Strength

How does a lifting plan for hypertrophy differ from one for developing strength, explosiveness, or endurance?

Training Variables: Hypertrophy vs. Strength, Explosiveness, Endurance

Hey Lane, we're really looking at acute training variables. When we're talking about muscle hypertrophy pure strength power. You said explosiveness, same kind of vibe for me or endurance. So we're gonna start at the beginning, which would be strength endurance, which we get a lot of neurological development and skill development using strength endurance. We're going to go anywhere from 12 to 20. Reps understanding that the intensity or the the amount of load being lifted at the end of the set, you should be able to do. Three or four more reps, but you don't do them. And that's how you want to make sure that you have the right amount of load when we're training for endurance. We also want to have 20 to 30 seconds between sets. So we're not looking for a lot of time. Between sets. We're looking for a relatively accessible load and 12 to 20 repetitions when we're looking at hypertrophy. We're going to move up into 70 to 80% of what your one rep max. Now I kind of stopped doing a one rep max. Test because it's risky. Anyway, never want to put our athletes at risk. So we're going to take a few weeks or maybe a few sessions depending on the skill level of the athlete to figure out just how strong they are. And just how skilled they are. When we're looking to develop muscle and have that outcome be an increase in muscle size. And that acute training variable, is going to be 8 to 12 repetitions with 70 to 80% of that. One rep max said, another way. We might look to that when we finish the 12th rep, we maybe could have done one or two. To but we choose not to the time between sets for that is going to be 60 to 90 seconds. And that's really important because a lot of people out there trying to build muscle, who are actually taking far too much time between sets. So you're almost ready to go. But if you're if you don't need the time between sets the 90 seconds, you probably not going heavy enough. If you feel like you need more time between sets, you are probably going to heavy so that rest interval between sets is really, really important. Aunt, the next one is going to be pure strength, and that's kind of where I live with most of my endurance athletes. That's my goal is to get them to the point where their skill is high enough there. Knurled neural load is low enough that we can actually get these asks of them. So they're not so fatigued that they can safely get under pretty good significant amounts of weight in order to build tension strength in their connective tissue, as well as just get stronger without increasing muscle size. So that represents Change that I use is anywhere from two to six. Repetitions six. Being I know, I can add more load if they can comfortably get six reps. So, the the 90% of 1 rep max would be, we could probably leave one in the bank for that. So if you finish your sixth repetition, you could have done seven. We want to make sure that then we know, we're in the right place for Pure strength development. The time between sets there. That's where it becomes really interesting with endurance athletes. I think we can do. Stuff with that time. So the technical acute training variable would be 90 seconds between sets up to two and a half minutes and that's with pure strength. I can probably fit in some core training, some complimenting must muscle group or a and distracting muscle group. That would be on the other side of the body. So if we're doing a heavy push we might do some lighter poles during that rest period, to make sure we get the most of our time. When we start talking about power. We're really talking about one to four reps. Any time you get there? You start talking about risk and reward, and what are we really trying to accomplish with that athlete? So power is something that I saved for my most experienced athletes. I'm always looking for a long-term relationship with them so that we can, in fact, use that phase of training in a really productive way. So hopefully that gives you a really good outline of the acute training variables for the intended outcomes.

Acute training variables depend on the intended outcome. For endurance, use a load of 70-80% of your one rep max, do 12-20 reps with a rest period of 20-30 seconds between sets. For hypertrophy use 70-80% of your one rep max, 8-12 reps and a rest period of 60-90 seconds. For pure strength use 90% of your one rep max, with 2-6 reps and a rest period of up to 2.5 minutes. For power, use 1-4 reps but save it for experienced athletes as it carries a risk.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/szsgobqeq7xijjqbby5o.vtt

When designing a lifting plan, the specific goals of hypertrophy, strength, explosiveness, or endurance will determine the differences in the plan. Here's an overview of the acute training variables for each goal:

1. Strength Endurance: This focuses on neurological development and skill improvement. The rep range is typically 12 to 20, with the intensity allowing for three to four more reps at the end of the set. Rest periods between sets are around 20 to 30 seconds.

2. Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth): The goal here is to increase muscle size. The rep range is 8 to 12, with the intensity set at around 70 to 80% of the one-rep max. Rest periods between sets are longer, ranging from 60 to 90 seconds.

3. Pure Strength: This aims to build tension strength in connective tissues and increase overall strength without significant muscle size gains. The rep range is lower, typically 2 to 6 reps, with the intensity around 90% of the one-rep max. Rest periods between sets are longer, ranging from 90 seconds to 2.5 minutes.

