 Strength training makes you stronger and fitter.

Strength training protects bone health and muscle mass.

 Strength training helps keep the weight off for good.
 Strength training helps you develop better body mechanics.
 Strength training can help with chronic disease management.

1. “What is your favourite product?”

2. “Why did you purchase this product?”
3. “How satisfied are you with [product]?”
4. "Would you recommend [product] to a friend?"
5. “Would you recommend [company name] to a friend?”
6. When properly performed, strength training can provide significant functional benefits
and improvement in overall health and well-being, including increased bone,
muscle, tendon, and ligament strength and toughness, improved joint function, reduced
potential for injury increased bone density, increased metabolism, increased fitness and
improved cardiac function. Training commonly uses the technique of progressively
increasing the force output of the muscle through incremental weight increases and uses a
variety of exercises and types of equipment to target specific muscle groups. Strength
training is primarily an anaerobic activity, although some proponents have adapted it to
provide the benefits of aerobic exercise through circuit training.
7. Strength training is typically associated with the production of lactate, which is a limiting
factor in exercise performance. Regular endurance exercise leads to adaptations in
skeletal muscle which can prevent lactate levels from rising during strength training. This
is mediated via activation of PGC-1alpha which alter the LDH (lactate dehydrogenises)
isoenzyme complex composition and decreases the activity of the lactate generating
enzyme LDHA while increasing the activity of the lactate metabolizing enzyme LDHB.
8. Sports, where strength training is central,
are bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, Highland games, shot
put, discus throw, and javelin throw. Many other sports use strength training as part of
their training regimen, notably tennis, American football, wrestling, track and
field, rowing, lacrosse, basketball, pole dancing, hockey, professional wrestling, rugby
union, rugby league, and soccer. Strength training for other sports and physical activities
is becoming increasingly popular.
9. Increased physical attractiveness
10. Many people take up strength training to improve their physical attractiveness. There is
evidence that a body type consisting of broad shoulders and a narrow waist, attainable
through strength training, is the most physically attractive male attribute according to
women participating in the research.Most men can develop substantial muscles; most
 women lack the testosterone to do it, but they can develop a firm, "toned" (see below)
physique, and they can increase their strength by the same proportion as that achieved by
men (but usually from a significantly lower starting point). An individual's genetic make-
up dictates the response to weight training stimuli to a significant extent. Training can not
exceed a muscle's intrinsic genetically determined qualities, though polymorphic
expression does occur e.g., Myosin heavy chains.
11. Studies also show that people are able to tell the strength of men based on photos of their
bodies and faces and that physical appearance indicates cues of strengths that are often
linked to a man's physical formidability and, therefore, his attractiveness. This is aligned
with studies that reveal those who undergo strength training attain more self-
esteem and body cathexis when compared to individuals who do not undergo training or
exercise. In addition, people who undergo strength training tend to have a more
favourable body image even than those who also engage in regular physical
activities such as walking and running. More women are also increasingly revealed to be
dissatisfied with their body today than those surveyed in 1984 and they often turn to
exercise such as strength training to improve their body shape.
12. Workouts elevate metabolism for up to 14 hours following 45-minutes of vigorous
exercise.
13.Increased general physical health
14. Strength training also provides functional benefits. Stronger muscles improve posture,
provide better support for joints, and reduce the risk of injury from everyday
activities. Older people who take up weight training can prevent some of the loss of
muscle tissue that normally accompanies ageing—and even regain some functional
strength—and by doing so become less frail. They may be able to avoid some types
of physical disability. Weight-bearing exercise also helps to prevent osteoporosis and to
improve bone strength in those with osteoporosis. The benefits of weight training for
older people have been confirmed by studies of people who began engaging in it even in
their 80s and 90s.
15. Though strength training can stimulate the cardiovascular system, many
exercise physiologists, based on their observation of maximal oxygen uptake, argue
that aerobics training is a better cardiovascular stimulus. Central catheter monitoring
during resistance training reveals increased cardiac output, suggesting that strength
training shows potential for cardiovascular exercise. However, a 2007 meta-analysis
found that, though aerobic training is an effective therapy for heart failure patients,
combined aerobic and strength training is ineffective.
