Best Exercises for Strength Development
So now you understand the theory and you want to put this into practice.
What exercises are best for this sort of strength development?
My six fundamental exercises are:
- Deadlift
- Front Squat
- Overhead Squat
- Pull Up (weighted or not)
- Military Press
- Push Up (weighted or not)
- + (extra / optional) Bench Press
Once an athlete’s form is proficient in all of the above, then we can start playing with variations.
The chart below (taken from Mel Siff’s Supertraining) will explain the repetitions range you should be aiming for depending on what your goal is.
| Variable | Strength | Power | Hypertrophy (mass gain) | Endurance (local muscle endurance) |
| Load (% 1RM) | 80-100 | 70-100 | 60-80 | 40-60 |
| Repetitions | 1-5 | 1-5 | 8-15 | 25-60 |
| Sets | 4-7 | 3-5 | 4-8 | 2-4 |
| Rest btw sets (minutes) | 2-6 | 2-6 | 2-5 | 1-2 |
Even more detailed guidelines as per The Kinesiology of Exercise by Michael Yessis:
- 1-4 reps per set @ 2-4RM increase pure strength but do not increase muscle mass
- 4-9 reps per set @ 5-9RM increase strength together with muscle mass
- 10-15 reps per set increase muscular strength, muscular endurance and muscle mass
- 16-30 reps per set increase muscular endurance with little to no increase in muscle mass
- 31-50 reps per set or circuit increase muscular endurance with no effect on muscle mass
- 50-100 reps per set or circuit increase muscular endurance, cardio-respiratory endurance, and there will be a possible loss of muscle mass (or fat) but absolutely no increase in strength
With all the guidelines above, just remember to stick to the numbers and be consistent and honest with your training.
Be honest with yourself. If poor technique or mobility hinders you from lifting heavier, don’t stack more weight on the bar. Work on technique and mobility, as this is the problem.
Changes will happen, as long as you are smart about your training and forget about the ego.
Sabina Skala
Sabina Skala hails from Poland and is a certified and highly experienced Strength and Conditioning Coach and Sports Massage Therapist. She has presented at national exhibitions and several workshops in the United Kingdom and worldwide that explore the potential of strength training for athletic development. Click here to get started on her four weeks of free MMA-oriented workouts.