Everyone who works out in the gym, sooner or later, is faced with the need for training to develop strength.
After all, it is known that the stronger the muscle, the greater its potential for growth.
Today we will figure out what is the peculiarity of strength training, which exercises are better to use in your program, and much more.
What is strength training?
Strength training is a process aimed at developing the ability of muscles to exert maximum effort in certain exercises.
In the sports world, there are different types of strength:
- Maximum (absolute)
- Explosive
- Home
- Strength Endurance
But when it comes to strength training in the gym, it is precisely the maximum strength that is meant, that is, the ability of the muscles to lift maximum weights.
Such workouts differ from the classic bodybuilding schemes and have a number of features:
- In one workout, a small number of exercises of an exclusively basic nature (multi-joint) are performed
- Training weight weights – about maximum and maximum. Is 80-100% of one rep max (1RM)
- The main rep range is small – from 1 to 5
- The number of working approaches – 1-5
- In order to reduce injuries, much attention is paid to the warm-up (due to working with a very large weight)
- Not muscle groups are pumped (as is customary in bodybuilding), but movements are practiced in which they want to achieve progress
- Use long pauses between sets
The generally accepted rest time is 3-5 minutes. This is necessary so that internal energy resources are restored and the athlete is able to continue hard work.
For example, for professional athletes using a barbell of 300-400 kg, rest can reach 10-15 minutes.
That is why such training lasts longer than you are used to.
But recovery times can vary, so if you feel ready to go, feel free to follow the next approach.
- Particular attention is devoted to the study of the muscles of the press and lower back
When working with a lot of weight, a decent load is placed on the center of the body. These muscles must be strong because they stabilize the position of the body and create its kind of corset.
Strengthening your abs and lower back helps keep your spine healthy.
- At the end of each power cycle, an attempt is made to set a new personal record when lifting the weight for one time.
In other words, 1 rep max is trained – 1RM. Based on it, the training load for the new cycle is calculated.
Who needs strength training and why?
Strength training, contrary to the mistaken belief of some people, is not only for powerlifters or weightlifters.
They are also necessary for bodybuilders to strengthen muscles, as well as ligaments and tendons. And both women and men.
By increasing their strength potential in this way, they can lift more, which means they can build more muscle.
In addition, strength training helps to overcome the “plateau” – a period of stagnation when the muscles refuse to progress.
By adding variety to your workout routine, you can get off the ground and keep growing.
Athletes from other sports also work on the level of strength. A striking example is martial arts and American football.
In addition, this quality is also useful in everyday life. Lifting a heavy package, or moving an object in an apartment without getting injured is an important skill that everyone will need.
The best strength exercises
The “golden” three for strength development are:
- Squats
- Bench press
- Deadlift with barbell
It is these three movements that make up the competitive powerlifting program, where athletes compete with each other in lifting the heaviest barbell at one time.
Competitive weightlifting exercises such as the snatch and clean and jerk are also good for developing overall strength.
But they are difficult-coordinating, and long months of training are required to develop their execution technique, most often under the supervision of a trainer. For this reason, the movements were not widely adopted.
Also, for the development of strength, work on the “weak link” also plays a role. That is, over the lagging parts of the body.
For example, if you need to improve bench press performance with weak triceps, it would be wise to include an exercise in the program that will be directed specifically to the triceps – reverse push-ups, French press, etc.
However, remember that if you use isolation movements to work on a weak point, the weight in them should not be large. This can result in injury due to a strong load on the joints.
The following strength exercises are also popular in gyms:
- Military press (shoulder and triceps strength)
- Close grip bench press (triceps)
- Push-ups on uneven bars with additional weights (entire shoulder girdle)
- Bent over barbell row (lats, biceps, and forearms)
- Tilts with a barbell on the shoulders (extensor muscles of the back)
- Barbell Chest Squat (leg muscles and upper shoulder girdle)
To work out weak points in a particular movement, auxiliary exercises are used.
For example, if we are talking about a bench press, you can use a bar press. If there are problems with squats – squats on a curbstone or bench.
It all depends on which phase of the movement you need to “breakthrough”.
Strength training program
A strength training program can look different. The principle of Full body is most often applied.
At the same time, the peculiarity of such an exercise is that at each one the main movement is selected, in which you need to set a power record, and the rest of the exercises are used to finish off the worked muscles and workout the rest of the body.
For example, you can apply the following scheme:
Workout 1
- Squats:
- Week 1 – 5×5
- Week 2 – 4×4
- Week 3 – 3×3
- Week 4 – 2×2
- Week 5 – 1×1
- Front Squats: 2-3 sets of 4-6 reps
- Tilts with a barbell on the shoulders: 2-3 sets of 5-8 reps
- Hanging leg raises with leg weights: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
Workout 2
- Bench Press:
- Week 1 – 5×5
- Week 2 – 4×4
- Week 3 – 3×3
- Week 4 – 2×2
- Week 5 – 1×1
- Push-ups on uneven bars with additional weights: 2-3 sets of 4-6 reps
- Bent Over Row 3 sets of 5-8 reps
- Pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip: with additional weights 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps
- Hyperextension with weight: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Workout 3
- Deadlift:
- Week 1 – 5×5
- Week 2 – 4×4
- Week 3 – 3×3
- Week 4 – 2×2
- Week 5 – 1×1
- Bench press from the chest : 3 sets of 4-6 reps
- Close Grip Bench Press: 3 sets of 4-6 reps
- Twisting on a Roman chair with additional weights: 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps
- Program duration – 5 weeks
- Frequency – 3 workouts per week
In the 5th week, only the main first exercise is performed in each workout – squats, bench presses, or deadlifts.
Here comes an attempt to set a new personal record in each movement with a maximum weight for 1 time.
After completing the cycle, proceed to the classic bodybuilding schemes. This is the same periodization.
This training principle is used by all athletes who want to achieve a harmonious physique and develop physical qualities.
How to choose the right weights
Working with maximum weights to failure is an increased risk of injury.
When training for strength, it is not customary to complete a set to muscle failure.
Therefore, when volumetric loads are performed (the number of approaches is 3-5), working weights are selected with a margin of 1-3 repetitions.
For example, you need to do 5×5 squats. In this case, weight is taken with which you can squat 8 times (3 repetitions).
When performing intense loads for 1-2 repetitions, the maximum weight for a given rep range is already used. At the same time, for safety reasons, insurance of assistants is required.
All of the above applies to squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.
For other exercises in the sample program, use weights that will allow you to complete the upper rep range in the first week. And gradually, from week to week, increase the weight and go down to the lower range.
Warming up before strength training
An important place before strength training is a warm-up.
There are two types of warm-ups:
- General
- Special
General warm-up – as a rule, this is the performance of low-intensity cardio and light dynamic stretching of the muscles that will receive the load. Its duration is usually 5-10 minutes.
A special warm-up is the preparation of muscles and ligaments for work in a specific strength exercise.
In this case, the same power movement is performed, but with less weight. Several approaches are used, with the progression of weight.
For example, you need to do a bench press with a 100 kg barbell 5 × 5.
Your custom warm-up will look like this:
- 20 kg – 15 times
- 50 kg – 8 times
- 70 kg – 4 times
- 85 kg – 2 times
After that, there are working approaches 5 × 5 with a weight of 100 kg.
That’s all!
If you have never worked for strength, then be sure to try this type of load!
By getting stronger, you lay a powerful foundation for further growth of your muscle mass. Good luck!