16. Strength training may be important for metabolic and cardiovascular health. Recent
evidence suggests that resistance training may reduce metabolic and cardiovascular
disease risk. Overweight individuals with high strength fitness exhibit
metabolic/cardiovascular risk profiles similar to normal-weight, fit individuals rather than
overweight unfit individuals.
17.For rehabilitation or to address an impairment
18. For many people in rehabilitation or with an acquired disability, such as following stroke
or orthopaedic surgery, strength training for weak muscles is a key factor to optimize
recovery. For people with such a health condition, their strength training is likely to need
to be designed by an appropriate health professional, such as a physiotherapist or
an occupational therapist.
19. Increased sports performance
20. Stronger muscles improve performance in a variety of sports. Sport-specific training
routines are used by many competitors. These often specify that the speed of muscle
contraction during weight training should be the same as that of the particular sport.
21. For the pleasure of the activity
22. One side effect of intense exercise is increased levels of dopamine, serotonin,
and norepinephrine, which can help to improve mood and counter feelings
of depression (dopamine and serotonin were not found to be increased by resistance
training).
23. Developing research has demonstrated that many of the benefits of exercise are mediated
through the role of skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ. That is, contracting muscles
release multiple substances known as myokines which promote the growth of new tissue,
tissue repair, and various anti-inflammatory functions, which in turn reduce the risk of
developing various inflammatory diseases.
24. Technique
25. The basic principles of strength training involve a manipulation of the number of
repetitions, sets, tempo, exercises and force to cause desired changes in strength,
endurance or size by overloading of a group of muscles. The specific combinations of
reps, sets, exercises, resistance and force depend on the purpose of the individual
performing the exercise: to gain size and strength multiple (4+) sets with fewer reps must
be performed using more force. A wide spectrum of regimens can be adapted to achieve
different results, but the classic formula recommended by the American College of Sports
Medicine reads as follows:
26. 8 to 12 repetitions of a resistance training exercise for each major muscle group at an
intensity of 40% to 80% of a one-repetition max (RM) depending on the training level of
the participant.
27. Two to three minutes of rest is recommended between exercise sets to allow for proper
recovery.
28. Two to four sets are recommended for each muscle group
29. Typically, failure to use good form during a training set can result in injury or an inability
to meet training goals. When the desired muscle group is not challenged sufficiently, the
threshold of overload is never reached and the muscle does not gain in strength. There are
cases when cheating is beneficial, as is the case where weaker groups become the weak
link in the chain and the target muscles are never fully exercised as a result.
 30.Terminology
31. Strength training has a variety of specialized terms used to describe parameters of
strength training:
32. Exercise – different movements which involve rotating joints in specific patterns to
challenge muscles in different ways.
33. Form – each exercise has a specific form, a topography of movement designed to
maximize safety and muscle strength gains.
34. Rep – short for repetition, a rep is a single cycle of lifting and lowering a weight in a
controlled manner, moving through the form of the exercise.
35. Set – a set consists of several repetitions performed one after another with no break
between them with the number of reps per set and sets per exercise depending on the goal
of the individual. The number of repetitions one can perform at a certain weight is called
the Rep Maximum (RM). For example, if one could perform ten reps at 75 lbs, then their
RM for that weight would be 10RM. 1RM is, therefore, the maximum weight that
someone can lift in a given exercise – i.e. a weight that they can only lift once without a
break.
36. Tempo – the speed with which an exercise is performed; the tempo of a movement has
implications for the weight that can be moved and the effects on the muscle.
37. Realization of training goals
38. For developing endurance, gradual increases in volume and gradual decreases in intensity
is the most effective program. Sets of thirteen to twenty repetitions develop anaerobic
endurance, with some increases to muscle size and limited impact on strength.
39. It has been shown that for beginners, multiple-set training offers minimal benefits over
single-set training with respect to either strength gain or muscle mass increase, but for the
experienced athlete, multiple-set systems are required for optimal progress. However, one
study shows that for leg muscles, three sets are more effective than one set.
40. Beginning weight-trainers are in the process of training the neurological aspects of
strength, the ability of the brain to generate a rate of neuronal action potentials that will
produce a muscular contraction that is close to the maximum of the muscle's potential.

