Do You Know How to Get Stronger?
- By Tony Schwartz
- Published 11/20/2008
- Men's Issues
- Unrated
Do You Know How to Get Stronger?
If you have been strength training for a few years then you have most likely come to the realization that there is a good correlation between getting stronger and getting bigger. Just take a glance at weightlifters, powerlifters, and strongmen to see some impressive examples of this correlation.
This leads us to the obvious conclusion that even if our only goal is to look bigger we need to get stronger to do that. So if you have been following a traditional bodybuilding program for awhile it may be time to switch to a more strength-oriented training plan.
The basic principles of designing a program to get stronger are :
Low reps
Lower reps allow for heavy weights, and heavy weights are what increases strength fast. You want to stay below 6 reps here. 1-3 reps is the pure strength zone, while 4-6 reps will allow you to gain some mass with your strength.
High sets
To compensate for the relatively lower volume of your low rep sets, it is necessary to increase the number of sets you do. There is no special number. Anywhere from 5-12 sets of an exercise is the norm. The exact number will depend on the n
umber of reps you're doing, your goals, and your current work capacity.
Longer rest intervals
In contrast to bodybuilding, we want to avoid being tired as much as possible when training for pure strength. This means we want near absolute recovery between sets. The exact amount of time will depend on the exercise, but anywhere from 3-6 minutes is normal. Some powerlifters are known to take up to 15 minutes between heavy squats or deadlifts!
High frequency
The more often you do something the better you get at it. For professional strength athletes it is common to train 6 days per week, 2-3 sessions per day! While this isn't practical for most of us, it gives us a hint as to how to increase strength quickly. The more often you can train (without sacrificing recovery) the better.
These are just a few guidelines to help you to get stronger. The key to fast strength and muscle gains is hard work mixed with professionally designed training programs and sound nutritional and supplementation advice.
Learn about gaining muscle in days and how to get strong in your FREE ebook!
This leads us to the obvious conclusion that even if our only goal is to look bigger we need to get stronger to do that. So if you have been following a traditional bodybuilding program for awhile it may be time to switch to a more strength-oriented training plan.
The basic principles of designing a program to get stronger are :
Low reps
Lower reps allow for heavy weights, and heavy weights are what increases strength fast. You want to stay below 6 reps here. 1-3 reps is the pure strength zone, while 4-6 reps will allow you to gain some mass with your strength.
High sets
To compensate for the relatively lower volume of your low rep sets, it is necessary to increase the number of sets you do. There is no special number. Anywhere from 5-12 sets of an exercise is the norm. The exact number will depend on the n
Longer rest intervals
In contrast to bodybuilding, we want to avoid being tired as much as possible when training for pure strength. This means we want near absolute recovery between sets. The exact amount of time will depend on the exercise, but anywhere from 3-6 minutes is normal. Some powerlifters are known to take up to 15 minutes between heavy squats or deadlifts!
High frequency
The more often you do something the better you get at it. For professional strength athletes it is common to train 6 days per week, 2-3 sessions per day! While this isn't practical for most of us, it gives us a hint as to how to increase strength quickly. The more often you can train (without sacrificing recovery) the better.
These are just a few guidelines to help you to get stronger. The key to fast strength and muscle gains is hard work mixed with professionally designed training programs and sound nutritional and supplementation advice.
Learn about gaining muscle in days and how to get strong in your FREE ebook!
Tony Schwartz
Tony Schwartz created the Athletic Muscle System based on extensive research into strength training programs as well as his own work with collegiate and professional athletes. Tony is the Director of Training for Momentum Athletics. He has a B.Sc. in Exercise Science from Indiana University, where he was a research assistant in the areas of biomechanics and exercise physiology. He has authored, edited, and contributed to many books and articles in the field of exercise science.
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