The Differences Between Training for Size Vs Strength

Summary

In this Renaissance Periodization video, Dr. Mike discusses the nuanced differences between strength training and hypertrophy (size) training. He clarifies that while they share similarities, especially for beginners, advanced training requires distinct approaches. The video delves into optimal rep ranges, volume, progression, exercise selection, and training frequency for each goal. Dr. Mike suggests that beginners can benefit from a hybrid approach, but as one advances, alternating dedicated phases of hypertrophy and strength training yield the best long-term results.

Takeaways

• 🏋️ Strength and size training are not the same, with distinct differences in approach as one becomes more advanced.
• 📊 Basic strength is best developed in a 3 to 6 rep range per set, whereas hypertrophy is best stimulated in the 5 to 30 rep range.
• 🔢 There is a minimal overlap between the optimal rep ranges for strength and size, with only sets of 5 and 6 being common to both.
• 💪 High-level bodybuilders and powerlifters exhibit significant differences in training methods, despite both aiming to be bigger and stronger.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Strength training is more fatiguing per set and requires a higher degree of preparedness compared to hypertrophy training.
• 🔄 Hypertrophy training can involve higher volumes and more frequent sessions without the same level of fatigue as strength training.
• 📈 Progression in strength training is primarily about increasing the load on the bar, while hypertrophy training can involve more reps, sets, or load.
• 🗓 Frequency and undulation of workouts differ, with hypertrophy benefiting from more frequent sessions and strength training requiring more recovery.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Exercise selection is crucial, with compound exercises being more beneficial for strength and a variety of exercises for hypertrophy.
• 🔄 For optimal results, a cyclical approach alternating between dedicated hypertrophy and strength phases is recommended, especially for advanced trainees.
• 🚀 Beginners can benefit from a concurrent approach, doing sets of 5 to 10 reps that effectively build both strength and size.

Q & A

What is the main difference between strength training and size (hypertrophy) training?

Strength training and size training are not the same. Strength training focuses on increasing the body's ability to produce force, often using lower rep ranges like 3 to 6 reps per set. Hypertrophy training, on the other hand, aims to increase muscle size and is best stimulated in the 5 to 30 rep range.

Why do professional bodybuilders and powerlifters train differently despite both aiming to get bigger and stronger?

Professional bodybuilders and powerlifters train differently because their training is optimized for their specific goals. Bodybuilders focus more on hypertrophy to increase muscle size, while powerlifters concentrate on strength to maximize their performance in powerlifting competitions.

What is the optimal rep range for basic strength training according to sports science?

The optimal rep range for basic strength training, which is about building foundational strength, is roughly 3 to 6 reps per set.

In what rep range does overall hypertrophy training stimulate the best muscle growth?

Overall hypertrophy training stimulates the best muscle growth in the 5 to 30 rep range per set.

Why might a powerlifter's training routine differ from a hypertrophy-focused routine in terms of exercise selection?

A powerlifter's training routine will likely focus on compound exercises that are directly related to their competitive lifts, such as squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. In contrast, a hypertrophy-focused routine may include a wider variety of exercises, including isolation movements, to target different parts of the muscle and promote overall muscle growth.

How does the volume of training affect the outcomes of strength training versus hypertrophy training?

For strength training, higher volumes can lead to increased fatigue, which is not optimal for strength development. Hypertrophy training, however, can benefit from higher volumes as it stimulates muscle growth with more sets and reps.

What is the significance of progression in strength training and hypertrophy training?

In strength training, progression is crucial and is typically achieved by increasing the load on the bar to continuously challenge the body and build strength. In hypertrophy training, progression can come from increasing reps, sets, or load to ensure continued muscle growth.

How does the frequency of training sessions differ between strength and hypertrophy training?

Hypertrophy training can often be performed more frequently throughout the week due to the nature of the exercises and the need for muscle recovery. Strength training, however, requires more recovery time between sessions to ensure the body is prepared for the high-intensity training.

What is the concept of 'undulation' in training, and how does it apply to strength and hypertrophy training?

Undulation refers to the variation in training intensity and volume over time. In hypertrophy training, it might involve varying rep ranges and loads to continuously stimulate muscle growth. In strength training, undulation might involve cycles of high-intensity, low-volume sessions followed by lower-intensity, higher-volume sessions to optimize strength gains.

How can an individual potentially get the best of both strength and hypertrophy training?

An individual can potentially get the best of both by using a concurrent or hybrid training approach, where they perform compound strength exercises in the lower rep range followed by accessory movements in a higher rep range. Additionally, they can cycle through phases of focused hypertrophy training and strength training with active recovery periods in between.

What is the recommended approach for beginners who want to build both strength and size?