Training goal
Variable
Strength Power Hypertrophy Endurance

Load (% of 1RM) 90–80 60–45 80–60 60–40

Reps per set 1–5 1–5 6–12 13–60

Sets per exercise 4–7 3–5 4–8 2–4

Rest between sets (mins) 2–6 2–6 2–3 1–2

Duration (seconds per set) 5–10 4–8 20–60 80–150

Speed per rep (% of max) 60–100 90–100 60–90 60–80

Training sessions per week 3–6 3–6 5–7 8–14

Table reproduced from Siff, 2003

41. Weights for each exercise should be chosen so that the desired number of repetitions can
just be achieved.
42.Progressive overload
43. The basic method of weight training uses the principle of progressive overload, in which
the muscles are overloaded by attempting to lift at least as much weight as they are
capable. They respond by growing larger and stronger. This procedure is repeated with
progressively heavier weights as the practitioner gains strength and endurance.
44. However, performing exercises at the absolute limit of one's strength (known as one rep
max lifts) is considered too risky for all but the most experienced practitioners.
Moreover, most individuals wish to develop a combination of strength, endurance and
muscle size. One repetition sets are not well suited to these aims. Practitioners, therefore,
lift lighter (sub-maximal) weights, with more repetitions, to fatigue the muscle and all
fibres within that muscle as required by the progressive overload principle.
45. Commonly, each exercise is continued to the point of momentary muscular failure.
Contrary to widespread belief, this is not the point at which the individual thinks they
cannot complete any more repetitions, but rather the first repetition that fails due to
inadequate muscular strength. Training to failure is a controversial topic with some
advocating training to failure on all sets while others believe that this will lead
to overtraining, and suggest training to failure only on the last set of an exercise. Some
practitioners recommend finishing a set of repetitions just before reaching a personal
maximum at a given time. Adrenaline and other hormones may promote additional
intensity by stimulating the body to lift additional weight (as well as the neuro-muscular
stimulations that happen when in "fight-or-flight" mode, as the body activates more
muscle fibres), so getting "psyched up" before a workout can increase the maximum
weight lifted.
46. Weight training can be a very effective form of strength training because exercises can be
chosen, and weights precisely adjusted, to safely exhaust each individual muscle group
after the specific numbers of sets and repetitions that have been found to be the most
effective for the individual. Other strength training exercises lack the flexibility and
precision that weights offer.
47.Split training
48. Split training involves working no more than three muscle groups or body parts per day,
instead of spreading the training of specific body parts throughout a training cycle of
several days. It is commonly used by more advanced practitioners due to the logistics
involved in training all muscle groups maximally. Training all the muscles in the body
individually through their full range of motion in a single day is generally not considered
possible due to caloric and time constraints. Split training involves fully exhausting
individual muscle groups during a workout, then allowing several days for the muscle to
fully recover. Muscles are worked roughly twice per week and allowed roughly 72 hours
to recover. Recovery of certain muscle groups is usually achieved on days while training
other groups, i.e. a 7-day week can consist of a practitioner training trapezius, side
shoulders and upper shoulders to exhaustion on one day, the following day the arms to
exhaustion, the day after that the rear, front shoulders and back, the day after that the
chest. In this way all mentioned muscle groups are allowed the necessary recovery.
49. Perhaps the most common form of training split in recent decades is the body-part
split (sometimes known as "bodybuilder split" or "bro split"), which became popular due
to being used in professional bodybuilding, and is discussed in a number of sources
dedicated to physical training, such as Bodybuilding.com, T-Nation, and Muscle &
Strength. This kind of split is structured so that the body is divided up in what are
considered the major muscle groups, i.e. chest, back, legs, shoulders, and arms (biceps
and triceps), each part is then trained to exhaustion once a week on a dedicated day.
Optionally, the biceps can be trained along with the back, due to the fact that they are
both involved in pulling movements; conversely, the triceps can be trained along with the
chest of the shoulders, as all these muscles are involved in pushing movements.
Abdominal work can be spread out over multiple sessions or concentrated on just one
day.
50. Despite the popularity of body-part splits, recent evidence suggests that multiple training
sessions for the same muscle group over the course of a week are a more effective
training strategy. One recent meta-analysis of experimental trials on resistance training
found out that, when total training volume is equated, "frequencies of training twice a
week promote superior hypertrophic outcomes to once a week".
51. Intensity, volume, and frequency
52. Three important variables of strength training are intensity, volume, and frequency.
Intensity refers to the amount of work required to achieve the activity and
is proportional to the mass of the weights being lifted. Volume refers to the number of
muscles worked, exercises, sets, and reps during a single session. Frequency refers to
how many training sessions are performed per week.
53. These variables are important because they are all mutually conflicting, as the muscle
only has so much strength and endurance, and takes time to recover due to microtrauma.
Increasing one by any significant amount necessitates the decrease of the other two, e.g.
 increasing weight means a reduction of reps, and will require more recovery time and
therefore fewer workouts per week. Trying to push too much intensity, volume and
frequency will result in overtraining and eventually lead to injury and other health issues
such as chronic soreness and general lethargy, illness or even acute trauma such
as avulsion fractures. A high-medium-low formula can be used to avoid overstraining,
with either intensity, volume, or frequency being high, one of the others being medium,
and the other being low. One example of this training strategy can be found in the
following chart:

Type High Med Low

Intensity (% of 1RM) 80–100% 40–70% 0–40%

Volume (per muscle) 3+ exercises 2 exercises 1 exercises

Sets 4+ sets 2–3 sets 1 set

Reps 20+ reps 8–15 reps 1–6 reps

Session frequency 4+ p/w 2–3 p/w 1 p/w

54. A common training strategy is to set the volume and frequency the same each week (e.g.
training 3 times per week, with 2 sets of 12 reps each workout), and steadily increase the
intensity (weight) on a weekly basis. However, to maximize progress to specific goals,
individual programs may require different manipulations, such as decreasing the weight
and increase volume or frequency.
55. Making program alterations on a daily basis (daily undulating periodization) seems to be
more efficient in eliciting strength gains than doing so every 4 weeks (linear
periodization), but for beginners, there are no differences between different periodization
models.
56.Periodization
57. There are many complicated definitions for periodization, but the term simply means the
division of the overall training program into periods which accomplish different goals.
58. Periodization is the modulating of volume, intensity, and frequency over time, to both
stimulate gains and allow recovery.
59. In some programs for example; volume is decreased during a training cycle while
intensity is increased. In this template, a lifter would begin a training cycle with a higher
rep range than they will finish with.
60. For this example, the lifter has a 1 rep max of 225 lb:
 % % of 1 Rep
Volume
Week Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Exertion(Last Max(Last
Lbs.
Set) Set)

