Different Types of Strength Training: how to Optimise Performance

Strength training is a complex and rewarding discipline that involves much more than just lifting heavy weights. It encompasses various forms of strength, each offering unique advantages and approaches to training. Understanding these distinctions can empower fitness enthusiasts and athletes alike to customize their training programs for better performance and overall health. This article will explore the different types of strength, provide recommendations for developing each type, and emphasise the need for a well-rounded approach to strength training. Stronger is always better than weaker. Let's get lifting!

Understanding the Types of Strength

Strength can be classified into several categories: absolute strength, explosive strength, endurance strength, relative strength, and functional strength. This list is non-exhaustive, but for the purposes of this article will suffice as a starting point. Each of these types of strength serves a distinct purposes and can be enhanced through focused training techniques, proper periodisation and adequate recovery.

Absolute Strength

Absolute strength (also known as maximal strength) is the highest amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert in one effort. This strength is crucial for athletes in sports demanding heavy lifting or high force output, including powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting, but is also relevant to everyone else grinding away in the gym. Most intensity protocols are based on a percentage of your one rep max (1RM) and therefore boosting the maximum amount of weight you can lift will have a cascade effect on all your other training goals. Put another way, that means if one of your goals is hypertrophy, then more weight on the bar means better stimulation of muscle growth at 80% of your 1RM while working in 8-12 rep range.

Key Considerations:

• To boost absolute strength, one should concentrate on low-repetition, high-load exercises. Research shows that performing 1-5 repetitions at 85-100% of one’s one-repetition maximum (1RM) effectively builds maximal strength (Rhea et al., 2003).

• Compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses play a vital role in developing this type of strength, but other exercises benefit as well from a stronger 1RM even if you never specifically test for it. A simple calculation will do.

• The key to driving up your maximal strength is properly applied progressive overload. Athlete safety is a key consideration, and absolute strength is best built slowly.

For example, a powerlifter might incorporate a deadlift routine where they lift 90% of their 1RM for three sets of three repetitions, applying progressive oveload over time, driving up their competition numbers.

Explosive Strength

Explosive strength, often referred to as power, is the ability to exert a significant amount of force in the shortest amount of time. Power is strength displayed quickly. This type of strength is essential for activities that require rapid bursts of energy, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing, most intermittent team sports, daily life and optimal function.

Key Considerations:

• Plyometric exercises and Olympic lifts are often touted as the most effective methods for enhancing explosive strength, but there are other exercise modalities that can enhance power production, such as kettlebells, jump training, variable resistance, sled work, and medicine balls.

• A study by Baker and Newton (2008) highlighted that including explosive movements can significantly increase an athlete's power output. Movements like box jumps, power cleans, and others should be performed at high intensities with moderate loads, lower reps and higher sets.

• The key to all power training is to move the load with maximal intent. Your mind muscle connection is critical. You must think "fast".

  
  

For instance, a basketball player may do box jumps and depth jumps, aiming for maximum height, to improve their explosive jumping power for a slam dunk.

Endurance Strength

Endurance strength measures how long a muscle can sustain contractions at a sub-maximal effort. It is essential for athletes involved in endurance-based sports such as long-distance running, cycling, and swimming, but is also a critical component of general fitness, bodybuilding, athleticism and functional training.

Key Considerations:

• To build endurance strength, higher repetitions with lower weights should be the focus. Research indicates that performing 12-20 repetitions or more at 60-75% of 1RM enhances muscular endurance (Fleck & Kraemer, 2014).

• Circuit training, super-sets, giant-sets, and other high-repetition resistance workouts are superb methods for training endurance strength.

• The key to endurance training is proper loading, high reps, reduced rest times and building pain tolerance in the working muscles.

For example, when I start training a new client that has zero weight training experience, using lower weights and higher reps (12-15) allows me to focus on proper exercise form, strengthen tendons and ligaments, and improve ROM, all while building endurance or what is known as exercise capacity. Then we can progressively lift heavier weights!

Relative Strength

Relative strength measures how strong an individual is as related to their bodyweight. In the lifting community, we often refer to absolute strength as a multiple of bodyweight, for example deadlifting 2 x bodyweight could be considered very strong. This type of strength is particularly important for athletes in weight-class sports, such as wrestling, boxing, olympic lifting and gymnastics, where each competitor's relative strength can greatly influence performance outcomes.

Key Considerations:

• Relative strength is subordinate to absolute strength highlighting the strength-to-weight ratio.

• A study by McBride et al. (2009) suggests that bodyweight movements like pull-ups, push-ups, dips and other closed chain exercises (especially when these can be weighted) can enhance relative strength.

