Strength vs. Mass Training

[The Rose]

What is the difference between training for strength and training for mass? Doesn't more mass = more strength!

 

[Mule]

NO Mass doesnt = strenght in my opionion.

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Im an Iron Addict!

 

[ballast]

The difference between strength training and mass training basically lies in the set/rep/poundage/rest interval protocol.If you are training for strength, you will want to use low reps(1-5)with atleast 80% of your 1rm or greater.The number of sets per exercise is a very individualistic variable.Some people can gain strength with just one or two sets per exercise.Others, like myself, require more sets to incur a neural adaption.When training for strength, I make the most progress with 5-6 sets(usually with the same weight)for each exercise.Rest intervals should be kept fairly high(3-5 minutes between sets) to allow your muscles to completely recover from the previous set.Mass a.k.a. hypertrophy training is usually 6+ reps with less than 80% 1rm.Only a few sets per exercise and short(1-2 min)rest intervals work for most people.These are just basic guidelines, and like most things dealing with training, some people will respond differently than others.I like to alternate 4-6 weeks of strength training with 4-6 weeks of hypertrophy training.I find this gives me the best progress without going stale.

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"I'm just here to kick a$$, sleep till noon"

 

[Arnold]

Originally posted by The Rose:
What is the difference between training for strength and training for mass? Doesn't more mass = more strength!

They are not proportional. I have found that doing higher reps, less weight has made my legs grow bigger, but not stronger. In fact, I squat less now than I could a few years ago, but my legs are more developed now.

Someone that is training for strength does a different type of work-out. A bodybuilder's work-out is going to focus on many different exercises with the goal being to stimulate muscle growth. A powerlifter's work-out will consist of a few exercises, such as bench press, squat and deadlift. Their goal is to lift more weight, they don't really care about developing their muscle for aesthetic reasons.

Most bodybuilders will appear to be stronger than a powerlifter, when in reality the powerlifter can lift much more weight on the three exercises mentioned previously.

Hope that helps!



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Just because the majority believes it, does not make it true!

 

[TheSupremeBeing]

Mule is incorrect. More mass DOES = strength because a larger muscle will have more actin and myosin filaments which cross-bridge and cause the muscle to contract (if activated). More strength doesn't necessarily equal more muscle because other factors do contribute, though.

Training for strength and mass should be different because strength is primarily neural. You train the nervous system for strength optimization with heavy weight/low rep training. You would also want to wait a while between sets (3-5 minutes) as to let ATP replenish to 100%.

Training for hypertrophy requires more than one rep range to stimulate the various ways a muscle can grow. You need low rep (3-7)/heavy weight/explosive contraction training to stimulate myofibrillar growth of the IIB fibers, and high rep (10-20)/medium weight/slow contraction to stimulate sarcoplasmic growth of the IIA's and myofibrillar of the I's.

Another thing is that muscle growth training should involve a greater variety of exercises to recruit more/different motor units and consequently more muscle fibers will be stimulated and with nutritional support - more growth.

Strength training is better suited for a small number of exercises because strength is very specific. You want to optimize your nervous system in each specific movement (squat, dead, bench) and pretty much ignore any additional work except assistance work where needed.
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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

<FONT COLOR="#000002" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[Edited 1 time by TheSupremeBeing on 06-27-2001 at 06:38 PM]</font>

 

[Mule]

What i mean is I know guys alot smaller than I and can lift more than I can. Ya see.

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Im an Iron Addict!

 

[TheSupremeBeing]

That's because they have a more efficient nervous system than you, or they have a greater golgi tendon strength, or favorable mechanics, or a host of other stuff...or a combination of all.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

<FONT COLOR="#000002" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[Edited 1 time by TheSupremeBeing on 06-27-2001 at 08:20 PM]</font>

 

[Maki Riddington]

To clarify Supreme's post, a bigger muscle is potentially stronger.


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Exercise, my drug of choice

 

[Scotty the Body]

I know what your saying Mule, more mass in different people doesn't always make them stronger than the small guy.

If we took the same person, say me and added another 20lb of lean muscle mass, then yes I'd be stronger if I was still training with the same rep range and sets.

Now what I'm not sure is, can you increase your muscle mass without increasing your own strength level? By changing your rep range and sets can you still put on more muscle while still lifting at the same weight or even lighter?

Personally, I think you can to an extent but eventually you'll have to increase in strength to keep gaining.

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Just another day in the gutter

 

[Mule]

Yeah!

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Im an Iron Addict!

 

[montecristo412]

nice post tsb.

 

[The Rose]

What I conclude from all these responses is that more mass equals more strength, but more strength does not necessarily equal more mass. Correct?

 

[TheSupremeBeing]

Yup.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

 

[Charger]

I also know what you mean Mule. You see the guys at my gym that can bench 300+ and a couple are smaller than me and my max is 275. Personaly I'd rather have the size.

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Can't never did nothin,(Dedicated to my father)