Regular training has a number of cognitive benefits:
It is a common question in fitness whether it is better to train for hypertrophy or strength.
The answer generally depends on the specific fitness goals of everyone, or how the training will enhance their performance within their chosen physical pursuit and lifestyle.
To break this down very simply…
- If you want to grow the size of your muscle, you should train for hypertrophy.
- If you want to pick up heavier weights and produce more force, you should train for strength.
However, training for these two different goals is not mutually exclusive as there is some overlap between the two methodologies. There are a number of differences and similarities between the two goals and training required to achieve them.
Hypertrophy Training
Hypertrophy is short for muscular hypertrophy and is the act of growing a muscle through exercise. Generally, hypertrophy describes training to build muscle mass. Individuals typically use this type of training to grow their muscles for aesthetic purposes. However, increasing muscle size is a prerequisite for strength training as it provides a solid base for developing maximal strength.
Resistance training is the best way to achieve hypertrophy. Lifting weights creates mechanical tension and muscle damage which are catalysts for muscle growth.
There are three keys to hypertrophy:
- A training program.
- Mechanisms for hypertrophy.
- Recovery.
It is important to follow a training program based on your ability, time available and preferences. If you’re a beginner, full-body sessions are often. This will provide the frequent stimulus needed to achieve growth. If you’re more advanced, you may benefit from a more specific split, focusing on upper or lower body or isolating movement patterns. The number of times you’re able to train will also determine the best split. Even advanced trainees who can only train 2-3 per week should stick to a full-body resistance split.
There are three mechanisms for hypertrophy
- Mechanical tension - this is achieved through progressive overload and time under tension.
- Metabolic stress - this is achieved through higher reps and feeling the burn within muscles.
- Muscle damage - this is achieved through variation, eccentrics and full range of motions.
Recovery is essential. It is important to find the correct training program that offers both sufficient stimulus for muscle growth as well as enough time for muscles to recover between workouts. Lifestyle choices outside of the gym need to be prioritised so that your body is primed for anabolism.
Repetitions, Sets, and Tempo
Generally, in order to induce muscle hypertrophy, 40 seconds of time under tension for one working set is ideal. The repetitions, sets, and tempo in a workout are utilised to control the mechanisms for hypertrophy. Reps, when multiplied by tempo, determine the time under tension for any given exercise.
In a hypertrophy workout, repetitions may be prescribed between 6-20. More specifically; 6-12 reps are ideal for compound movements depending on the load and 8-20 repetitions are ideal for isolation exercises.
General recommendations state that three to four working sets are optimal practice for each movement within a muscle building workout. However, this should be personalised. As a rule of thumb, if reps are lower, sets will be higher, and if reps are higher, sets will be lower.
The tempo is important to create time under tension. In order to achieve 40 seconds of time under tension, the following tempos may be utilised;
- @2020 for 10 reps (2 second eccentric, 0 second in the bottom position, 2 second concentric, 0 second in the top position)
- @3110 for 8 reps (3 second eccentric, 1 second in the bottom position, 1 second concentric, 0 second in the top position)
Strength Training
Strength training is exercise that improves an individual's ability to produce force.
This type of training is commonly used by athletes, powerlifters and any individual seeking to get stronger. Athletes often strength train to improve their force output as it is transferable to the demands of their sport. The general population also benefits from strength training, as it’s great for bone health, improves immune function, and improves your function in daily life.
Prerequisites for Strength Training
It is important to progress to heavy strength training. Lifting external load requires you to create an electrical charge to power a hypothetical light bulb. The heavier the load, the brighter the light bulb needs to be. Only advanced athletes have the coordination to activate all of the muscles to their full potential and turn on their light bulb very brightly.
Therefore, beginners must learn how to turn on their light bulbs before performing true strength training. This can be done through the following steps…
- Develop motor control = focus on moderate time under tension and muscle activation during a workout.
- Strength endurance = focus on higher time under tension with relatively heavy, but manageable loads.
- Strength = focus on increasing weight and decreasing repetitions.
Repetitions, Sets, and Tempo
The repetitions, sets, and tempo for strength training depend on ability level.
- Beginners should develop motor control and perform 10-15 repetitions per exercise for around three sets with a moderate to slow tempo.
- Intermediates should develop strength endurance and perform 5-10 repetitions per exercise, for three to five sets, with a moderate tempo.
- Advanced individuals should develop strength and introduce maximal contractions, perform 1-5 repetitions with explosive concentrics and faster tempos.
It is important to note that while beginners can only do motor control training, intermediates can do both motor control and strength endurance, and advanced can do all contraction types, including maximal contractions.