Strength is the ability of the body to exert force. Questions are about training methods for improving strength.
32
votes
5answers
15k views
How do I naturally boost my Testosterone levels?
Its a well documented fact that testosterone in essential for muscle development. So much so that some will want to go to the lengths of taking synthetic testosterone in order to aid their ...
23
votes
2answers
782 views
How to get enough Protein as a vegetarian? [closed]
Is is possible to take on enough protein to build muscle whilst eating a vegetarian diet?
Many sources of proteins such as meat, poultry and fish are obviously ruled out.
Do you have experience of ...
20
votes
3answers
13k views
Why is muscle size not proportional to strength?
This guy claims that Olympic powerlifters working in the 1-6 rep range can increase strength without increasing muscle size.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek8.htm
Trained Olympic ...
17
votes
5answers
3k views
What exercises are good to build up to performing chin-ups?
I can't do a single decent chin-up, are there any easy alternatives that I could build up in quantity as a forerunner to being able to do chin-ups?
Alternatively are there are any weights exercises ...
15
votes
3answers
1k views
Do you need to “feel the burn” to become stronger?
If your goal is increasing strength, must you always train to the point where you feel the burn later?
15
votes
4answers
830 views
How do you stick a free-standing handstand?
Ask me to do a headstand or nearly any other yoga arm balance, and I can do it, but I cannot for the life of me stick a handstand without the help of a wall or a spotter.
Image from Yoga Journal
...
15
votes
1answer
309 views
Making a training plan for medieval swordsmen / reenactment
Some of my friends are into history reenactment and historical fencing. Doing this is quite demanding in terms of fitness, so I wanted to help them develop a training plan to follow.
What would be ...
14
votes
3answers
374 views
Recomposition vs weight loss
I understand recomposition to be about trading away fat for new muscle.
How is it different than weight loss as a goal?
Would it ever be recommended to focus on purely weight loss first, and then ...
14
votes
2answers
307 views
Is maintaining really so bad?
In a process of one question begetting another, Meade Rubenstein made a comment about something I stated in my original question. It seems like an interesting enough question on its own, so here we ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
I missed a Starting Strength workout and squats are getting intense - should I change my schedule?
As recommended by SS (Starting Strength) I am running workouts A and B, alternating every other day. However, with only a two day break in between squats I feel like I haven't fully recovered most of ...
13
votes
4answers
2k views
How can I increase the number of push-ups I can do?
The number of push-ups I can do is dismal.
I have tried over the years to increase the number and have received to pieces of advice.
Start easy and try something like a raised bar or railing and ...
13
votes
2answers
3k views
Increasing explosive power in clap push-ups?
How do you increase explosive power in your clap push-ups? The goal isn't to do more of them or to build larger chest / arm muscles, but to launch oneself higher off the ground.
12
votes
9answers
2k views
What are some short 30-minute body-weight lift routines for travel.
I travel a good bit for my job. As a result, the weeks that I travel often involve a lack of physical activity since I am primarily a weight lifter when it comes to exercise and most hotel gyms have ...
12
votes
2answers
250 views
Can I train for 'mass' on some parts of my body, and 'strength' for others?
Is it possible to perform strength training on certain muscle groups and training for mass gain on others?
For example, I don't want big legs, but I of course want much stronger legs. Can I do ...
10
votes
6answers
4k views
Why aren't stiff legged deadlifts bad for your back?
It seems to me they go against everything safe about lifting! Lifting with your lower back and not your legs.
Image source
Anyone have any thoughts on the safety and science behind them?
10
votes
8answers
1k views
what exercises are good (and bad) for striking speed in martial arts?
Since being told that biceps are bad for punching speed, I've toned down the amount of pull-ups I do, and switched to a wide grip with palms facing away to emphasize the lats more than the biceps. Now ...
10
votes
1answer
503 views
Should one generally avoid machines in favor of free weights?
From what I have been told, machines are not recommended for strength training, because they isolate muscles and thereby exclude the smaller stabilizing muscles from developing together with the major ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
Are multiple lighter deadlifts better than single heavier maxes?
My max deadlift is 350 (still gaining), but I can deadlift 300 twice. Is it better to focus on my 2 lift max or my single lift max to build overall strength?
9
votes
6answers
4k views
How to Get Bigger And Stronger with no gym or weights
How can one get bigger at home without weights such as bench press, dumbbells or anything else. I don't have any weight equiment at home but I workout everyday such as push-ups, sit-ups and dips but ...
9
votes
2answers
543 views
Is the strain on your heart the same if you are overweight due to muscle or fat?
I believe there is increased strain on your heart if you are overweight due to body fat. However I am overweight due to my muscle mass. Since I started training my BMI has gone from the middle of ...
9
votes
3answers
11k views
Are squats with dumbbells as effective as squats with barbells?
I was wondering, if I were to use the same amount of weight with dumbbells as I would with a barbell while doing a squat, will I get the same benefits as I would using a barbell?
Now I understand ...
9
votes
2answers
951 views
How to find your one repetition maximum?
Are these formulas close to every ones one rep max on varies exercises? and
I would like to know how accurate this is for everyone and if you have anything better?
Formulas to find your one rep max ...
9
votes
3answers
494 views
Doing it right: sit-ups
How do you train sit-ups correctly?
I've heard you can damage your back if you don't do it right.
Also, are there any varieties that allows one to use weights or similar objects? I ask about this ...
9
votes
2answers
233 views
Recommendations for a weight program to support martial arts competition
Ok, going along the vein of a man who coaches himself has a fool for a client, I am looking for recommendations on a training cycle to support competing in martial arts forms and weapons competitions, ...
9
votes
1answer
129 views
What's the time threshold for a drop in performance when taking a break from training?
