Hypertrophy training focuses on developing and increasing the size of your muscles. This is done by increasing the overall volume of your workout (sets x reps).
Strength training refers to increasing the ability of a muscle to produce force, which is done through lifting heavier weights (above 85% of 1 rep max). It involves the performance of physical exercises that are designed to improve strength.
There are five basic moves when it comes to both strength and hypertrophy training:
- Squat
- Hinge
- Push
- Pull
The exercises and equipment used for strength training and hypertrophy training are pretty similar. The main differences between the two types of training are:
- Training volume: The number of sets and reps you perform during each exercise
- Training intensity: The actual weights you lift
- Rest: The amount of rest time between sets.
Hypertrophy training will improve muscle endurance, build muscle mass, burn fat and build strength as well. Strength training is specifically designed to increase strength, build muscle and improve durability with load-bearing activity.
Personally, I wouldn’t get into too much of a debate about which style of training is better for you as I believe the two go hand in hand and complement each other really well.
How do I use Hypertrophy and Strength Training with my clients?
I will initially take my clients through a mini hypertrophy phase which lasts anywhere between 4-6 weeks. I do this because there isn’t a huge demand on lifting heavy in this phase, and it gives us time to spend on developing good form and good technique. If my client is new to exercising they will still have some developments in their strength.
After this stage, we then move into a strength training phase where we take the reps down from 6-8 to about 3-5 in their compound movements, (barbell bench press, barbell back squats, deadlifts, rows), and increase the sets from 3-4 sets to 4-5.
During this phase we make it a focus to slowly increase the weight they lift week by week using the progressive overload method. I spend between 6-8 weeks in this phase with my clients before we review what we’re going to do next.
In some cases, once we have completed the initial hypertrophy phase, I like two alternate between strength training and hypertrophy with my clients. What we usually see here is, my clients are able to lift heavier in their different rep ranges. For example when we first start, my client might only be able to lift 40kg on their bench press for 8 reps, but after an 8 week strength phase, they are then able to lift 60kg for 3 reps. When we then move back into another hypertrophy phase they are then able to lift 47.5kg for 8 reps.
And this is what I mean when I say hypertrophy and strength training complement each other.
In order to build size, you need to be strong enough to lift heavier weights. The way to do this is by increasing the volume of your sets which will help with developing and building muscle. This will ultimately lead you to be able to lift heavier weights. Staying at 8-10 reps for too long won’t help you to develop or grow.
If you’d like to know more about how you can combine hypertrophy and strength training into your programme, the Evolve team will provide you with the tools and guidance you need to progress towards your goals. We will support you in achieving and sustaining long-lasting results.
You will be offered a free consultation where your chosen personal trainer will get to know you as an individual, your background, capabilities and what your goals are.
Get in touch with us today to find out more.