Increasing Strength = Increased Mass
Which = increased strength, which =... you get the picture
Using slightly higher reps to increase the muscles time under tension may be best for stimulating hypertrophy, but it isn’t going to do a whole lot in regards to increasing your strength. Ronnie Coleman, a pro bodybuilder who has the record for most Mr. Olympia wins said it best when he coined the ever so eloquent expression, "Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but nobody wants to lift no heavy ass weights".
When lifting, many people fall into the trap of just focusing on getting a good pump, especially in the vanity muscles. We have all seen it before; the guy who weighs about 150 and is slightly toned…He goes up to the dumbbell rack and pushes a couple sets of bench or throws the dumbbells around for a few sets of curls and then proceeds to flex in the mirror for the remainder of their workout. All while basically wasting their own time and effort, and the gyms mirror space.
The bottom line is that men like Ronnie are massive because of the huge weights they lift; their training intensity and brute strength is matched only by the impressiveness of their physical development.
When a muscle is subjected to an unaccustomed overload - assuming proper form is followed - it has no choice but to grow. Putting genetic limitations aside, your growth is only restricted by the amount of weight you lift using good technique.
While some people are naturally stronger than others, our muscular systems all respond in the same manner: adaptation to stress. Once a muscle has adapted to a particular stressor (say 250 pounds on the bench press) it has no need to continue its fight to survive this imposed overload. It adapts and stops growing. However, by increasing the weight, changing the angle of resistance or some other training variable this muscle then has to change its physiological structure to overcome this new stressor. It has no choice but to get stronger and grow.
To gain strength equally throughout your body it is important that all muscle groups are trained with a variety of exercises. While multi-joint compound exercises are key in developing power and size gains, single joint isolation exercises are useful for targeting specific weaknesses, and building smaller supporting musculature to prevent injury during your bigger lifts as we are only as strong as our weakest link.
It is important to note as we dive into the benefits and necessities of pushing heavy weight; even though it can be tempting, it is important not to allow ego to take over and forgo form in order to push more weight.
When lifting, many people fall into the trap of just focusing on getting a good pump, especially in the vanity muscles. We have all seen it before; the guy who weighs about 150 and is slightly toned…He goes up to the dumbbell rack and pushes a couple sets of bench or throws the dumbbells around for a few sets of curls and then proceeds to flex in the mirror for the remainder of their workout. All while basically wasting their own time and effort, and the gyms mirror space.
The bottom line is that men like Ronnie are massive because of the huge weights they lift; their training intensity and brute strength is matched only by the impressiveness of their physical development.
When a muscle is subjected to an unaccustomed overload - assuming proper form is followed - it has no choice but to grow. Putting genetic limitations aside, your growth is only restricted by the amount of weight you lift using good technique.
While some people are naturally stronger than others, our muscular systems all respond in the same manner: adaptation to stress. Once a muscle has adapted to a particular stressor (say 250 pounds on the bench press) it has no need to continue its fight to survive this imposed overload. It adapts and stops growing. However, by increasing the weight, changing the angle of resistance or some other training variable this muscle then has to change its physiological structure to overcome this new stressor. It has no choice but to get stronger and grow.
To gain strength equally throughout your body it is important that all muscle groups are trained with a variety of exercises. While multi-joint compound exercises are key in developing power and size gains, single joint isolation exercises are useful for targeting specific weaknesses, and building smaller supporting musculature to prevent injury during your bigger lifts as we are only as strong as our weakest link.
It is important to note as we dive into the benefits and necessities of pushing heavy weight; even though it can be tempting, it is important not to allow ego to take over and forgo form in order to push more weight.
Hoisting massive weights is only beneficial when done with strict form and high intensity. Using poor form to satisfy your ego will do as much for the muscle building process as going through the motions of lifting a heavy weight from extension to contraction without focus and intensity to push yourself to the next level.
This is the opposite end of the spectrum of the example previously provided of the muscle pumper. On this side are the guys you see at the gym loading up the bench barbell with 315 pounds only to lift it off and go down 2-3 inches, and lift it back up, or they guy doing shrugs with 6 plates on each side and raising their shoulders maybe a quarter of an inch. They will pound out a few of these crappy reps, then slam the weight down thinking they have achieved something.
Generating momentum by swinging the weights into a full contraction or shortening the movement to a couple inches does not equate to muscular strength. The only real results they can expect to produce are sore joints, potential muscle tears, and little in the way of muscle and strength development.
The real way to strength gains is not to target the heaviest weights possible but to lift the heaviest weights possible with which you can perform an exercise with perfect form and can feel the muscle working through its full range of motion. This way the actual muscle itself will become stronger and sufficiently stimulated so as to become larger and eventually more defined.
There is no replacement for perfect form. If you are new to weight training, take the time to focus on executing movement with strict form and slowly and steadily increase your weight as you progress. It is better to start off with lighter weight to get proper techniques ingrained from the start than to develop bad habits that will be less effective in the long run and raise your risk for injury.
Applied to all movements, this principle of form over maximal weights will pay big dividends when it comes to fully discovering your genetic muscle-building potential. When you can combine the ability to properly work each muscle group with massive weights then it will be time to invest in a new wardrobe.
So, to adequately work the muscles and to force new growth, short and intense is the best strategy. Applying maximal intensity for extended period of time is an oxymoron in that muscles can only sustain maximal intensity for a few sets before they can no longer work hard enough for size gaining purposes.
2-3 sets of 3-5 exercises per muscle group performing 3-6 reps per set with 2-3 minutes of rest in between is ideal for strength training to ensure you are using maximal weight, performing enough reps to fatigue the muscle and produce an adaptation response, with enough rest in between sets to ensure you are recovered enough to complete your next set.
This is the opposite end of the spectrum of the example previously provided of the muscle pumper. On this side are the guys you see at the gym loading up the bench barbell with 315 pounds only to lift it off and go down 2-3 inches, and lift it back up, or they guy doing shrugs with 6 plates on each side and raising their shoulders maybe a quarter of an inch. They will pound out a few of these crappy reps, then slam the weight down thinking they have achieved something.
Generating momentum by swinging the weights into a full contraction or shortening the movement to a couple inches does not equate to muscular strength. The only real results they can expect to produce are sore joints, potential muscle tears, and little in the way of muscle and strength development.
The real way to strength gains is not to target the heaviest weights possible but to lift the heaviest weights possible with which you can perform an exercise with perfect form and can feel the muscle working through its full range of motion. This way the actual muscle itself will become stronger and sufficiently stimulated so as to become larger and eventually more defined.
There is no replacement for perfect form. If you are new to weight training, take the time to focus on executing movement with strict form and slowly and steadily increase your weight as you progress. It is better to start off with lighter weight to get proper techniques ingrained from the start than to develop bad habits that will be less effective in the long run and raise your risk for injury.
Applied to all movements, this principle of form over maximal weights will pay big dividends when it comes to fully discovering your genetic muscle-building potential. When you can combine the ability to properly work each muscle group with massive weights then it will be time to invest in a new wardrobe.
So, to adequately work the muscles and to force new growth, short and intense is the best strategy. Applying maximal intensity for extended period of time is an oxymoron in that muscles can only sustain maximal intensity for a few sets before they can no longer work hard enough for size gaining purposes.
2-3 sets of 3-5 exercises per muscle group performing 3-6 reps per set with 2-3 minutes of rest in between is ideal for strength training to ensure you are using maximal weight, performing enough reps to fatigue the muscle and produce an adaptation response, with enough rest in between sets to ensure you are recovered enough to complete your next set.