Size vs Strength

By Henry Kneebone

Have you ever thought that training for strength and size was the same thing? As a fitness trainer, I have always stressed that the way you train will depend on your specific goal.

Both training methods employ the big compound lifts such as deadlifts, bench press, and squats; however, there is a noticeable difference in training. For example, the overall intensity of hypertrophy training is much less than in strength. However, there is much more volume causing higher rates of muscle disruption than the other.

A good way to get your head around this is this basic formula

• Hypertrophy = high volume/medium intension > 10-12+ reps at %60

• Strength = low volume/high intensity > 6-8 reps at %75+

In terms of exercise selection, there is much more variety in hypertrophy, focusing on isolation exercises that consist of smaller muscle groups such as the biceps and calves. The array is not confined to movements but also training styles that emphasize causing the highest stress to grow the muscle. These styles include reverse pyramids, supersets, rest paused, and unilateral training. I will discuss this in a later blog post.

Strength training, on the other hand, exercise selection is narrowed down primarily to the compound lifts and extra work that compliments those movements—for example, a deadlift followed by a hip thrust. As hypertrophy training aims towards acquiring muscle mass instead of improving performance, the exercise selection is much narrower and focused.

But Henry, what if I want to get Bigger and Stronger?

Whose says you can't have your cake and eat it too. I do! I believe that this is the best way to go when you first start. Provided you have your diet, sleep, and work schedule aligned, it is possible to harvest and plant your crops simultaneously. An example would be doing two strength-based exercises such as a Bench Press and Overhead Press at 6-8 reps and +75% RPE, followed by hypertrophy work at a much lower intensity but higher volume. An example would be;

Upper Body Day (with emphasis on chest)

STR(chest) Bench Press 2 sets of 6-8 reps and 75%

STR (shoulders) Overhead Press 2 sets of 6-8 reps at 75%

HYP (back) Lat pulldown three sets of 8-12 reps at 65%

HYP (chest) Cable Press 3 sets of 8-12 reps at 65%

HYP (arms) Tricep skull crushers 3-4sets of 12-15 at 65%

HYP (arms) Bicep Curl 3-4 sets of 12-15 at 65%

Core Finisher

• Notice that the isolation movements of the triceps and biceps had a higher number of reps than the chest and shoulders. The reason is that they are a smaller muscle group and can recover faster than their larger counterparts.

For me combining the best elements of strength and hypertrophy are a good starting point if you want to maximize your results in the gym. You get to look better and feel more robust = confidence booster! However, on the other hand, it is not the most optimal way to train if you know what you want. On the other hand, hypertrophy is essential to strength, as the more muscle you have, the stronger you will be. There is a symbiotic relationship between the two as the stronger you are, the more stimulus you can produce to exert and grow the muscle.

So what came first, the chicken or the egg? I'd say it depends on the goals and the priorities of the person. Get the best of both worlds, building strength and size, is a great starting point for someone who is enthusiastic and wants to make a long-term commitment to being the best version of themselves.

For more information on this topic, check out the excellent resources on Renaissance Periodisation linked below;

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9330NpW97yQ

#Strength and hypertrophy Training #Where should I begin in the gym #different training types