4. Power: Power training is reserved for experienced athletes due to the risk involved. The rep range is usually 1 to 4 reps, focusing on explosive movements. The goal is to optimize the risk-reward balance. Rest periods between sets may vary based on the specific exercises and goals.

It's important to note that these guidelines provide a general framework, and individual variations and specific training needs should be considered when designing a lifting plan.

How should amateur athletes balance S&C with their other triathlon training? How many sessions, etc.?

Optimizing Training: Balancing S&C for Amateur Athletes

Hey said Sid great question. The most important thing for an amateur athlete to recognize is where is their opportunity to improve. We want to break down our training into five specific areas. Number one, preparation for training number two strength endurance and Mobility. Number three, generals strength, and just bringing everything. You have to the next level. Number four, a little bit of speed and power. And number five, the ability to recover from those. Sessions. So there's many different things to take into consideration when planning but generally speaking, we want to look for the athletes opportunities and then fill in the training objectives around those opportunities. So if an athlete can show me even just some of their results from their last race or some of the feelings that they felt during the swim during the bike, during the runner, even just during transition. Did they have a hard time? I'm getting down to their shoes, to tie the shoes up. That would be important thing. So, I have a lot of questions to be able to ask to optimally load, load something up for somebody. But the most important thing is to recognize where your opportunities are fill in those gaps. And then in conjunction with your Swim Bike Run training, we definitely want your hard days to stay hard and your easy days to stay easy. I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is they do Jim. Work on their off days because they tend to have more time on those days and that is not allowing them to fully recover. Remember those five key areas. We want to consider. Do I need help setting myself up for Success using a pre-flight or pre Mobility session. Do I need more strength endurance that would help my pelvis stand in neutral position or perhaps open up my thoracic spine and help me move a little bit better. Do I need just to get stronger so that I can compete on hills and run downhill faster or Or uphill faster or just generally get stronger and faster at the same time. So that that pure strength is really important power speed and rate of force production. That's really really important as well. So different people have different objectives. They have different specific needs. I'm sorry. I can't give you the exact right answer, but it's worth digging deeper for everybody.

The most important thing for an amateur athlete to recognize is where their opportunity to improve lies. We want to break down training into five areas: Preparation for training, Strength and Mobility, General Strength, Speed and Power, and Recovery from Sessions. It's important to recognize opportunities and fill in the training objectives around those opportunities. Additionally, it's important to keep hard days hard and easy days easy. Depending on the athlete, different objectives may be needed such as pre-flight or mobility sessions, strength endurance, strength, power, speed and rate of force production.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/ezdhi6om5bwkrmeswrv7.vtt

When it comes to balancing strength and conditioning (S&C) with other triathlon training, amateur athletes should focus on identifying their areas for improvement. Training can be broken down into five specific areas: preparation for training, strength endurance and mobility, general strength, speed and power, and recovery.

To plan effectively, athletes should consider their individual opportunities for improvement. This can be done by reviewing race results, assessing performance during each discipline (swim, bike, run), and even evaluating transitions. Identifying areas of weakness or difficulty will help determine the training objectives.

In conjunction with Swim, Bike, Run training, it's important to maintain a balance between hard and easy days. One common mistake is doing gym work on rest days, which can hinder full recovery. It's crucial to allow the body time to rest and recuperate.

The specific number of S&C sessions will vary for each athlete based on their needs and goals. Some key considerations include incorporating pre-flight or pre-mobility sessions for optimal setup, focusing on strength endurance to improve posture and movement, building overall strength for better performance on hills or challenging terrain, and developing power, speed, and rate of force production.

Ultimately, each athlete will have different objectives and specific needs. It's important to dig deeper, ask relevant questions, and tailor the S&C training accordingly to ensure optimal performance and progress.

Any pointers for framing a proper strength and power program for swimmers? What are the important exercises for ages 13-17? A weekly micro plan? Thanks! 

Building Strength for Young Swimmers: Avoid Over-Pushing and Focus on Core Control

Hey, Arvin, Heron here. I'm a strength coach and I think for young athletes 13 to 17. Specifically, we want to work backwards from what we're actually trying to accomplish. Are we trying to make them better swimmers? Or we may be trying to increase their capacity to swim more with less risk of injury. So from my perspective, if I never saw a young swimmer, kind of a, an adolescent swimmer, do another pushup. I would be stoked because I think we weigh over push. Shhhh, those athletes. I would like to see a program based on polling based on scapular, stability and control, as well as core strength and core control. So different, kinds of exercises that are going to put. Right arm left leg connection, left arm, right leg connection cross connections. I also want to see a nice focus on the fundamentals of strength training because if swimming and sport is something that they want to continue. We want them to understand squat patterns lunge patterns. Pulling patterns a little bit more even than pushing patterns. And if there is pushing, I would rather see unilateral pushing. So if we are doing a bench press, we're going to do a single arm, bench, press. If we are going to do a high plank position to encourage good stability, through the, through the shoulder girdle, and through the scapular system. Then we really want to see. Maybe single arm. Hi planks. So our ability to rotate is also really important. So we want to be careful. Not. To have too much Court stability. We need to be able to move in nice, synchronistic patterns. So hopefully that's not too much. But the most important thing is don't over push these athletes internal rotation and over development on the front side of the body is something that we really want to avoid with all athletes, but specifically in young ones because it's a pattern that can only haunt them.