125 lb 130 lb 135 lb 140 lb 145 lb

1 5,400 78% 64%
x 8reps x 8reps x 8reps x 8reps x 8reps

135 lb 140 lb 145 lb 150 lb 155 lb

2 5,075 81% 69%
x 7reps x 7reps x 7reps x 7reps x 7reps

145 lb 150 lb 155 lb 160 lb 165 lb

3 4,650 84% 73%
x 6reps x 6reps x 6reps x 6reps x 6reps

155 lb 160 lb 165 lb 170 lb 175 lb

4 4,125 87% 78%
x 5reps x 5reps x 5reps x 5reps x 5reps

165 lb 170 lb 175 lb 180 lb 185 lb

5 3,500 90% 82%
x 4reps x 4reps x 4reps x 4reps x 4reps

175 lb 180 lb 185 lb 190 lb 195 lb

6 2,775 92% 87%
x 3reps x 3reps x 3reps x 3reps x 3reps

61. This is an example of periodization where the number of repetitions decreases while the
weight increases.

62.
63. A pair of halteres would have been a much more common weightlifting tool than a
newborn calf. This hewn piece of stone was a sort of crude, ancient ancestor of the
dumbbell, used from the 6th century onward. Halteres were typically used as an
instrument of momentum during the Greek long jump (part of the pentathlon), though
they were likely also used as simple strength training weights. Just as athletes today use
the modern dumbbell, Greek athletes may have used progressively heavier halteres for
their training as they grew stronger. While these manageable weights would have
been excellent general strength training tools, none that have been discovered indicate
that they were used for any sort of brutal, heavy lifting.

Nordic Region

Nordic Viking culture of the 8th to 11th centuries featured a fair amount of lifting
contests. Most notable among these Icelandic lifters is Orm Storolfsson (c. 1000 AD). He is
credited with many incredible feats of strength throughout his life, the most impressive of which
was a record unbroken for a millennium (if accepted as accurately recorded). One of the
historical Icelandic Sagas, written in the same period, relates that Orm Storolfsson had 50 men
raise the mast of the Norwegian longship Ormen Lange, weighing approximately 1433 pounds
(650 kg), onto his shoulders, taking three steps with the mast before breaking his back. While the
Vikings liked to challenge each other with incredibly heavy lifts, this is undoubtedly the pinnacle
of that spirit, and for this feat he is often included in studies of historical strongmen.

practices as early as the 8th century AD, as discussed above. Even without such a
connection, these contests in their simplicity may have been practised for quite some time before
their earliest records.

64.

European Region

Strength competitions with lifting stones have been practised since an indeterminate point
in history within a variety of European cultures, particularly Scotland, Wales, and some Nordic
regions (though practice seems to have been fairly widespread at some level). In these types of
competitions, men would take turns attempting to lift a local stone, often weighing several
hundred pounds. One of the most famous of these rocks is the Húsafell Stone, a stone slab
weighing about 420 pounds that have apocryphally been used in lifting contests for over 200
years.

These lifting stones have been (apocryphally) used primarily for two types of contests. One was to simply
lift the stone off the ground, typically to waist level. Within the other, the goal was to pick up the stone
and walk as far as possible. Though it is unknown at what point in history these contests came about, it is
possible they have ties back to similar Nordic Viking

When properly performed, strength training can provide significant functional benefits
and improvement in overall health and well-being, including increased bone, muscle, tendon,
and ligament strength and toughness, improved joint function, reduced potential for
injury increased bone density, increased metabolism, increased fitness and
improved cardiac function. Training commonly uses the technique of progressively increasing
the force output of the muscle through incremental weight increases and uses a variety of
exercises and types of equipment to target specific muscle groups. Strength training is primarily
an anaerobic activity, although some proponents have adapted it to provide the benefits
of aerobic exercise through circuit training.

Sports, where strength training is central,

are bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, Highland games, shot put, discus
throw, and javelin throw. Many other sports use strength training as part of their training
regimen, notably tennis, American football, wrestling, track and
field, rowing, lacrosse, basketball, pole dancing, hockey, professional wrestling, rugby
union, rugby league, and soccer. Strength training for other sports and physical activities is
becoming increasingly popular.
Increased physical attractiveness
Many people take up strength training to improve their physical attractiveness. There is
evidence that a body type consisting of broad shoulders and a narrow waist, attainable through
strength training, is the most physically attractive male attribute according to women
participating in the research.Most men can develop substantial muscles; most women lack
the testosterone to do it, but they can develop a firm, "toned" (see below) physique, and they can
increase their strength by the same proportion as that achieved by men (but usually from a
significantly lower starting point). An individual's genetic make-up dictates the response to
weight training stimuli to a significant extent. Training can not exceed a muscle's intrinsic
genetically determined qualities, though polymorphic expression does occur e.g., Myosin heavy
chains.

Studies also show that people are able to tell the strength of men based on photos of their
bodies and faces and that physical appearance indicates cues of strengths that are often linked to
a man's physical formidability and, therefore, his attractiveness. This is aligned with studies that
reveal those who undergo strength training attain more self-esteem and body cathexis when
compared to individuals who do not undergo training or exercise. In addition, people who
undergo strength training tend to have a more favourable body image even than those who also
engage in regular physical activities such as walking and running. More women are also
increasingly revealed to be dissatisfied with their body today than those surveyed in 1984 and
they often turn to exercise such as strength training to improve their body shape.

Workouts elevate metabolism for up to 14 hours following 45-minutes of vigorous exercise.

Increased general physical health

Strength training also provides functional benefits. Stronger muscles improve posture,
provide better support for joints, and reduce the risk of injury from everyday
activities. Older people who take up weight training can prevent some of the loss of muscle
tissue that normally accompanies ageing—and even regain some functional strength—and by
doing so become less frail. They may be able to avoid some types of physical disability. Weight-
bearing exercise also helps to prevent osteoporosis and to improve bone strength in those with
osteoporosis. The benefits of weight training for older people have been confirmed by studies of
people who began engaging in it even in their 80s and 90s.

