Know WHEN to Work Hard!
When you think of training to improve strength, you probably think of red-faced powerlifters under their max squat. And, in some cases, that is what's required - red faces, grunting, struggling...
However, in many cases, simply adding more hard work to your programme at higher levels of effort is going to lead to diminishing returns. How this often manifests is something like the following:
- You follow a standard weight training programme with a mix of moderate rep targets (e.g. 8-15 reps).
- When you want to focus more on strength (e.g. increasing your 1 rep max on bench press), you keep your programming the same overall, but just do more heavy sets in the 1-3 rep range.
- Each time you show up to the gym, you try to beat what you did previously.
- 4-6 weeks in, your performance drops, your motivation is low, or your joints start to act up a bit.
So, what's the problem?
The problem is that you are acting as if progress is linear and can be achieved by simply doing more work. In reality, if you want to add in more heavy work, you need to also ensure you have some lighter work to balance the scales.
For example, if you plan to perform 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps on squats, it's probably not wise to then follow that up with heavy leg press, heavy split squats, heavy deadlifts, etc. While performing multiple exercises like this can work well if you are varying rep ranges and keeping some reps in the tank, it's a recipe for disaster if you are hitting close to max weights each time.
What might that look like on paper?
Well, here is an example of what a training week (just lower body) might look like for someone who has been training for a few years, has accumulated a lot of training experience at higher volumes, and wishes to begin specialising on developing lower body strength during this training block. This is a higher frequency training week that would only be suitable for some individuals...
Lower Body A
Squat - 3 sets of 3-5 reps @ RPE 7-8
Leg Press - 2 sets of 10-15 reps @ RPE 8
RDL - 2 sets of 8-10 reps @ RPE 8
Lower Body B
Deadlift - 3 sets of 3-5 reps @ RPE 7-8
Paused Front Squat (Speed) - 3 sets of 3-5 reps @ RPE 5-6
DB Split Squat - 2 sets of 10-15 reps @ RPE 8-9
Lower Body C
Squat - 1 set of 1 rep @ RPE 7-8, 3 sets of 4-6 reps @ RPE 7
Paused Deadlift - 3 sets of 4-6 reps @ RPE 7
The key thing to note is that we are BUILDING STRENGTH, NOT TESTING STRENGTH. Strength testing comes down the line, but not until sufficient consecutive training weeks have been linked together to lead us to believe there is a need to test.
These principles also carry over to basic bodyweight exercises. Don't just go to your local playground and bang out as many pull-ups as you possibly can every session. Instead, have a couple of variations in mind, and across the week, have sessions where you focus on maximal strength (e.g. weighted pull-ups), lighter speed reps (e.g. fast concentrics, low reps), and even some novel variations that develop specific qualities (e.g. unilateral eccentrics).
There should be sessions that grease the groove, and there should be sessions that test your fortitude a bit more. If you are beat up during and after each training session, you probably need to reconsider your approach...
Of course, this is a very simple overview. There are many more points that should be taken into consideration, but we want you guys to take ACTION before worrying about all of the specifics. If you'd like more specific guidance on your journey to strength gains (particularly if you are struggling...), respond to this email to let us know what you are struggling with right now and how you think we could help...