Beginners can benefit from a more general approach, focusing on sets of 5 to 10 reps, as this rep range is effective for both building strength and size. As they progress and become more advanced, they may need to specialize their training to focus more on either strength or hypertrophy.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Strength vs. Size Training Basics

This paragraph introduces the topic of strength training versus size training, highlighting the common misconception that they are the same. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the differences, especially for advanced trainees, and suggests that pursuing them separately might be beneficial. The script outlines the plan to discuss the differences in loading, volume, progression, training frequency, and exercise selection between the two approaches.

05:01

🔢 Rep Ranges for Strength and Hypertrophy

The paragraph delves into the specifics of rep ranges for optimal strength and hypertrophy. It explains that basic strength is best developed in a 3 to 6 rep range, while overall hypertrophy is stimulated in a 5 to 30 rep range. The speaker uses personal anecdotes and experiences to illustrate the differences and emphasizes the limited overlap between the two training goals, suggesting that training for both simultaneously may not be as effective.

10:01

💪 Volume and Fatigue in Training

This section discusses the impact of volume and fatigue on strength and hypertrophy training. It contrasts the high fatigue per set in strength training with the lower fatigue in hypertrophy training, which allows for higher volumes. The paragraph explains that while strength training benefits from lower fatigue and higher preparedness, hypertrophy training can tolerate higher fatigue due to the nature of the exercises and rep ranges used.

15:02

📈 Progression in Strength and Hypertrophy Training

The focus of this paragraph is on the progression in strength and hypertrophy training. It highlights that strength training relies heavily on increasing the load to get stronger, while hypertrophy training can involve increasing reps, sets, or load to stimulate muscle growth. The speaker discusses the inefficiency of adding sets without increasing load for strength training and the importance of maintaining challenging sets for hypertrophy.

20:02

🗓 Frequency and Undulation in Training Programs

This paragraph explores the concepts of training frequency and undulation in the context of strength and hypertrophy. It explains that hypertrophy training can be performed more frequently due to the muscle's ability to recover faster and the less demanding nature of the exercises. In contrast, strength training requires more recovery time between sessions, making high-frequency training less effective. The paragraph also touches on the idea of periodization and how it applies differently to the two training goals.

25:04

🏋️‍♀️ Exercise Selection for Optimal Results

The paragraph discusses the importance of exercise selection in achieving optimal results in strength and hypertrophy training. It points out that certain exercises are better for strength development, while others may be more beneficial for hypertrophy. The speaker emphasizes the need to prioritize compound exercises for strength and suggests that the choice of exercises may differ significantly between bodybuilders and powerlifters due to their specific goals.

🔄 Concurrent Hybrid Training Approach

This section provides recommendations for a concurrent hybrid training approach that combines elements of both strength and hypertrophy training. It suggests starting with compound strength exercises followed by accessory movements for hypertrophy. The paragraph also discusses the importance of periodization and how to structure a training plan to optimize both strength and size over time, including active rest periods for recovery.

📊 Training Programs for Different Levels of Experience

The final paragraph addresses how training programs should be tailored to different levels of experience. It explains that beginners can benefit from a general approach of sets of 5 to 10 reps, which is effective for both strength and hypertrophy. As trainees become more advanced, the paragraph suggests that a more specialized approach is necessary, with dedicated phases for hypertrophy and strength training. The speaker concludes by reiterating the importance of understanding and applying these principles to achieve the best results.

Keywords

💡Strength Training

Strength training refers to a type of exercise that focuses on increasing the force that muscles can produce. In the video, it is contrasted with size training, emphasizing the importance of differentiating between the two for advanced athletes. The script mentions that strength training is best done in a rep range of 3 to 6 reps per set, which is optimal for building basic strength.

💡Size Training

Size training, also known as hypertrophy training, is aimed at increasing muscle size. The script explains that size training is distinct from strength training and is best stimulated in a rep range of 5 to 30 reps. It is a key concept in the video, illustrating the difference in training goals and methods between bodybuilders and powerlifters.

💡Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is the increase in muscle cell size, leading to an increase in overall muscle mass. The video discusses how different rep ranges stimulate hypertrophy, with the 5 to 30 rep range being optimal for this purpose. It is a central theme in the video, as it differentiates the goals of size training from those of strength training.

💡Loading

Loading in the context of strength and size training refers to the amount of weight used in exercises. The script explains that there are differences in loading between the two training types, with strength training often using heavier weights in lower rep ranges to build force, while size training may use lighter weights in higher rep ranges to stimulate muscle growth.

💡Volume

Volume in training refers to the total amount of work done, typically measured in sets and reps. The video discusses how volume affects both strength and size training, noting that higher volumes with more sets are generally better for hypertrophy, while strength training may require less volume to avoid excessive fatigue.

