BACKGROUND The effect of resistance training (RT) on adaptations in muscular strength and hypertrophy has never been examined in an exclusively female synthesis of the literature. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were threefold: (1) to systematically review the literature on female adaptations to RT, characterising the effect in terms of muscular strength and hypertrophy; (2) to distinguish the individual effects of intervention duration, frequency, and intensity on these adaptations via sub-analysis; (3) to draw evidence-based conclusions regarding training expectations in female populations. METHODS Three electronic databases were searched using terms related to RT combined with females or women. Random-effects meta-analyses were undertaken to estimate the effect of RT on muscular strength and hypertrophy in females. Possible predictors that may have influenced training-related effects (e.g., training intensity and volume) were explored using univariate analyses. RESULTS The systematic search identified 14,067 articles of which a total of 24 studies met the inclusion criteria and were eligible. Upper body strength was assessed in 15 studies, lower body strength in 19 studies, and muscular hypertrophy in 15 studies. Study duration lasted between 4 weeks and 12 months. Large-effect sizes were found for upper body strength (Hedges' g = 1.70; p < 0.001) and lower body strength (Hedges' g = 1.40; p < 0.001). Following use of the Trim and Fill method (due to presence of publication bias), a large effect still remained for upper body strength (Hedges' g = 1.07), although a medium effect was found for lower body strength (Hedges' g = 0.52). A medium effect was found for muscular hypertrophy (g = 0.52, p = 0.002). Sub-analyses revealed that the moderating variables "training frequency" and "training volume" significantly influenced lower body muscular strength (p < 0.001). "Training frequency" and "sets per exercise" moderated the RT effects on upper body strength (p < 0.01). No moderating variables were found to significantly influence muscular hypertrophy. A trend for a moderating effect on upper body strength was found for "age of participants" (p = 0.08), whereby younger participants experienced a greater effect. A moderating effect was also observed where supervised training had a larger influence on the adaptation of lower body strength (p = 0.05) compared with unsupervised training. Methodological quality for the studies included in the review was found to be moderate. CONCLUSIONS RT elicits large improvements in muscular strength and hypertrophy in healthy adult females. Training volume and frequency appear to be important variables that influence muscular strength.

中文翻译：

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妇女抵抗力训练对动力强度和肌肉肥大的影响：荟萃分析的系统评价。

背景技术抵抗训练（RT）对肌肉力量和肥大的适应性的影响从未在文献的女性专论中被检查过。目的本研究的目的是三方面的：（1）系统地回顾女性适应RT的文献，从肌肉力量和肥大方面表征其作用；（2）通过子分析来区分干预持续时间，频率和强度对这些适应的个体影响；（3）得出关于女性人群训练期望的循证结论。方法使用与RT相关的术语结合女性或女性来搜索三个电子数据库。进行了随机效应荟萃分析，以评估RT对女性肌肉力量和肥大的影响。使用单变量分析探讨了可能影响培训相关效果（例如，培训强度和数量）的可能预测因素。结果系统检索确定了14067篇文章，其中总共24篇研究符合纳入标准并符合条件。在15项研究中评估了上身力量，在19项研究中评估了下身力量，在15项研究中评估了肌肉肥大。研究持续时间为4周至12个月。发现上身强度（Hedges'g = 1.70; p <0.001）和下身强度（Hedges'g = 1.40; p <0.001）的影响较大。在使用“修剪和填充”方法后（由于存在出版偏差），尽管发现对较低的身体强度有中等影响（对冲g = 0.52），但对上身的强度仍然有很大的影响（对冲g = 1.07）。 ）。发现对肌肉肥大有中等作用（g = 0.52，p = 0.002）。子分析显示，调节变量“训练频率”和“训练量”显着影响下半身的肌肉力量（p <0.001）。“训练频率”和“每次锻炼的次数”减轻了RT对上身力量的影响（p <0.01）。没有发现调节变量显着影响肌肉肥大。发现“参与者年龄”对上身力量有适度影响的趋势（p = 0.08），其中年轻参与者的影响更大。与无监督训练相比，有监督训练对下半身力量适应的影响更大（p = 0.05）。该评价中包括的研究的方法学质量被认为是中等的。结论RT可以使健康成年女性的肌肉力量和肥大得到极大的改善。训练量和频率似乎是影响肌肉力量的重要变量。