Training for Size vs Strength Part 2

So, you wanna get strong? I'm sure you already are, but what does it take to get stronger? In Part 1 we covered how to train for size, otherwise known as hypertrophy training. Today's post is all about training for gainzzz.....strength gainzzz that is. Below you will see three definitions for the word strength. My personal favourite is #3. As CrossFit would say, training makes you less easy to kill. So there's that...

Unlike hypertrophy training, the goal of strength training is not to gain size but to gain...well....strength. My fancy degree helps me understand such difficult concepts. In more technical terms, strength represents the maximum amount of force that can be generated by a muscle or group of muscles (NSCA Tan, 1999). You may have heard of, or even attempted, a "one repetition maximum" or 1RM test. A 1RM test involves loading the bar with the absolute maximum amount you can lift for one repetition (hopefully with some resemblance of good technique). A true 1RM means that you are physically incapable of doing a second rep. By no means should you attempt a 1RM test on your own without qualified supervision (and no...your girlfriend does not count as adequate supervision). For those new to strength training or athletes with a low training age, a 1RM can be approximated using a 5 or 10 rep max test which is usually a safer test as the participant is working at submaximal loads. The point is, you don't need to do a 1RM test to determine your strength, a 5 or 10 rep max will suffice. 

traThe reason you would want to test your strength in the first place is to plan a more effective training program. In Part 1 we learned that hypertrophy training is all about training to failure. Strength training is performed at higher loads than hypertrophy training, and although you may feel like a failure, you certainly will not train to failure. I have good news and bad news for you. The good news is, you only have to do between 1-6 reps per set and you get lots of rest.....3-5 minutes in between sets! The bad news is, you will be lifting 85-100% of your 1RM....aka intimidation-station. To develop maximum strength, we must recruit those illusive fast-twitch muscle fibres and guess what? They only respond to heavy loads...jerks. We also want to trigger as much testosterone release as we can! ...I feel the need for another disclaimer: Ladies I DARE you to release too much testosterone. Female testosterone , not unlike my bank account, is rarely in excess supply. Do me a favour and take your fear of "bulking up" and put it in a box and put it on a shelf and then burn that shelf. Feeling better? Good, me too. 

Starting strength training is a first class ticket on the gain train. You will experience rapid and large increases in strength thanks to neurological adaptations. The first two months (sometimes even longer) of strength training is a magical time for you and your barbell. You will meet each other for the first time, get to know each other's likes and dislikes, and start a bond that will last a lifetime (at least it BETTER). This is the honeymoon phase. Soon, your barbell will stop taking out the trash and doing the dishes and instead of sweet lifting romance, you will experience long silent treatments of no gains at all. Bleak, isn't it? Don't fret, although you will likely never make such impressive gains as you first did, the gains will be sweeter because you will have worked harder and anticipated them for much longer. Strength training is a lifelong pursuit...trust that you have a long, long time to train before you reach your maximum potential. Even then, you may surprise yourself.

If you are new to resistance training entirely, you may want to begin with a hypertrophy style program while you become comfortable with the exercises and techniques before adding load. True strength training is really taxing on the nervous system and requires adequate recovery for gains to be realized. A novice lifter is better off training compound movements like the squat and deadlift with submaximal loads while technique and form are perfected. There should be no rush to increase the intensity of your movements before you are ready. Being sore from a workout is not the goal. If, on a regular basis, you have to skip your next workout because you can barely walk from "leg day", you have done yourself a disservice. The goal is to get to your next training session recovered and ready to work. 

GETTING STARTED

Frequency

To realize gains, you should strength train at least 2x per week. The more frequently you train, the more clever you have to be. For example, if you want to strength train 5 days a week, you have to design your sessions appropriately so you are not training the same muscle groups on back-to-back days. The less frequently you train, say twice per week, the more muscle groups you can afford to work (think: full-body vs. upper or lower body only). 

Many lifters choose to split their training into upper and lower body muscle groups, called "splits", and alternate their training days to allow sufficient recovery. Ideally you will allow between 24-48 hours in between strength training sessions. Remember, strength training is all about producing a maximal amount of force. So if you are feeling fatigued, physically or otherwise you are not likely to perform your best. 

Intensity

As mentioned above, strength sets are typically performed above 85% of your 1RM for between 1-6 reps. Plenty of rest should follow, in the range of 2-5min. With that much rest, you may find yourself feeling idle in between sets, this is a great time to pull out your phone and scroll through Instagram and like all of my posts. Whatever you do, don't make conversation with other exercisers. Don't even make eye contact. The gym is not a social place. You are not here to have fun. Hopefully you speak sarcasm as fluently as I do...

Exercise selection

The main lift is called your primary (aka first and highest priority) movement and is usually thought of as a push, pull, or press. It should be the exercise requiring the greatest effort and subsequently the movement that generates the most fatigue. You would not choose a bicep curl for your first exercise. A curl involves far smaller muscle groups than the main compound lifts and you want to take full advantage of a warmed and primed body to maximize your strength gains. Do not save your squats, deadlifts, and presses for the end of your workout. Especially if your goal is maximum strength.

A great approach to resistance training is to train your main lift (say a squat or deadlift) in a strength range and your accessory movements in a hypertrophy range. The best accessory exercises are those that target your weaknesses. If you have weak quads and have trouble standing up out of the bottom of your squat, select accessory exercises that will strengthen your weaknesses and complement the lift of the day. We will cover exercise selection for strength training in more depth in another post. For now, probably the exercises you like the least are the ones you need to work on the most....lookin' at you front squats.

Rest

We have beaten this point to death (I would like to think). Basically, you need lots of it. In between sets and in between sessions: rest. Between sets you can sit on your duff and let your body recover. At the end of your rest period you should be ready to approach the bar with the fire of 1000 dragons. You should not be gasping for air and dripping in sweat from some ridiculous superset or metcon. This is not the time nor place to be fatigued. Lift heavy, rest long.

Training parameters:

When it comes to strength training, there are many exciting areas of research. In subsequent posts we will be diving into more nuanced strength training techniques to help you push through plateaus and take your training to the next level. We will also be covering strength training for endurance athletes, aging, and injury prevention. Don't miss out! Make sure you subscribe below to receive evidence-based training advice delivered to your inbox.

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Cheers,

Coach P.

References:

1. Tan, B. (1999). Manipulating resistance training program variables to optimize maximum strength in men: A review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 13(3), 289-304.