💡Progression

Progression is the systematic increase in training intensity or volume over time to promote muscle adaptation and growth. The script distinguishes between the progression strategies for strength and size training, with strength training focusing on increasing load and hypertrophy training on increasing volume or reps.

💡Frequency

Frequency refers to how often a particular exercise or muscle group is trained within a week. The video explains that optimal frequency differs between strength and size training, with size training potentially benefiting from higher frequencies to stimulate muscle growth, while strength training may require more recovery time between sessions.

💡Undulation

Undulation in training refers to the variation in intensity and volume over a period of time, often structured in cycles. The script discusses how undulation can be used in both strength and size training, with different patterns of hard and easy workouts to optimize training outcomes.

💡Exercise Selection

Exercise selection involves choosing specific exercises to target particular muscles or movements. The video highlights the differences in exercise selection between strength and size training, with strength training often focusing on compound movements for maximum force production, while size training may include more isolation exercises to target specific muscle growth.

💡Concurrent Training

Concurrent training is the practice of training for multiple goals, such as strength and size, at the same time. The script provides recommendations for structuring a concurrent training program to optimize both strength and hypertrophy, suggesting a balance between compound exercises for strength and higher rep ranges for muscle growth.

💡Mesocycle

A mesocycle is a period of training, typically lasting several weeks to a few months, focused on a specific training goal or phase. The video discusses the use of mesocycles in a potentiated pattern, alternating between hypertrophy and strength phases to maximize long-term gains in both size and strength.

Highlights

Strength training and size training are not the same, with distinct differences becoming more apparent as one becomes more advanced.

Bodybuilders and powerlifters, despite both training in gyms, have significantly different training approaches and routines.

Basic strength is best developed in a 3 to 6 rep range per set, whereas hypertrophy is best stimulated in the 5 to 30 rep range.

There is a minimal overlap between the optimal rep ranges for strength and size, with only 5 and 6 reps being common to both.

Volume plays a crucial role in training, with strength training being more fatiguing per set and hypertrophy training allowing for higher volumes.

Hypertrophy training can be done more frequently in a week due to less muscle and joint fatigue compared to strength training.

Progression in strength training is primarily about increasing the load, while hypertrophy training can involve increasing reps, sets, or load.

Exercise selection differs between strength and hypertrophy training, with compound exercises being more beneficial for strength.

Advanced strength training programs may involve undulating periodization with varying sets and reps to optimize strength gains.

Concurrent training, which combines strength and hypertrophy training, can be effective but requires a strategic approach to avoid over-fatigue.

For optimal hypertrophy, a higher frequency of training with a focus on higher rep ranges is recommended.

Hybrid training can be structured to prioritize compound exercises for strength and accessory exercises for hypertrophy within the same session.

Beginners can benefit from a general approach of 5 to 10 rep ranges, which effectively targets both strength and size.

Intermediates may utilize concurrent training to mix strength and hypertrophy within the same weeks or sessions.

Advanced trainees should consider dedicating mesocycles to either hypertrophy or strength to truly optimize both aspects.

Phase potentiation involves alternating between hypertrophy and strength phases with active rest to maximize long-term gains.

The best approach for an individual depends on their training experience and goals, with a gradual shift towards specialization as one advances.