For young swimmers between the ages of 13-17, a strength training program should focus on scapular stability, core control, and the fundamentals of strength training such as squatting, lunging, and pulling. It should also emphasize unilateral exercises such as single arm bench presses and high planks to prevent over development of the front side of the body.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/pzb99stf5dnmoicknodf.vtt

Hey Arvin, as a strength coach, I have some pointers for framing a proper strength and power program for swimmers in the age range of 13 to 17.

First, it's important to work backwards from your goals. Are you aiming to improve their swimming performance or increase their capacity to swim with reduced risk of injury? Based on my perspective, I would focus on exercises that prioritize scapular stability and control, as well as core strength and control.

Instead of emphasizing push-ups, I would be thrilled if I never saw another young swimmer do a push-up. Instead, I would recommend exercises that promote right arm-left leg and left arm-right leg connections, as well as cross connections. These exercises can help improve overall stability and coordination.

Additionally, it's crucial to focus on the fundamentals of strength training. Teach them proper squat patterns, lunge patterns, and pulling patterns, with a bit more emphasis on pulling than pushing exercises. If you do include pushing exercises, opt for unilateral variations like single-arm bench presses.

For core stability, consider exercises like single-arm high planks to encourage good shoulder and scapular stability. It's important to maintain the ability to rotate, so be cautious not to overemphasize core stability at the expense of movement patterns.

Lastly, avoid overemphasizing internal rotation and overdeveloping the front side of the body. This is especially important for young athletes, as it can lead to imbalances and potential issues down the line.

I hope these pointers help you in framing a proper strength and power program for young swimmers. Good luck!

Should I schedule my weekly lifts by body parts or by movements (push/pull)?

Maximize your gains: Body parts or movements for weekly lifts?

Hi Sam, Aaron here strength coach. Great question, you know, there has been so much good research done when it comes to strength training and performance. My first question, back at you, is going to be what is your desired outcome? Because there's always a place there's really not a wrong answer when it comes to strength training. There's just a better strategy. So when it comes to separating The Body by Body Parts, as very bodybuilder, it allows you to train more often with Fatiguing a certain muscle group and potentially grow that muscle and create muscle hypertrophy. When we start to talk about time with as a runner, or as a triathlete. We want to start looking at movements push-pull legs, and we also want to incorporate it in conjunction with your other training in the other things that you're doing. So ask me another question and let's keep going with this topic and see if we can get you exactly where you want to be and make sure you're not wasting your time. I'm or your energy.

Strength training has a lot of research done around it, and depending on your desired outcome, there are different strategies to consider. When it comes to separating body parts, it allows you to train more often and potentially grow that muscle. However, for runners and triathletes, it is best to look at movements push-pull legs and incorporate it into their other training.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/zwjki9brt1yhqahirqgj.vtt

Hi Sam, Aaron here, your strength coach. That's a great question. When it comes to scheduling your weekly lifts, there are different approaches you can take. The first thing I want to know is what your desired outcome is. There's no wrong answer in strength training, just different strategies.

If your goal is muscle growth and hypertrophy, then scheduling your lifts by body parts, like a bodybuilder, can be effective. This allows you to target specific muscle groups more frequently and potentially stimulate muscle growth.

On the other hand, if you're a runner or a triathlete, it may be more beneficial to schedule your lifts based on movements, such as push and pull, along with incorporating them into your overall training plan. This approach takes into account the other activities you're doing and ensures that your strength training complements your other training goals.

Feel free to ask me more questions so we can dive deeper into this topic and find the best approach for you. Let's make sure you're not wasting your time or energy and get you exactly where you want to be.

