Different people train with weights with different goals in mind. Some are looking to build muscle, some wish to tone up, some just want to look better shirtless, and some want to increase their strength. Powerlifting and strongman are now both very popular, and if you’re looking at getting into either discipline, or if you simply want to become a little stronger, you need to understand the basic principles of
strength training. That’s where we factor into the equation. Below we’ll be listing four principles of
strength training so you can get an idea of what it takes to increase your strength and power.
Work on your weaknesses – We all have strong points and weak points in the gym, which is why different people prefer different exercises, and prefer training different body parts. To improve your strength and power however, you need to focus on your weaknesses rather than your strong points. If your pressing power is weak, don’t focus on pulling movements, step up your training and work on your pressing exercises instead. Throw in extra pressing exercises each week, and consider switching up your training so you can get more pressing movements complete each day you train. The only way you are going to improve is by working on your weaknesses, so embrace them rather than ignoring them.
Surround yourself with stronger individuals – As harsh as it may sound, if you are training with people that use light weights, your workouts are far less likely to yield any serious strength improvements. If you can, try to train with people that use fairly heavy weights, as that way you can learn from them, they will motivate you, plus you will work that little bit harder for fear of being made to look like a weakling.
Stick with the basics – Strength training these days can be a little complicated. We’re here to tell you that improving your strength and power needn’t be as complex as you may have thought. Try to keep things simple and stick with the basics when training, and you’ll be amazed by just how much of an improvement you will see in your raw power. Make free weight exercises the foundation of your training as these exercises recruit more muscle groups at once, including core stabilizer muscles, which allow you to generate more power. Stick with basic exercises such as: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, military presses, and pull ups, and your strength should increase day by day.
Increase weight slowly – Remember, strength training takes a lot of time and effort, so you cannot rush things. As tempting as it may be to throw an extra 45 lbs on the bar, this is not practical and more importantly, it isn’t safe either. Instead, every time you train, try to increase the amount of weight you lift slowly. Throw an extra 5lbs on the bar instead, and aim to match what you did the last time. Gradual increases in weight are far more practical, plus they’re a lot safer as well.