Transcripts

hey folks dr. Mike here for Renaissance

period ization let's talk about strength

training versus size training the match

of the century Jake a lot of folks think

these are the same you ask someone what

they're training for they'll say all to

get like bigger and stronger and there's

a ton of overlap there's not exact

overlap especially as you become more

advanced it pays to know the difference

between these two and perhaps pursue

them separately even if you want in the

end to be as big and strong as possible

so here's we're gonna talk about today

first aren't size and strength training

the same we'll see that they're not

right then we're going to talk about

some differences between strength

training and size training notably

differences in loading how much weight

you're using differences in volume

differences in how you progress over the

weeks differences in optimal frequencies

of training and the undulation of how

many hard workouts versus easier

workouts you have and if you're thinking

what the hell is easier workouts well

then your hypertrophy trainer because

there's no such thing really but for

strength training you're like oh use

your workouts that makes sense

automatically we have a difference right

there

exercise selection differences between

the two approaches for optimal results

and then we're gonna talk about how to

get the best of both and there are some

really good ways to do that at the end

we'll wrap it up with some simple

take-home points let's get started so

aren't size and strength training really

just the same they are very similar okay

but they are not the same optimized

strength training looks a little bit

different than optimized size training a

really quick anecdotal piece of evidence

and it's not act only small at your

static Dodoma technical sense is the

fact that bodybuilders at a high level

professionals and power lifters at high

level professionals don't train the same

yes they both training gyms yes they

both use barbells but the differences

are G really massive if you've been in a

gym for longer than a few months you

could start to tell them apart not just

in their appearance but how they train

maybe there's something to that and

they're really absolutely is so let's

find out what there is to it and start

with the most

obvious loading differences basic

strength when we have sports science

called basic strength the fundamental

ability to produce force not peaked for

competition which is like sets of 1 2 3

rep so the basic foundational getting

stronger and stronger type of training

is best done in roughly 3 to 6 rep range

per set ok it's so like sets of 3 sets

of 5 sets of 6 stuff like that that

those sets build basic strength the best

right however overall hypertrophy

overall hypertrophy not the kind of a

per trophy that translates to strength

the best which we'll get into later

overall hypertrophy is actually best

stimulated in the 5 to 30 rep range

right when I used to be a power lifter

and I was dabbling in some hypertrophy

training I would do dumbbell presses 4

sets of 20 and my powerlifting buddies

correctly were like dude what are you

doing like that's not gonna make you

stronger and fundamentally they had a

really really good point if it was gonna

make me stronger it was gonna take

months to convert that new size

neurologically into the ability to use

it for strength there's a big difference

there right so if you train 4 sets of 3

to 6 you get your best strength results

if you train 4 sets of 5 to 30 reps

close to failure you get your best size

results gee-whiz I'm no mathematician

it's a really small overlap you can do

sets of 5 you can do sets of 6 and

that's it ok you have two types of sets

- dude - rapper not even ranges to

specific numbers of reps you can do and

that's all the optimal overlap really is

at the end of the day that's not that

great right so can you train 4 sets of 5

and 6 and get a decent measure of

hypertrophy shake yes your variation is

gonna be very low so after a while your

results are gonna suck because you're

not mixing it up enough but

fundamentally you're just missing out on

a lot right so I'm gonna be like why

don't you do sets at and someone's like

why don't you do sets of 3 to get even

more peak strength relative to what you

have now yeah well I kind of want both

but it's a very very tiny overlap in

sort of that's not the greatest thing in

the world right we can do better if

we're gonna optimally get for

hypertrophy where this whole thing we're

just not using right it's like it's

almost like here you know I'm dieting

still because of the food analogies it's

like going to an all-you-can-eat like

super incredible buffet and you're on a

like a clean food only diet and you're

like I'm having fish and chicken like

bland like it was white rice like is

they happen to have that at the buffet

but they also have 50 trillion other

things you know maximize your buffet

experience

don't go there a diet can you sure if

you're gonna maximize your diet stay at

home you don't have a little smells

distracting you so on and so forth just

the same the strength rep ranges for

here I perturb your brain just tiny

overlap but it's really large it's way

over there and truthfully if you stick

to the five to six reps negative that's

a five in sets of six you're just sort

of in that general range or good for

both I would bet and there are some good

studies confirming this and certainly

almost every bodybuilder can tell you

this if you really try for extended

periods of time to get all of the same

hypertrophy volume from just sets of

five to six never doing sets of eight or

ten or twenty then the fatigue

accumulates are really fast and really

messes you up

so even if you get pretty good or close

to optimal short-term hypertrophy

results doing let's say sets of six and

great short-term strengths results you

can't keep that going in the hyper tree

front so because the volumes are too

high for those low rap numbers for a

month or two it can work but it's not

sustainable which is also why basically

nobody trains like that so we got some

problems there are some differences if

you want the best of one or the other

there's gonna have to be a little bit of

a fork in the road next up is volume

strength training is really fatiguing

per set especially sets of three and

four right which are great for strength

