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Basics of Strength Training



Strength training is a term that is thrown around by the fitness and physical therapy community as if everyone knows exactly what we are talking about! Lets review the basics here so we can all be on the same page.


Components of an effective strength training program:

What is the best exercise for fill in the blank activity? A common question we get that is easy to answer, squats and deadlifts. Okay, maybe it’s not that easy to answer, but there are a few components that should be the emphasis of every strength training program, regardless of what the activity is you are training for.


  1. Squat

  2. Deadlift

  3. Horizontal Push and Pull

  4. Vertical Push and Pull

  5. Single Leg Strength

  6. Carry


If you consistently train these movement patterns at high intensity (more on that to come) two or three times weekly, then you will absolutely get stronger, maintain functionality, and likely improve performance in your chosen activity. These movements are functional. They have the capacity to move large loads across long distances quickly. They are innate. You do not need to be taught how to stand up from a chair, pick up something from the ground, carry it from point A to B, push away an adversary, or pull open a door. These exercises take common movement patterns we encounter every single day and structure them in a way that creates a more robust human being.


Intensity:

What do we mean by “intensity” when referring to strength training? Intensity is typically expressed as a percentage of one repetition maximum (% 1RM). This refers to the load you select for a given exercise compared to the heaviest possible load you could perform that exercise with for a single repetition and no more. If you bench press 100lb for one repetition, and you decide to perform a workout at 75lb, that is 75% 1RM. Determining a true one repetition maximum takes a lot of time and a lot of training experience for an accurate measurement. Research has repeatedly shown that performing sub maximal loads to failure can accurately predict a one repetition maximum and that using subjective measurements such as your rating of perceived exertion (RPE) or reps in reserve (RIR) match up incredibly well with actual 1RM testing. For example, if you are able to bench press 80lb for 8 repetitions and fail attempting the 9th rep, we know that an 8RM should equate to 80% 1RM. We can use this method to accurately determine what your 1RM should be and calculate appropriate loads from there. The most common mistake we see in strength training is inappropriate load selection. Somewhere along the line someone was told they should be doing sets of 10 reps, so they choose a weight and stop at 10 reps. The problem is not the 10 reps, the problem is the weight they chose is closer to something they could perform 30 reps with and they stop at 10 because that’s how many they are “supposed to do”. Appropriate weight selection to actually train with intensity is vital to making long term progress with strength training.


Training frequency AKA Recovery time:

More is not always better, especially when it comes to strength training. You do not get stronger performing the exercise, you get stronger when you are recovering from the stimulus your body received while performing the exercise. This is a concept referred to as supercompensation. As you read this, your capacity is at your baseline, we will call this B for simplicity’s sake. When you exercise, you are temporarily reducing your capacity to below baseline, call it B - 1. This is a signal to your body that it needs to make a change. Your body says “wow that thing I did was super challenging, I better change something so next time I encounter that it won’t be so hard”. The body will then supercompensate to improve your capacity to B + 1. Now we are at a new baseline capacity that is greater than the first time you read this, good on you! This process takes multiple days and appropriate rest of the trained muscle groups combined with nutritional support. A recent study in elite competitive soccer players showed that performance in training was negatively impacted following a competitive match for over 72 hours before returning to pre-match baseline levels. Let me say that again, professional athletes take more than 3 days to recover from a 90 minute high intensity exercise bout. And they have a professional sports team monitoring their performance, nutrition, and recovery. And it still takes more than 3 days. If your goal is to get stronger, you should be taking 3 full days minimum of RELATIVE rest between high intensity training sessions. This does not mean do nothing, but it means you do not need to squat at high intensity every day to get stronger. Hence the guidance to train the aforementioned movement patterns 2-3 times a week at most!


Consistency:

As the adage goes, Rome was not built in a day. Strength training takes TIME. An annoyingly long time. But consistency is the key to success, as it is with most things in life. If you are brand new to strength training, you will likely see incredible results in the early stages. The relative effort at a specific weight will be less each session, the weights you lift will increase on a weekly basis. The longer you strength train, the smaller the improvements will be and the more time they will take to occur. Stick with it! For most people, it’s not about the number of plates on the barbell, it’s about the benefits you get from the process. It’s about reducing your injury risk playing ultimate frisbee, improving your marathon time and not having injuries limit your weekly mileage, being able to continue dominating your children in driveway basketball well into your 40s and 50s, fighting Father Time and Mean Old Mr. Gravity (both of which are undefeated, infinity and zero win/loss record). 


Make strength training a habit. Find your reason why. Do it with a purpose. Most people end up with issues related to strength loss, not age. The more capacity you build now, the more you will have in the bank to spend at a later date. It’s never too late to start. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time to plant a tree is today.


Questions about strength training or an appropriate strength program? Schedule a free consultation call with the experts at Rise. 

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