlighted in a high-intensity weight training study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Fifteen subjects with weight room experience performed 8 sets of Bulgarian Split Squats at 75% of their maximum force output. As you might expect, the number of reps decreased from the first to third sets, and maximum force output decreased through the fourth set. Nine of these subjects reached a fatigue plateau, the point where muscle activation can’t be increased.

True Strength Moment: The subjects who fatigued fastest generally performed fewer reps during the first set even though initial strength levels and muscular demands were similar for everyone. It just happens that there are experienced weight lifters who are non-responders to volume training. They might try to change up a stale routine by adding resistance or increasing rep cadence.