development they beat you up more per

set than like sets of ten or something

like that especially overtime joint

fatigue and how people feel

psychologically it's really really

really tough training right at the same

sort of thought process is strength

training sort of beats you up more per

set but in order to your best of

strength training the amount of total

fatigue you can have at any one time

needs to be lower you need a high degree

of preparedness you can come into the

gym and I approach of your training

program and be pretty tired pretty

messed up but just grind and get great

results for strength you have to be on

right there are weights that if you're

even somewhat fatigued you simply can't

live for any reps anymore okay

you were doing them for such a fore last

week you got too much fatigue now

instance of one it's just

Hannibal right so at the same time while

strength training fatigues you more

percent it actually is optimal for you

to never do with that many sets of it

because strength training isn't

optimized at high levels of fatigue that

that many sets bring in right on the

other hand hypertrophy training doesn't

generate a ton of fatigue per set right

which is which is great because you can

do a lot of it but it doesn't also

require rights it doesn't also require a

high degree of preparedness so not only

can is the fatigue allow you to get more

productive sets in but also you can get

even more fatigue because you don't have

to be spot-on for I purchase between to

work well you can be pretty fatigued and

it still works are a great so

essentially hypertrophy sees higher

stimuli with way higher volumes and

strength training or does and the result

to get a little bit technical real quick

from volume landmarks and you can google

all the stuff just google hypertrophy is

route al guide and you'll just go right

to the RP website and read of all the

stuff but basically your maximum

adaptive volume which is the volume at

which on average you grow the most for

strength training is often at what is

somewhere between the maintenance volume

and the minimum effective volume by the

way that means it's Ungerman and

effective volume all hypertrophy

training so to put this as an example

something like eight sets of quad work

per week on a strength program is like a

lot of work and that's like full-on well

into that you know maximum to have two

volume that's and meat potatoes work

where on the other hand that might just

be a little bit above what maintains

your quads for hypertrophy and something

like sixteen sets of quads for that same

person is totally possible and close to

optimal for muscle growth but sixteen

would just not even be survivable for a

week on strength training there's a huge

discordance there the optimal volume for

strength training is here the optimal

volume for hypertrophy training is here

and if you try to mix the two there's

gonna be some middle ground in which

you're not getting the best of either

one right and the reality there is that

for best results you probably really

can't

both optimally at the same time

progression differences this one's super

straightforward intensity loading

progression is everything in strength so

you get stronger not by doing more sets

of 200 pounds you will put on some

muscle and your work capacity will go

off and that's nice and it will make you

stronger for a while but not optimally

this is the least rocket science shit

I'll ever say it you get stronger by

putting more weight on the bar it's

crazy I know right so you get stronger

going 200 210 220 230 you know over time

maybe not on each week but when you are

asked for key you have to present a

bigger stimulus and strength training

where is that bigger gonna come from is

it going to be more reps is it going to

be more sets

no no it's almost always mostly going to

be increases in load on the other hand

for hypertrophy training doing more reps

grows more muscle doing more load grows

more muscle and doing more sets really

grows more muscle but if you start at

your minimum effective volume the fewest

number of sets it takes to grow the

distance to your maximum recoverable

volume is there really high it can be

like 10 sets per muscle group different

and you slowly work from your minimum

effective and you add one set here this

week to next week

zero the week after they start how

you're recovering 2 again 1 again and

then all of a sudden you've traversed a

huge progression and set numbers and

that got you a lot of growth that does

not work very well for strength because

your fatigue or what was it and you'll

do a whole lot of nothing and why the

hell you adding sets to begin with

you get fundamentally the most strong by

adding load so reach this question if

we're trying to really do both at the

same time you know should I add for

example 15 pounds to the bar but zero

sets next week or should I add 5 pounds

to the bar but add a whole set next week

same amount of total fatigue increase

same amount of stimulus generally one

stimulates much more strength adaptation

one much more hypertrophy so they're

adding 15 pounds definitely the right

choice for strength in this example but

the 5 pounds in one set probably the

right choice for hypertrophy now and in

15 pounds will add hypertrophy it it's

good but not the best the best

hypertrophy probably come

from raising volumes quite a bit

sometimes raising repetitions but

raising the load a little bit more

slowly because you want to build high

volumes of growth you want to do a lot

of training and only increase as much as

needed to keep the sets challenging

whereas with strength training you're

trying to increase as a matter of course

that the whole reason you're there is to

try to put more load on the bar in

hypertrophy training it's a tool in

strength training it's everything

so for this fundamental reason either

really bias load increases or really

bias your volume increases at the

expense of as much load as you could

increase it's either one of the other or

something in between you can't have

everything of both interestingly enough

in advanced strength training you'll

even have plans which are quite good

which do something like five sets per

week four sets per week three sets per

week while the load really goes up

really fast it'd be like 5 by 5 4 by 4 3

by 3 great strength progression but then

