Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07721766

Glycolytic Phenotype (vLapeak) and Magnitude of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy After Resistance Training

The HyperLa study investigates whether a person's "glycolyticness"-the efficiency with which their body uses glycolysis for energy-can predict how much their muscles will grow (hypertrophy) in response to resistance training. Participants will undergo a specialized "vLapeak" test, which measures the maximal rate of lactate accumulation during a 10-second all-out cycling sprint, to determine their individual glycolytic power. Following this initial assessment, participants will complete eight weeks of standardized, twice-weekly resistance training focused on the lower body. The study aims to determine if individuals with higher initial vLapeak values experience greater increases in muscle size compared to those with lower values. This research may help explain why people respond differently to exercise and support the development of personalized training programs.

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

Request Info

Key information

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers Glycolysis Moderately Trainend Muscle Hypertrophy

Age range

18 year–39 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Jyväskylä, Central Finland, Finland

Loading trial locations.

About this study

This multicentre, prospective, single-arm interventional cohort study aims to link metabolic phenotypes with physical adaptations.

  • Primary Assessment: Glycolytic power is quantified via the vLapeak test, defined as the peak rate of blood lactate accumulation during a 10-second isokinetic or sprint-configured cycle ergometry test.
  • Intervention: The 8-week resistance training program consists of two supervised sessions per week. Exercises include the leg press (or Smith-machine squat) and leg extensions, performed for 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Intensity progresses from an RPE of 6 to voluntary muscular failure by the third week.
  • Measurements: Muscle hypertrophy is primarily assessed via ultrasound measurement of muscle thickness and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the thigh muscles before and after the intervention.
  • Secondary Objectives: The study also evaluates changes in the plasma metabolome via venous blood samples and, at select sites, analyzes muscle biopsies for glycolytic enzyme activity and fiber type composition to further validate the vLapeak results.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Body Mass Index (BMI) between 20-29 kg/m2
  • No structured resistance training performed in the last twelve months.
  • Maximum of four sessions per week of recreational or low-to-moderate aerobic endurance activity.
  • No history of competitive strength or physique sports.

Exclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, neuromuscular, or orthopaedic disease that contraindicates exercise.
  • Positive response to any question on the PAR-Q 2025 questionnaire.
  • Current use of anabolic steroids, creatine, or other substances known to strongly influence muscle hypertrophy.
  • Regular engagement in shift work.
  • Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Treatment and study plan

Hypertrophy-focused Resistance Training

Behavioral

Standardized training consisting of twice-weekly supervised sessions for 8 weeks. Each session includes 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions of leg press (or Smith-machine squat) and leg extensions. Training intensity progresses from an RPE of 6 to voluntary muscular failure starting from week three.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in mid-thigh Muscle Thickness

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 8 (completion of training intervention)

    Change in mid-thigh muscle thickness (combination of rectus femoris and vastus intermedius) as measured by ultrasound.

  2. Change in lateral-thigh Muscle Thickness

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 8 (completion of training intervention)

    Change in lateral thigh muscle thickness (combination of vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius) as measured by ultrasound.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Peak Rate of Blood Lactate Accumulation (vLapeak)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 8 (completion of training intervention)

    Peak rate of blood lactate accumulation before and after a 10-second all-out seated cycle ergometry test. Blood lactate will be sampled every minute for 10 minutes post-test to capture the peak value.

  2. Change in Vastus Lateralis Muscle Cross-Sectional Area (CSA)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 8 (completion of training intervention)

    Change in cross-sectional area of the vastus lateralis at 50% of muscle length measured via ultrasound.

  3. Maximal Strength (3RM) for Leg Press

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 8 (completion of training intervention)

    Change in 3-Repetition Maximum (3RM) for the leg press exercise to assess lower-body multi-joint maximal strength.

  4. Maximal Strength (3RM) for Leg Exentsion

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 8 (completion of training intervention)

    Change in 3-Repetition Maximum (3RM) for the leg extension exercise to assess single-joint quadriceps strength.

  5. Change in Relative Abundance of Selected Plasma Metabolites

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 8 (completion of training intervention)

    Change in the relative concentration of targeted plasma metabolites from baseline to Week 8, as analyzed via mass spectrometry.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Henning Wackerhage, Prof. Dr.

CONTACT

[email protected]

+49 89 289 24480

Lara Becker

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Technical University of Munich

Other

Collaborators

  • Chemnitz University of Technology
  • DLR German Aerospace Center
  • IST University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf
  • Institute for Applied Training Science (IAT/FES e.V.)
  • University of Jyvaskyla
  • University of Limerick

Registry information

Official study title

HyperLa: Glycolytic Phenotype (vLapeak) and Magnitude of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy After Resistance Training: A Multi-centre Study by the HyperLa Study Group

Acronym: HyperLa

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 23, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 23, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.