Though strength training can stimulate the cardiovascular system, many

exercise physiologists, based on their observation of maximal oxygen uptake, argue
that aerobics training is a better cardiovascular stimulus. Central catheter monitoring during
resistance training reveals increased cardiac output, suggesting that strength training shows
potential for cardiovascular exercise. However, a 2007 meta-analysis found that, though aerobic
training is an effective therapy for heart failure patients, combined aerobic and strength training
is ineffective.

Strength training may be important for metabolic and cardiovascular health. Recent
evidence suggests that resistance training may reduce metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk.
Overweight individuals with high strength fitness exhibit metabolic/cardiovascular risk profiles
similar to normal-weight, fit individuals rather than overweight unfit individuals.

For rehabilitation or to address an impairment

For many people in rehabilitation or with an acquired disability, such as following stroke
or orthopaedic surgery, strength training for weak muscles is a key factor to optimise
recovery. For people with such a health condition, their strength training is likely to need to be
designed by an appropriate health professional, such as a physiotherapist or an occupational
therapist.

Increased sports performance

Stronger muscles improve performance in a variety of sports. Sport-specific training

routines are used by many competitors. These often specify that the speed of muscle
contraction during weight training should be the same as that of the particular sport.

For the pleasure of the activity

One side effect of intense exercise is increased levels of dopamine, serotonin,

and norepinephrine, which can help to improve mood and counter feelings
of depression (dopamine and serotonin were not found to be increased by resistance training).

Developing research has demonstrated that many of the benefits of exercise are mediated
through the role of skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ. That is, contracting muscles release
multiple substances known as myokines which promote the growth of new tissue, tissue repair,
and various anti-inflammatory functions, which in turn reduce the risk of developing various
inflammatory diseases.

Technique
The basic principles of strength training involve a manipulation of the number of
repetitions, sets, tempo, exercises and force to cause desired changes in strength, endurance or
size by overloading of a group of muscles. The specific combinations of reps, sets, exercises,
resistance and force depend on the purpose of the individual performing the exercise: to gain size
and strength multiple (4+) sets with fewer reps must be performed using more force. A wide
spectrum of regimens can be adapted to achieve different results, but the classic formula
recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine reads as follows:
8 to 12 repetitions of a resistance training exercise for each major muscle group at an intensity of
40% to 80% of a one-repetition max (RM) depending on the training level of the participant.

Two to three minutes of rest is recommended between exercise sets to allow for proper recovery.

Two to four sets are recommended for each muscle group

Typically, failure to use good form during a training set can result in injury or an inability to
meet training goals. When the desired muscle group is not challenged sufficiently, the threshold
of overload is never reached and the muscle does not gain in strength. There are cases when
cheating is beneficial, as is the case where weaker groups become the weak link in the chain and
the target muscles are never fully exercised as a result.

Terminology
Strength training has a variety of specialized terms used to describe parameters of
strength training:

Exercise – different movements which involve rotating joints in specific patterns to challenge
muscles in different ways.

Form – each exercise has a specific form, a topography of movement designed to maximize
safety and muscle strength gains.

Rep – short for repetition, a rep is a single cycle of lifting and lowering a weight in a controlled
manner, moving through the form of the exercise.

Set – a set consists of several repetitions performed one after another with no break between
them with the number of reps per set and sets per exercise depending on the goal of the
individual. The number of repetitions one can perform at a certain weight is called the Rep
Maximum (RM). For example, if one could perform ten reps at 75 lbs, then their RM for that
weight would be 10RM. 1RM is, therefore, the maximum weight that someone can lift in a given
exercise – i.e. a weight that they can only lift once without a break.

Tempo – the speed with which an exercise is performed; the tempo of a movement has
implications for the weight that can be moved and the effects on the muscle.

Realization of training goals

For developing endurance, gradual increases in volume and gradual decreases in intensity is the
most effective program. Sets of thirteen to twenty repetitions develop anaerobic endurance, with
some increases to muscle size and limited impact on strength.

It has been shown that for beginners, multiple-set training offers minimal benefits over single-set
training with respect to either strength gain or muscle mass increase, but for the experienced
athlete, multiple-set systems are required for optimal progress. However, one study shows that
for leg muscles, three sets are more effective than one set.

Beginning weight-trainers are in the process of training the neurological aspects of strength, the
ability of the brain to generate a rate of neuronal action potentials that will produce a muscular
contraction that is close to the maximum of the muscle's potential.

Training goal
Variable
Strength Power Hypertrophy Endurance

Load (% of 1RM) 90–80 60–45 80–60 60–40

Reps per set 1–5 1–5 6–12 13–60

Sets per exercise 4–7 3–5 4–8 2–4

Rest between sets (mins) 2–6 2–6 2–3 1–2

Duration (seconds per set) 5–10 4–8 20–60 80–150

Speed per rep (% of max) 60–100 90–100 60–90 60–80

Training sessions per week 3–6 3–6 5–7 8–14

Table reproduced from Siff, 2003

Weights for each exercise should be chosen so that the desired number of repetitions can just be
achieved.

Progressive overload
The basic method of weight training uses the principle of progressive overload, in which
the muscles are overloaded by attempting to lift at least as much weight as they are capable.
They respond by growing larger and stronger. This procedure is repeated with progressively
heavier weights as the practitioner gains strength and endurance.