decrease and weekly volume causes

arguably no hypertrophy at all or even

sometimes a slight degree of a sort of

temporary atrophy so you can make a

weight class have your best performance

ever and then rebuild some muscle

absolutely a thing if you do an advanced

plan like that there's no way you're

getting muscle growth out of it you

definitely can't have both at the same

time what about frequency and undulation

here's the deal in hypertrophy training

you need the local muscle to be healed

to do another good job of training again

and you don't even need the joints and

connective tissues to heal completely

because if you train heavy on Monday for

example sets of five to ten on Tuesday

you can do the same exercise four sets

of ten to twenty and you're probably not

gonna get hurt and you probably gonna

get a good hypertrophy stimulus because

the muscle is healed and the joints are

like healed enough connective tissues

healed enough but because you're

dropping the load you're reducing how

much weight you're lifting you're not

really at risk of much of anything on a

Wednesday for example right after that

Tuesday you can again do sets of ten to

20 but just switch up the exercise and

all of a sudden you're hitting different

parts of the muscle different parts of

the joint and everything's fine

and then Friday you might do sets of

twenty to thirty again your muscle has

recovered each time your joint

significant issues if not but that's

that's the twenty to thirty they don't

even they're too light to beat up your

joints to connective tissues the

thing heals by the end of the week and

the next week you restart that

progression so with hypertrophy training

you can squash a lot of Highly Effective

stimulative training many times in the

week and as long as the muscle is

recovering neither are the joints

connective tissues tissues beat up as

much because the rep ranges are on

average or higher that loads are lower

but also you don't need them completely

healed at all times or even close with

strength training it's very much the

opposite stimulative sessions for them

to actually cause strength improvement

you need much fuller recovery then you

do for hypertrophy training right if you

do extra sessions on top of those

they're not super useful right as far as

you know getting you results they might

be useful for enhancing technique and

strength but they're not exactly pushing

their strength along and they're

certainly not pushing our Jaffee long

what would that look like so for example

a better strength sort of weekly

undulated pattern would be on Monday

doing like sets of 2 to 4 reps at a nine

RPE really really tough really really

heavy Wednesday new sets of four to six

reps still strength this time at an 8 RP

it's a more volume less loading and less

relative intensity so you can you know

you really messed it up on Monday on

Wednesday you really put in some good

work to continue to make that

progression Friday there's no way you're

doing hard training in this example at

least for this advanced lifter you might

do sets of 2 to 4 again but at a 6 RPE

leak you basically doing the same loads

you did Wednesday for 4 to 6 but now

you're doing 4 sets 2 to 4 and even

maybe lighter loads this allows you good

practice on the bar put some weight on

your back still trains the nervous

system doesn't cause a tiny bit of

hypertrophy at all it isn't directly

enhance strength either so in this

example you have to stimulate of

strength sessions per week fundamentally

in one recovery session to get ready for

next week whereas in the hypertrophy

example you have 4 stimulative

hypertrophy sessions you can't really do

the same heart training frequency for

both ok if you try to have an optimal

hypertrophy training frequency and you

try to do strength that many times you

will burn in the Sun you last out two

and a half weeks and you'll fall apart

like mr. Potato Head on the other hand

if you try to get maximum hypertrophy

results training only as hard as your

strength training is often training hard

as often as your strength training would

dictate then your training like at a

decent frequency but nothing to write

home about and you're gonna be

hanging out on optimal hyper to result

someone could say for that Friday work

out they watch you do you know sets of

two to four reps and at a 6rp and they'd

be like was that stimulating growth

you're like nope they're like why don't

you do some growth stuff you're like

well as that'll beat me up too much for

an axe Monday you can't have the best of

both worlds certainly not at the same

time right

next a little bit more of a minor point

but nonetheless salient it does apply

exercise selection differences strength

training is usually defined by a set of

exercises not just abilities or parts of

your body people usually talk about

increasing their squat not just making

their legs generally stronger can you

imagine someone's like hey man I want to

I want to you know get my legs stronger

you look right sweet we're gonna focus

on hack squats and leg presses if

they've been in any sport there's

relator string sport long enough to be

like don't you mean like lower squat and

like well no you said stronger legs it

doesn't really matter which exercise

like well I'm mad at stronger squad

right so all of a sudden there's some

exercise differences there you'll notice

that like high-level Pro bodybuilders a

lot of the exercises are using they're

not exactly strength exercises and

that's okay for them because they're

geared towards hypertrophy so a lot of

times when we say we want strength we

just want a movement to increase that

means we have to do that movement often

sometimes that means doing other

exercises less exercises that would

offer benefit for example it's been

shown that if you vary the kinds of

exercises you're using for a muscle you

can get regional hypertrophy differences

more parts of your muscle growth use

different actually as for example if you

do legs Monday Wednesday Friday you do

squats then hack squats then leg presses

you probably get better hypertrophy

overall in your quads then if you do

squats squats squats right if you're

training for optimizing strength

optimizing strength and you want your

squat to go up your programs probably

gonna look a whole lot like squat squat

squat and someone who could say well are

you getting bigger legs totally but are