• For weight class athletes, it's important to gain relative strength without gaining significant muscle mass, therefore working in the 1-3 rep range of absolute strength is recommended.

For example, a boxer may incorporate squats, several weighted pull-up variations, weighted dips alongside other exercise movements to increase their strength relative to their weight class. A 75kg fighter who can deadlifit 140kg is much stronger than a 75kg fighter who deadlifits 100kg.

Functional Strength

Functional strength is about one’s ability to perform daily activities and movements efficiently and safely. In the athletic realm, functional strength serves to improve sport specific skills. This type of strength is also crucial for overall health and well-being, as it translates to improved performance in everyday tasks and lowers injury risk among sedentary populations.

Key Considerations:

• Training for functional strength should include exercises resembling real-life movements, such as squatting, lunging, pulling and pushing.

• Research by Behm and Sale (1993) underscores the benefits of multi-joint exercises (compounds) engaging several muscle groups to enhance function.

• Incorporating agility, stability and balance work, such as agility ladder drills, stability balls or balance boards, can also enhance functional strength.

• Key consideration is to use a variety of tools in functional training, med balls, sandbags, kettle bells, dead balls, and suspension training for a few examples.

For instance, a functional workout might include a series of lunges, single leg step ups, kettle bell swings combined with a stability ball presses and planks to mimic daily movement patterns and promote stability, strength and endurance.

Developing a Comprehensive Strength Training Program

To achieve a balanced strength profile, athletes and fitness enthusiasts should integrate all forms of strength into their training regimes. Here are the key strategies backed by research:

Periodisation

Periodisation is about varying training intensity and volume over time to optimize performance and avoid plateaus. A systematic review by Rhea et al. (2002) confirms periodised training enhances both strength and power. For example, an athlete might plan training cycles that allocate specific phases for maximizing strength, boosting explosive strength, and enhancing endurance strength all in distinct training blocks while simultaneously practising their sport in order to apply the newly formed adaptations.

Cross-Training

Cross-training involves participating in various training modalities to improve overall strength and efficiency. Research by Smith et al. (2014) found significant gains in both strength and endurance through cross-training. For instance, combining different resistance training protocols (discussed above) with activities like sprint intervals or swimming can yield a richer and more balanced strength profile. An example is CrossFit style workouts.

Recovery and Nutrition

Recovery and nutrition are paramount in strength development. Adequate sleep, recovery work, and proper nutrition plans are crucial for muscle repair and growth. Phillips and Van Loon (2011) emphasized the importance of protein intake for recovery and muscle development. Athletes should strive for a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support their training ambitions, gains and recovery.

Consistency and Progression

Consistency is vital for ongoing strength development. In the quest for might and mass, consistency is your super power. Regular training schedules and progressively increasing workout intensity and volume should be prioritized. A study by Schoenfeld (2010) highlights that progressive overload is essential for growth and strength gains. Setting clear, measurable short term goals can keep individuals motivated and assist in tracking improvement. A workout journal or app is essential to measuring progress.

Final Thoughts

Whew! that was a lot of information! Grasping the various types of strength and their distinct benefits is crucial for anyone looking to optimize their training. By following evidence-based recommendations for developing maximal strength, explosive strength, endurance strength, relative strength, and functional strength, individuals can craft a comprehensive training program that boosts performance and promotes overall health and athletic performance. Above all, stay patient, stay consistent, and do the work!

As the world of strength training evolves, keeping abreast of the latest research and methodologies will empower athletes to reach new heights. Embrace your strength development journey, and remember that a balanced approach of training, nutrition and recovery is essential for success in any athletic pursuit.

If all this is overwhelming and you just need a good coach, reach out and see if I can help you!

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References

• Baker, D., & Newton, R. U. (2008). Methods to increase the effectiveness of the Olympic weightlifting exercises. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 30(6), 10-15.

• Behm, D. G., & Sale, D. G. (1993). Velocity specificity of resistance training. Sports Medicine, 15(6), 374-388.

• Fleck, S. J., & Kraemer, W. J. (2014). Designing Resistance Training Programs. Human Kinetics.

• McBride, J. M., et al. (2009). Relationship between strength and power in trained and untrained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(1), 1-7.

• Phillips, S. M., & Van Loon, L. J. C. (2011). Dietary protein for athletes: From requirements to metabolic advantage. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 36(5), 647-663.

• Rhea, M. R., et al. (2002). A comparison of linear and daily undulating periodized programs with equated volume and intensity for strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(2), 250-255.

• Rhea, M. R., et al. (2003). A comparison of the effects of two different resistance training programs on strength and power. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17(4), 748-754.

• Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2857-2872.

• Smith, D. J., et al. (2014). Cross-training effects on strength and endurance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 32(12), 1131-1140.