However, performing exercises at the absolute limit of one's strength (known as one rep
max lifts) is considered too risky for all but the most experienced practitioners. Moreover, most
individuals wish to develop a combination of strength, endurance and muscle size. One repetition
sets are not well suited to these aims. Practitioners, therefore, lift lighter (sub-maximal) weights,
with more repetitions, to fatigue the muscle and all fibres within that muscle as required by the
progressive overload principle.

Commonly, each exercise is continued to the point of momentary muscular failure. Contrary to
widespread belief, this is not the point at which the individual thinks they cannot complete any
more repetitions, but rather the first repetition that fails due to inadequate muscular
strength. Training to failure is a controversial topic with some advocating training to failure on
all sets while others believe that this will lead to overtraining, and suggest training to failure only
on the last set of an exercise. Some practitioners recommend finishing a set of repetitions just
before reaching a personal maximum at a given time. Adrenaline and other hormones may
promote additional intensity by stimulating the body to lift additional weight (as well as the
neuro-muscular stimulations that happen when in "fight-or-flight" mode, as the body activates
more muscle fibres), so getting "psyched up" before a workout can increase the maximum weight
lifted.

Weight training can be a very effective form of strength training because exercises can be
chosen, and weights precisely adjusted, to safely exhaust each individual muscle group after the
specific numbers of sets and repetitions that have been found to be the most effective for the
individual. Other strength training exercises lack the flexibility and precision that weights offer.

Split training
Split training involves working no more than three muscle groups or body parts per day,
instead spreading the training of specific body parts throughout a training cycle of several days.
It is commonly used by more advanced practitioners due to the logistics involved in training all
muscle groups maximally. Training all the muscles in the body individually through their full
range of motion in a single day is generally not considered possible due to caloric and time
constraints. Split training involves fully exhausting individual muscle groups during a workout,
then allowing several days for the muscle to fully recover. Muscles are worked roughly twice per
week and allowed roughly 72 hours to recover. Recovery of certain muscle groups is usually
achieved on days while training other groups, i.e. a 7-day week can consist of a practitioner
training trapezius, side shoulders and upper shoulders to exhaustion on one day, the following
day the arms to exhaustion, the day after that the rear, front shoulders and back, the day after that
the chest. In this way, all mentioned muscle groups are allowed the necessary recovery.

Perhaps the most common form of training split in recent decades is the body-part
split (sometimes known as "bodybuilder split" or "bro split"), which became popular due to
being used in professional bodybuilding, and is discussed in a number of sources dedicated to
physical training, such as Bodybuilding.com, T-Nation, and Muscle & Strength. This kind of
split is structured so that the body is divided up in what are considered the major muscle groups,
i.e. chest, back, legs, shoulders, and arms (biceps and triceps), each part is then trained to
exhaustion once a week on a dedicated day. Optionally, the biceps can be trained along with the
back, due to the fact that they are both involved in pulling movements; conversely, the triceps
can be trained along with the chest of the shoulders, as all these muscles are involved in pushing
movements. Abdominal work can be spread out over multiple sessions or concentrated on just
one day.

Despite the popularity of body-part splits, recent evidence suggests that multiple training
sessions for the same muscle group over the course of a week are a more effective training
strategy. One recent meta-analysis of experimental trials on resistance training found out that,
when total training volume is equated, "frequencies of training twice a week promote superior
hypertrophic outcomes to once a week".

Intensity, volume, and frequency

Three important variables of strength training are intensity, volume, and frequency.
Intensity refers to the amount of work required to achieve the activity and is proportional to
the mass of the weights being lifted. Volume refers to the number of muscles worked, exercises,
sets, and reps during a single session. Frequency refers to how many training sessions are
performed per week.

These variables are important because they are all mutually conflicting, as the muscle
only has so much strength and endurance, and takes time to recover due to microtrauma.
Increasing one by any significant amount necessitates the decrease of the other two, e.g.
increasing weight means a reduction of reps, and will require more recovery time and therefore
fewer workouts per week. Trying to push too much intensity, volume and frequency will result
in overtraining and eventually lead to injury and other health issues such as chronic soreness and
general lethargy, illness or even acute trauma such as avulsion fractures. A high-medium-low
formula can be used to avoid overstraining, with either intensity, volume, or frequency being
high, one of the others being medium, and the other being low. One example of this training
strategy can be found in the following chart:

Type High Med Low

Intensity (% of 1RM) 80–100% 40–70% 0–40%

Volume (per muscle) 3+ exercises 2 exercises 1 exercises

Sets 4+ sets 2–3 sets 1 set

Reps 20+ reps 8–15 reps 1–6 reps

Session frequency 4+ p/w 2–3 p/w 1 p/w

 A common training strategy is to set the volume and frequency the same each week (e.g.
training 3 times per week, with 2 sets of 12 reps each workout), and steadily increase the
intensity (weight) on a weekly basis. However, to maximize progress to specific goals, individual
programs may require different manipulations, such as decreasing the weight and increase
volume or frequency.

Making program alterations on a daily basis (daily undulating periodization) seems to be

more efficient in eliciting strength gains than doing so every 4 weeks (linear periodization), but
for beginners, there are no differences between different periodization models.