Beyond Six-Pack Abs: Unleashing the Power of the Core Complex

Jose, this is such a loaded question. ABS Building. Building the abdominal muscle in isolation is something that from a performance standpoint. We have really backed away from because it just doesn't serve performance as well as looking at the complete. Perhaps core musculature. I'm going to look and challenge you to think a little bit beyond the six pack abs and look towards the lats, the backside of the body, through the thoracolumbar fascia, which protects the sacrum and the lumbar spine into the Luke complex, and then the transverse. Abdominals that that really wrap the whole abdominal complex. If it's really ripped abdominal muscles, that you're after aesthetically, because there's a lot of situations where that's important, then that would be a whole different conversation and perhaps it would be more around a conversation around nutrition. So I'm not afraid of this question. I like it, but I definitely would ask you a question. What are we trying to accomplish? If we're trying to accomplish a better? Performance by getting stronger abdominal muscles. Then. I want to expand your way of thinking into a complete complex that we might refer to as the core complex. You re to really stabilize the midsection of the body connect to the lower and the upper body together, but I also really want to respect that. The question was ABS so crunches, but you also definitely want to maintain extension in balance with those spinal flexion exercises. And Challenges to the hip flexor complex as well. So throwing a question back at you. What are we trying to accomplish?

Building abdominal muscles in isolation is not ideal from a performance standpoint. We should instead look at the entire core musculature and focus on building strength and stability there. Additionally, we need to keep in mind what our goal is--if it’s just for aesthetics, then nutrition will be a key factor. We should also balance out any spinal flexion exercises with those that promote extension.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/plmlifapwfcbisrkljh1.vtt

When it comes to building abs, it's important to consider a broader perspective. Focusing solely on isolating the abdominal muscles may not be the most effective approach for overall performance. Instead, let's look at the complete core musculature, including the lats, thoracolumbar fascia, Luke complex, and transverse abdominals.

If your goal is to achieve ripped abs for aesthetic purposes, that's a different conversation that would involve discussing nutrition as well. So, before diving into specific exercises, it's important to understand what you're trying to accomplish.

If the aim is to improve performance by strengthening the abdominal muscles, we should expand our thinking to include the entire core complex. This involves stabilizing the midsection, connecting the lower and upper body, and maintaining a balance between spinal flexion exercises like crunches and exercises that promote extension. It's also essential to challenge the hip flexor complex.

In summary, the best exercises for abs building depend on your specific goals and what you're trying to achieve.

What advice could you give someone in their 50s for improving mobility?

Unlocking Mobility: Key Advice for 50-Somethings

Hey Greg as somebody in their 50s. When we talk about improving Mobility, we first want to identify how we're going to measure that. How are we going to know if we're actually getting better at moving? Well so that's the first thing have a have a really great measuring tool and we can talk about that separately if you want. The second thing is to have a really good daily routine because every single day you got to move it or you lose it. The third thing without strength and overall strength, you're going to move less. So the central Governor, the brain will always limit movement if if it senses that you are unsafe, so saying, staying strong, in my opinion, especially on the posterior chain, the back side of the body, the side of the body that really reacts and responds to gravity and ground is the most important. And things. So if you only do one thing, keep your back really, really strong your upper back so that you're really opening your chest your glutes. So that your hips, stay in the right position, your pelvic position, and then definitely the lower legs. The calves to help. Keep the ankles mobile and able to deal with life as it kind of comes our way.

To improve Mobility, it's important to have a good measuring tool and daily routine. Also focus on strength in the posterior chain (upper back, glutes, hips, pelvic position and lower legs/calves) to help keep ankles mobile.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/hsdrb4xzyr4z7yecxzdt.vtt

For someone in their 50s looking to improve mobility, there are a few key pieces of advice I can offer. First, it's important to have a reliable measuring tool to track progress and determine if mobility is actually improving. We can discuss this tool separately if you'd like.

Second, establishing a consistent daily routine is crucial. Moving and staying active every single day is essential to maintain and enhance mobility.

Third, focus on overall strength. Without strength, movement can be limited as the brain may perceive it as unsafe. Prioritize building strength, especially in the posterior chain (the back side of the body) which responds to gravity and ground. Pay attention to strengthening the upper back to open the chest, the glutes to maintain proper pelvic position, and the lower legs (calves) to keep the ankles mobile and adaptable to various movements.

By incorporating these practices, you can work towards improving mobility and maintaining an active lifestyle in your 50s.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Physician disclaimer

Erin Carson answers your Strength questions. See all the advice Erin Carson has and get answers to your own Strength questions.

Follow me on AnyQuestion

Channel Managers

Erin is a Colorado-based strength coach. She is the co-owner of RallySport, a Boulder training facility and health club, and head coach for ECFIT. Her clients include world champions and everyday athletes seeking excellence. Previously, Erin attended the University of Colorado on a basketball scholarship and played professionally in Europe. She has multiple masters degrees, is certified by NSCA, NASM, EXOS, PTA Global and is a Foundation Training and Titleist Performance Coach. Erin is also an accomplished triathlete placing 6th in her age group at the 2016 70.3 World Championships and has multiple podium finishes.