you getting as big of legs as possible

absolutely not you would use different

exercises for that which again is why

pro power lifters train with like two or

three exercises like squats front squat

maybe one or the derivative occasionally

I'll do a leg press and my bodybuilders

trained with nine or ten different

exercises because they get better

overall development plain and simple

next strength training is just not ideal

with some exercise

right you don't develop strength on

cable push downs you don't develop

strength on lateral raises you more

compound variations you might develop

strength better on JN presses you might

develop strength better on upright rows

so if you're choosing exercises there's

gonna be at some point we have to give

up the best hypertrophy exercises to do

more strength or give off the best

strength exercises do hypertrophy

there's not a perfect intersection of

those circles and again missed

opportunities if you always want the

best of both worlds all at the same time

we took care the interest the intra week

variation right so if you're sticking to

hypertrophy training you do a lot more

exercises usually than strain training

that's a downside for strength training

Observatory per trophy we have a

confluence problem there and sometimes

the best stimulus to fatigue ratio

exercises for strength are not the best

ones for hypertrophy especially at the

given volumes for example a really good

stimulus to fatigue ratio exercise for

improving your squat even low bar is the

high bar squat I mean it really drives

your squad up there in strength what

about in hypertrophy the high bar squats

are great exercise but there's only so

many you can do until your lower back

gives out and maybe you switch to hack

squats or leg presses but as far as

making strong hack squats and leg

presses because they're a little bit

more isolation based they're not as

compound they don't require a balance

and that most much of a neural Drive

component usually can't load them as

heavy safely it's just not as great for

strength so some of the best exercises

for hypertrophy are just not gonna make

you as strong potentially if that's just

like with lateral raises an upright rows

that it's just difficult to load them a

lot of times they just don't work as

well so you're gonna have this thing

where if you want to choose optimal

hypertrophy versus if you want to choose

optimal strength development it's gonna

be like the power lifter is gonna be

over there doing jam presses and you

make butt cable tricep extensions

they're good no not really you're like

man I don't know which way to go on this

definitely some decisions to make all

right speaking of decisions how do we

get potentially the best of both if you

insist on concurrent hybrid training if

you insist on training strength and

hypertrophy at the same time which we'll

talk about a little bit is actually

possible for some groups of people to

get good results with here are some

recommendations

as to how to structure plan to the best

with what you have right first of all

you're gonna choose as far as all of

your exercises for any given session

you're gonna choose more compound freely

exercises because they're the ones that

make you stronger right so you're not

going to be compared to the average

hypertrophy trainee doing as many

machines there's many cables you're

gonna be doing more barbells more

dumbbells so on and so forth

in each session or almost each session

the first thing you're gonna do is

perform those compound strength based

exercises in the three to six rep range

almost every session that's what you do

first because you're fresh all right

accessory movements to enhance

hypertrophy are going to be performed

performed after in probably the 6 to 12

rep range because 6 to 12 grows a great

deal of muscle but neurologically it's

not as different as sets of 20 or 30

those would prepare a nervous system

very poorly for strength that actually

sort of potentially make it even

short-term worse at strength sets of 6

to 12 still very close to those low rep

sets they don't detract from your

nervous system as much but they also add

size so it's kind of a little bit more

of a happy medium though not an optimum

lots of 60 sets of 6 to 12 in the

accessory movements but you want the

accessories to be very related to your

strength movements so there's still

strength-enhancing for example a

bodybuilder might do some squats and

move on to like extensions as a person

who's doing a hybrid training concurrent

program who wants to enhance power and

strength as much as our sorry size and

strength as much as possible they might

do squats first just like the

bodybuilder but then they would move

into high bar close stance squats or

high bar close down scott smith machine

or front squats or maybe hack squats or

leg presses but leg extensions are so

far away from specificity and from

transferring to strength they're not as

compound they're not as heavy they don't

require as much coordination that maybe

they wouldn't choose them as much and if

you could say well I can definitely do

more set of sets of leg press them then

hack squat and they beat me up less well

yeah an or a leg extension more on the

hack squat yeah but you're definitely

missing out you're not gonna be getting

your optimal hypertrophy but you're

going to be doing a decent job at it

while getting as strong as you can give

in that context number four you're going

to begin at your hypertrophy minimum

effective volume that means you're

getting some palms you get a little soul

nothing to write home about you're not

getting souperblast crazy optimum

workouts and you're gonna stick close to

it and you're gonna progress mostly in

load week to week maybe you progress in

sets a little bit that's a for example

if your minima fective volume is roughly

10 sets per week for hypertrophy and

maximum recoverable is like 20 if you're

doing concurrent program you start at 10

and you just increase load more than you

usually would maybe you end at 10 or

maybe end to 12 you sure as hell aren't

going to 20 that is how a concurrent

program at any one week does the best

job

however ideally you would not do this

and especially if you're advanced we'll

get to that in a bit you face potentiate

what does that mean it's a shoe per

complicated term it's actually super

easy for two to three mesocycles in a