Periodization
There are many complicated definitions for periodization, but the term simply means the
division of the overall training program into periods which accomplish different goals.

Periodization is the modulating of volume, intensity, and frequency over time, to both stimulate
gains and allow recovery.

In some programs for example; volume is decreased during a training cycle while intensity is
increased. In this template, a lifter would begin a training cycle with a higher rep range than they
will finish with.

For this example, the lifter has a 1 rep max of 225 lb:

% % of 1 Rep
Volume
Week Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Exertion(Last Max(Last
Lbs.
Set) Set)

125 lb 130 lb 135 lb 140 lb 145 lb

1 5,400 78% 64%
x 8reps x 8reps x 8reps x 8reps x 8reps

135 lb 140 lb 145 lb 150 lb 155 lb

2 5,075 81% 69%
x 7reps x 7reps x 7reps x 7reps x 7reps

145 lb 150 lb 155 lb 160 lb 165 lb

3 4,650 84% 73%
x 6reps x 6reps x 6reps x 6reps x 6reps

155 lb 160 lb 165 lb 170 lb 175 lb

4 4,125 87% 78%
x 5reps x 5reps x 5reps x 5reps x 5reps

165 lb 170 lb 175 lb 180 lb 185 lb

5 3,500 90% 82%
x 4reps x 4reps x 4reps x 4reps x 4reps
 175 lb 180 lb 185 lb 190 lb 195 lb
6 2,775 92% 87%
x 3reps x 3reps x 3reps x 3reps x 3reps

This is an example of periodization where the number of repetitions decreases while the weight
increases.

There are 5 types of strength training along with who each method is best suited for:

Total Body Circuit Training. What it is: This is the traditional boot camp-style workout program,
such as the P90x and Insanity programs. ...

Push-Pull Training. ...

Power Lifting Training. ...

Explosive Dynamic Training. ...

Muscular Isolation Training

1. Total Body Circuit Training

What it is: This is the traditional boot camp-style workout program, such as the P90x and
Insanity programs. With this method, you will use lighter weights in a variety of motions to work
out your entire body.

Who it’s good for: This method of training is amazing for people who are new to weight training.
The format ensures that you do not feel too sore in any particular muscle group. This is one of
the best ways to achieve moderate weight loss over an extended period of time. Refer back to
your goals and if you want to lose 15 pounds for your wedding next summer or some other
milestone, this program will help you achieve those goals.

2. Push-Pull Training
What it is: This type of training is descriptive of the way in which your body moves. You
can break down the body into three basic movement plains: all the muscles that push, all the
muscles that pull, and everything in your lower body. By dividing the body like this, any muscle
is either working through every movement or fully resting that day. Your muscles are in a state
of work during your workout or rest when not in use. You will divide your workout into three
different days, each day associated with a different muscle group. Your push days will involve
your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Your pull days will work out your back, biceps, and traps.
Your leg day – don’t forget leg day – will work your entire lower body.
 Who it’s good for: This is the optimal method for developing strength throughout your
entire body. This type of training is great for moderate to advanced lifters or experienced yogis
with good muscle definition. You will see the most strength gains from this because you are able
to work your muscles to complete exhaustion while still being able to train up to six times a
week.

3. Power Lifting Training

What it is: This type of strength training keeps getting more and more popular. In many
gyms, you see power racks and even some centred on powerlifting (i.e. Cross Fit). This is the
type of strength training where you do larger movements to incorporate more muscle. Examples
of these exercises are squats, deadlifts, snatches, and power cleans. These exercises incorporate
your entire body and are excellent for a full-body workout that will take your body strength to
the next level.

Who it’s good for: This is an advanced method of strength training if you are looking to
become leaner. When you are incorporating this amount of muscle into your workouts, you are
going to see great benefits. But in the same notion, you need to be careful because these
exercises are high risk. This type of strength training will give you the best hormonal results and
will also allow you to build more muscle and cut more fat than the other methods.

4. Explosive Dynamic Training

What it is: This is the type of training that you will typically see athletes doing. Along
with an excellent strength training component, these exercises also integrate a large
cardiovascular component to get your blood pumping. Examples of these exercises include box
jumps, rope pulls, and lighter-weight powerlifting movements, such as squats, snatches, and
cleans. While this may appear to be similar to powerlifting at first, the difference is that you will
be moving faster throughout your workout, allowing you to get your cardio and strength
workouts done simultaneously. Additionally, by using lighter weights, you will do more reps.
Physically, you will see improvements in your muscular endurance while shaping and
strengthening your muscles.

Who it’s good for: If you are looking to drop a lot of weight quickly, this is the program
for you. While you are training at a higher rate, your heart rate will be high as well, which will
help you shed those unwanted pounds. When you are exercising like this, you will also notice a
higher demand for muscle; thus you will build lean mass and burn more calories at rest. Due to
the lower weight that you use in this type of exercise, the risk factor drops, making explosive
dynamic training ideal for yogis wanting to follow a moderate strength program.
5. Muscular Isolation Training
What it is: This is the age-old weight training program in which you work only one or
two muscle groups in a day. Unlike most of the other programs, the objective of muscular
isolation is to cause a muscular contraction in only one muscle for each exercise. In this type of
program, you will do exercises such as leg extensions, concentration curls, and triceps kickbacks.

