In terms of strength, men like to compare themselves in terms of bodybuilding and performance. Yet, every individual is different in terms of muscle mass and strength. In this article, we give you tips to build your strength in 4 workouts, regardless of your physical condition. But first, let's review some of the basics.
What is muscle strength?
Strength is defined as the ability of a muscle(s) to contract intensely to allow a joint to move a load or fight against resistance.
In strength training, strength is measured by the maximum load moved. It can vary from one exercise to another and from one individual to another, for various reasons: joints and leverage of each, muscular typology, number of muscles solicited, functioning of the neuromuscular system, available muscular mass, gestural technique.
The size of a muscle also influences its strength potential.
Why develop strength?
From a neurophysiological point of view, muscle strength depends on the following factors:
- Muscle hypertrophy: this is the increase in the size of the fibres by an increase in the quantity of myofibrils,
- Nerve recruitment: fibres with force potential and muscle fibres will be more solicited as the effort required is greater,
- Synchronisation of motor units: the greater the effort required, the greater the muscle's strength by synchronising the messages of muscle contraction sent to the muscle fibres. This is the coordination "within the muscle" which is different from technical control,
- Intermuscular coordination: this is the body's ability to develop the muscles in relation to each other when performing movements. It is this lack of coordination that we experience when we learn a new movement in our daily lives.
It is therefore important to work on your strength to develop your muscular reflexes and to exploit your body's development potential.
Training for strength
To develop strength in a fun and easy way, a training programme can be followed and carried out through 4 training sessions. It can be done in 3 weeks the first time, then in 2 weeks, and then every 8 to 10 weeks. It can also be alternated with other muscle development programmes.
To avoid overdoing it and risking injury, you must however take care to manage the volume of training (number of sessions, exercises, sets and repetitions) between strength cycles. If necessary, rest is recommended
4 training sessions
Before training, it is advisable to warm up: do mobility exercises on the joints that will be used, as well as abdominal and lumbar exercises.
For the exercises with load, it is strongly advised to progressively increase the weight (over 2 to 6 series according to your level) to reach the adequate workload: the one with which the first series will be carried out.
For workloads, each set must be completed without failure or external assistance. If all the series are performed with the same load, it is interesting to slightly increase the loads in the next session.
Strength program
Session 1: thighs
Squat neck: 3×2 Recovery 6'
Front squat: 3×4 per leg. Recovery: 4'3
Deadlift, straight legs: 4×5. Recovery time: 3'3
Session 2: pectorals - shoulders - biceps
Free barbell bench press: 3×2. Recovery time : 5'3
Inclined bench press: 3×4. Recovery time: 4'
Military bench press: 4×5. Recovery: 4' (alternate with the next one)
Supine pull-up: 4×5
Session 3: Spinal - back - triceps
Deadlift: 3 x 2. Recovery: 6′
Pronation front pull: 3 x 4. Recovery: 4′
Bucheron: 4 x 5 per arm. Recovery: 4′ (alternate with the next)
Close grip bench press: 4x 5.
Session 4: Auxiliary - stretching
Dumbbell standing press: 5 x 6. Recovery: 4′ (alternate with next)
Pendlay rowing: 5 x 6
External pulley rotator: 4 x 12. Rest 1′.
Full body stretch: shoulders, hips, triceps, ischios, glutes, pecs, etc
At the end of each session, we finish with 1 or 2 sheathing exercises of your choice.
It is also important to know that when resuming the programme in 2-week cycles, it is better to start with the last loads used and to modulate accordingly. From one cycle to the next, the performance should be evaluated. The programme has a positive effect if an increase in performance is observed with each new training session.
See also exercises to focus on during strength cycles.
