Effects of Strength Training on Muscle Development in Prepubescent, Pubescent, and Postpubescent Males

Abstract

In brief: Thirty-three prepubescent, pubescent, and postpubescent males participated in a nine-week resistive exercise program to test the hypothesis that pubescent males respond better to strength training than older and younger groups do. Before and after the program, the subjects' strength in elbow and knee flexion and extension was tested bilaterally on a dynamometer at two velocities. The posttest showed that all of the subjects gained strength in elbow flexion and extension and knee extension but not in knee flexion. The prepubescent group showed significantly greater gains than the others on three of the 16 tests, but in no case did the pubescent group show significantly greater gains.