Who it’s good for Unique to this type of exercise program is that it can be for advanced
lifters or beginners. This type of exercise is good for you if you are looking to develop particular
muscle groups further, such as targeting your booty or arms to achieve a particular desired look.

Regardless of your goals, there is a strength-training method that is perfect for your needs. When
you match how you are training with your goals, you can optimize your results and achieve your
goals on the mat, whether it is a 10-second headstand or perfect chaturanga.

These five basic exercises of strength training

Bench Press. Barbell Incline Bench Press. The Bench Press is an extremely important upper
body exercise. ...

Pull-Ups. Pull-Ups. ...

Squats. Front Squats. ...

Dips. Weighted Triceps Dips. ...

Deadlifts. Barbell Deadlift.

Perhaps one of the most well known ancient iconic figures of strength is Milo of Croton,
a successful Greek wrestler from the 6th century BC. As a method of progressive resistance
training, legend relates that he carried on his shoulders a newborn calf a certain distance every
day, bearing a slightly heavier load each day as it grew in size. One day when the bull was four
years old, he supposedly carried it his customary distance before slaughtering, cooking, and
eating the entire thing in one day. A bull at that age would likely weigh over five or six hundred
pounds and would yield a little under half that weight in beef. While it’s difficult to imagine a
man at any size eating the weight of two average men in a twenty-four hour period, it is
physically possible that could have Milo trained in the manner described, though this is generally
regarded as only a legend.

There are a few Greek artefacts that serve as evidence of heavy lifts more in line with
modern strongman training. The Archaeological Museum of Olympia displays a 316-pound
block of sandstone, dated around the 6th century BC, which reads, “Byron, son of Phola, has
lifted me overhead with one hand.” Another 6th century BC boulder on display at the
Archaeological Museum of Thera, weighing in at 1060 pounds, reads, “Eumastas, son of
 Kritobolos, lifted me off the ground”. Notable achievements of strength such as these are the
only reason we today know of certain historical weightlifters.

Types of training
 Technical or Technology Training. ...
 Quality Training. ...
 Skills Training. ...
 Soft Skills Training. ...
 Professional Training and Legal Training. ...
 Team Training. ...
 Managerial Training. ...
 Safety Training.

i. Technical or Technology Training

Depending on the type of job, technical training will be required. Technical training is a type of

training meant to teach the new employee the technological aspects of the job. In a retail

environment, technical training might include teaching someone how to use the computer system to

ring up customers.

ii. Quality Training

In a production-focused business, quality training is extremely important. Quality training refers

to familiarizing employees with the means of preventing, detecting, and eliminating nonquality

items, usually in an organization that produces a product. In a world where quality can set your

business apart from competitors, this type of training provides employees with the knowledge to

recognize products that are not up to quality standards and teaches them what to do in this scenario.

iii. Skills Training

Skills training, the third type of training, includes proficiencies needed to actually perform the

job. For example, an administrative assistant might be trained in how to answer the phone, while a

salesperson at Best Buy might be trained in assessment of customer needs and on how to offer the

customer information to make a buying decision. Think of skills training as the things you actually

need to know to perform your job.

iv. Soft Skills Training

Our fourth type of training is called soft skills training. Soft skills refer to personality traits, social

graces, communication, and personal habits that are used to characterize relationships with other

people. Soft skills might include how to answer the phone or how to be friendly and welcoming to

customers. It could include sexual harassment training and ethics training. In some jobs, necessary

soft skills might include how to motivate others, maintain small talk, and establish rapport.

v. Professional Training and Legal Training

In some jobs, professional training must be done on an ongoing basis. Professional training is a

type of training required to be up to date in one’s own professional field.

vi. Team Training

As a team-building exercise (and a scary one at that), this is an example of team training. The

goal of team training is to develop cohesiveness among team members, allowing them to get to know

each other and facilitate relationship building. We can define team training as a process that

empowers teams to improve decision making, problem-solving, and team-development skills to

achieve business results. Often this type of training can occur after an organization has been

restructured and new people are working together or perhaps after a merger or acquisition. Some

reasons for team training include the following:

 Improving communication

 Making the workplace more enjoyable

 Motivating a team

 Getting to know each other

 Getting everyone “onto the same page,” including goal setting

 Teaching the team self-regulation strategies

 Helping participants to learn more about themselves (strengths and weaknesses)

 Identifying and utilizing the strengths of team members

  Improving team productivity

 Practising effective collaboration with team members

vii. Managerial Training

After someone has spent time with an organization, they might be identified as a candidate for

promotion. When this occurs, managerial training would occur. Topics might include those from our

soft skills section, such as how to motivate and delegate, while others may be technical in nature. For

example, if management uses a particular computer system for scheduling, the manager candidate

might be technically trained. Some managerial training might be performed in-house while other

training, such as leadership skills, might be performed externally.

viii. Safety Training

Safety training is a type of training that occurs to ensure employees are protected from injuries

caused by work-related accidents. Safety training is especially important for organizations that use

chemicals or other types of hazardous materials in their production. Safety training can also include

evacuation plans, fire drills, and workplace violence procedures. Safety training can also include the

following:

 Eye safety

 First aid

 Foodservice safety

 Hearing protection

 Asbestos

 Construction safety

 Hazmat safety