Training for Strength

Strength training has the goal of increasing the maximum weight that you are able to lift for a given exercise. To increase strength you must train in a matter that creates strength biased adaptations in the muscle.  Protein synthesis is the process where the muscle repairs its broken down tissues caused by intense training. It has been proven that low repetition schemes (1-5 reps) with muscle contractions under higher loads (80-95%) best cause the muscle to repair itself in a way that biases strength gains. It has also been proven that low reps and high loading can strengthen tendons and ligaments, making joints stronger and less prone to injury or degradation. 

An example of a strength biased training for the bench press:

6 sets of 3 reps at 85% of your 1 rep max. 

3 sets of 1 rep at 90% of your 1 rep max.

Training for Hypertrophy

What is hypertrophy? Hypertrophy is the growth and increase in size of muscle fibres and muscle bellies. To create hypertrophy it is important to have metabolic fatigue and mechanical damage. 

Mechanical damage is where you cause structural breakdowns in the muscle which, in turn, stimulates the process of protein synthesis in a manner that biases an increase in muscle size. Metabolic fatigue is where you use up all the available ATP in the muscle which is an energy source that helps with muscle contraction. It has been proven that this can also lead to muscle growth. Having a combination of these two factors will help maximize hypertrophy. 

The best training method to stimulate hypertrophy is using higher rep schemes (10-15 reps), with lighter weight (50-70%), and shorter rest periods (1-2 minutes). This method of training causes more structural damage to the muscle, meaning that more protein will be produced to regenerate, repair, and grow the muscle fibres increasing overall size and mass. 

An example of a hypertrophy biased training for chest:

3 sets of 12 reps at 60% of your 1 rep max.

2 sets of 15 reps at 50% of your 1 rep max.

Important Factors for Both Strength and Hypertrophy

It is all well and good to be training with the correct methodology for what you are trying to achieve, but if you are not moving correctly, eating enough to fuel your muscles and aid growth, sleeping sufficient amounts for recovery, performing other recovery / rehabilitation / injury prevention protocols, then you will not be getting the most out of your training. 

Technique

Using correct technique when training not only prevents injuries but also helps you target the areas of desired growth better. If you are using wrong or improper technique, then you could be utilizing different muscle groups than you intended and therefore not maximizing the gains you could be making.

Nutrition

Muscle needs fuel to do work, grow, and to recover. Putting the right food and amounts of food into your body will mean you can have the most output and contractions in the muscles that you require for your training session. Then once the muscle has broken down, the fuel you have put into your body will aid the process of protein synthesis and recovery, and growth will take place.

Sleep

The benefits of sleep are vast. We all need sleep whether we are training or not. Sleep is one of the best recovery tools there is, so making sure you are getting your required hours is key to getting the most out of your body during training.

Rehab and Injury Prevention

Taking care of your body and the smaller systems should be a higher priority than the training itself. Your body and mind cannot function at maximal capacity if you are injured, meaning you will not be getting the most out of your training and take longer to achieve your goals. We should also be striving for longevity in physical activity as humans so prioritising holistic well-being is important.