row like three or four months you do

hypertrophy training but because you

want to be bigger and stronger in the

long term you stick mostly

in the 6 to 15 rep range but you start

each session with strength building

exercises 4 sets of 5 to 10 and then

later do exercises that are in the 10 to

15 rep range gives you a really good

combination of both but a really close

to optimal hypertrophy stimulus while

keeping you sort of neurologically and

technically by practicing those

movements are ready to transition a

strength which is what you do next so

after two to three ounces of hypertrophy

training hypertrophy for strength you do

strength training and what you do 2 to 3

mezzos mostly sets of 3 to 6 right at

your strength maximum adaptive volume

which could be like 7 you know 6 that's

a week of something instead of 10 or 12

and you will keep some hypertrophy work

in very low volumes maintenance volumes

like several sets a week of stuff to

train your lats or your biceps or your

calves side delt stuff that's not

adequately covered by your strength

lifting but you're gonna keep those in

sets of 10 to 15 so there's no room for

sets of 30 or anything like that you're

just gonna want to do we're relatively

strength focus stuff but also keep the

hypertrophy stuff on the backburner

that's not going to cost you a lot of

fatigue is gonna cost you some but

that's the price you pay being both as

strong and as jacked as you can possibly

be after that you take a 1 to 3 week

active rest

active recovery phase really heal

everything up and then you go right back

in to hypertrophy training and then

strength training and the cycle repeats

itself that's probably the best way to

do it let's take a look at three

examples of how concurrent or hybrid

programming would look just examples of

how strength specific programming would

look and of how hypertrophy specific

program would look those last two are in

the context of getting as Jack and

strong long term as possible so

concurrent quad session would be you do

squats for three sets of six reps decent

hypertrophy stimulus but notice it's six

reps not three or four so it's a little

bit more volume a little bit more

hypertrophy and after you leg presses

for two sets of 10 reps 10 is pretty

heavy so you still get a decent strength

stimulus but notice it's three sets of

squats two sets of lack process so

you're biased pretty well into strength

but you get some decent I per trophy as

well

early if you had like two or three

sessions like this in the week earlier

sessions in the week would be a little

bit more strength focused slightly

little reps less accessory sets later in

the week

you could do less strength work in a

little bit more hypertrophy work

potential what about strength a pure

strength session for quads that still

conserves your muscle mass would be

squatting only because that's your

strength exercise for five sets of four

reps for reps definitely over a long

term will increase your strength better

than if you just do sets of six so it's

better than concurrent and it's five

sets of way more practice right still

the same number of sets here but it's

way more practice at the actual lifts

this will get you stronger faster than

concurrent but it won't optimize muscle

gains at the same time which is why if

you did two strength quad focus for a

few massive cycles after that after an

active a car is days you do hypertrophy

focus with strength in mind which would

look like squatting for two sets of

eight reps right two sets of eight is

not gonna get you a ton stronger but

aids are pretty heavy and you're ready

to transition to strength right after

you stop now and it's just two sets we

have more fatigue left over more volume

our next three sets are going to be

twelve in the leg press probably a

better distribution better hypertrophy

than any of these other samples but not

very good for strength training but

remember we have a whole other series of

cycles in a phase potentiated pattern to

not just recover our strength but to

elevate it further and further and

further so which one of these three

approaches is best I mean two of the

approaches have to be done at the same

time you know you can optimize strength

or you can optimize hypertrophy but

ideally if you want both size and

strength you do several math cycles of

strength with hypertrophy in mind with a

backburner hypertrophy and then several

mouth cycles of hypertrophy and so on

and so forth you basically just stagger

them with some active rest in between

for sure that's the optimal but it's

really more about who's gonna notice

optimal versus who won't here's the deal

beginners can just do sets of basically

five to ten reps

they build so much hypertrophy and so

much strength off such a minimal

stimulus they literally just get the

best of all size and strength so

beginners people that have been training

for less than a few years there is no

discordance between size and strength

training fundamentally it's really just

the same thing that's a five and ten or

sets of five to ten reps boost the

strength and size like crazy just leave

them and actually they can make the

decision after the first couple of years

when they begin to be intermediates

which way to go mostly sighs mostly

strength or somewhere between

intermediates many times can benefit

from the low complexity and very good

effect of a hybrid concurrent program

just like we described hybrid concurrent

approach can have them sort of mix

strength and a per trophy in the same

weeks in the same sessions and that's

okay but as you become more advanced as

a later intermediate and early advanced

you need to be increasing the faceook

bias a little bit more so you still can

do a concurrent program but like some

messes cycles would be a little bit more

biased towards hypertrophy and then some

mesocycles would be a little bit more

biased towards strength as you become

advanced that split really starts to

happen where you have dedicated

hypertrophy phases dedicated strength

phases then you truly get the best of

both worlds because if you're advanced

true hybrid programming starts to work

very poorly for you and you have to

split it up to get the best of both

worlds folks I must have said get the

best of both worlds at least 20 times

here I'm going to stop seeing that shit

and I'll see you next time for the next

video