Whenever I go on vacation, the dilemma in my head is, should I try to work out there? Or just take a break from everything and resume when I get back.
The worry is that a break would cause some ...
8
votes
4answers
297 views
The value of strength training vs. the time/effort it takes
I've been working out with a mixture of strength training and cardiovascular exercise (and some stretching), and wanted to better assess to what degree the strength training is worth the time and ...
8
votes
3answers
366 views
Strength Training, Muscle Mass, and Weight Loss
I heard on a podcast that pounds of fat burn calories at a different rate than pounds of muscle. The thinking is that a pound of fat, sitting idly over the course of the day, requires X calories, ...
8
votes
3answers
409 views
What rotational-strength exercise should I incorporate into my training?
I already have a basic strength and conditioning program, and I play combat sports. So let's assume that the fundamentals of squatting, deadlifting, chinning, pressing, running, and sport-specific ...
8
votes
2answers
529 views
How to get stronger (mostly upper body)?
I'm a college runner with a 14 month injury that doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon.
So I decided I may as well take up weight-training instead. I absolutely hate lifting weights, but, ...
8
votes
6answers
488 views
What's the ideal way to maintain my deadlift with minimal recovery demands?
Briefly
My deadlift is great and my squat sucks. I want to continue squatting 3x5 more and more weight while I keep my deadlift where it is. What's the best way to maintain my deadlift strength with ...
8
votes
2answers
504 views
Training exercises to increase speed and strength
I'm a handball trainer and coach for a couple of teams in our club. All the teams have two training's, each a hour long at minimum.
I am looking for simple exercise which can be done without using ...
8
votes
1answer
604 views
Best strength exercises for arm wrestling
Arm Wrestling consists of both technique and strength. An arm wrestler must of course master all of the techniques, and be strong in all the muscles involved in all of the techniques. I want to ...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
Need to gain strength to gain muscle?
I've been strength training 4 days a week for about 8 months. My goal is to increase mass. The usual recommendation for this is to do three sets of 8-12 repetitions for most exercises, and that's what ...
7
votes
4answers
377 views
How can I avoid building a lot of muscle while gaining strength
As I start towards exercising to gain strength, I want to avoid gaining a lot of muscle.
I don't know how accurate it is, but I have heard that muscle size is not related to strength, i.e. the more ...
7
votes
3answers
401 views
Good form with little weight or bad form with a lot of weight?
I always hear people say to use an amount of weight so you can meet your goal amount of reps in good form. On the other hand however, all the videos that I've been watching on YouTube show people ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
How does muscle size relate to strength?
I've heard it often that the size of muscles, for example biceps, is not realted to how strong someone is. Is this true?
See for example this image of Gu Yanli who won the strongest man championship ...
7
votes
3answers
597 views
Am I gaining anything more by doing accessory work with Starting Strength or is it potentially not contributing anything?
I'm a new lifter about two months into Starting Strength. Recently I bought myself a dip tower so I could add some chin-up/pull-up accessory work. My gym buddy mentioned that potentially I may be ...
7
votes
3answers
361 views
How can I best recover for a second strength workout on the same day?
I'd like to do two strength workouts in the same day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. With this goal in mind, what strategies can I employ throughout the day so that I'm as fresh as ...
7
votes
3answers
430 views
Seated shoulder press vs standing press
What are the reasons for choosing a seated shoulder press instead of a standing press (barbell or dumbbell)?
7
votes
1answer
346 views
What's the point of the weekly 2-day break in Starting Strength's programming? Can a novice just skip that?
Starting Strength prescribes two daily lifting schedules (A and B), to be performed alternately on 3 non-consecutive days per week.
That means something like this:
S M T W T F S
...
6
votes
2answers
624 views
Are these Workout Routines right for Body Building
The weightlifting-101 blog post on the stackexchange blog and posts on fitness.SE has helped me learn more about strength training and body building. My goal is body building (to bulk up) in short ...
6
votes
3answers
206 views
Where do I start when finding/creating a fitness program for myself?
I'm a senior in college studying computer engineering, so I spend a lot of time sitting in class and/or in front of a computer. I want to commit to a fitness routine before my sedentary lifestyle ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Is there a biological reason for women to be weaker then men (in the same weight category)?
Are women weaker then men because of something biological, or cultural, or both?
Men do have predispositions to be higher and heavier, but lets compare equal weight categories (a 70kg man against a ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What's the minimum amount of strength training that will yield a measurable benefit?
I'm not an athlete – I just want to be healthy and fit with decent muscular strength.
What's the minimum amount of strength training that will yield a measurable benefit?
For instance, sitting ...
6
votes
1answer
3k views
Importance of short rest times between sets
What are the benefits of taking shorter rest times in between sets? If I am capable of doing an extra rep or two if I rest for 1 minutes instead of resting for 30 seconds, which is more beneficial?
6
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the best set of dumbbell exercises for a complete upper arm workout?
I'd like to find a good set of dumbbell exercises for a "complete" upper arm workout - working out the biceps, triceps, and brachialis* muscles fairly evenly. What combination of curls or other ...
6
votes
1answer
210 views
Do the principles behind the shakeweight and related products work? (a lot of quick, short impulse muscle contractions)
I got a shakeweight as a gag gift for Christmas. I actually tried it and it does feel like you get a work out from the instructional DVD.
I'm curious if the principles behind the product are sound? ...
6
votes
2answers
159 views
Should I use weights training for endurance or for strength to deal with aching back?
I'm a programmer and I spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer typing, and this seems to be too much strain for my back and upper hand muscles.
All the orthopedists I talked to said these ...
6
votes
4answers
393 views
Week without a gym, what instead?
I am doing Starting Strength program and I am going to my hometown for Christmas. I won't be able to access a gym there. What can I do instead? I don't like the idea of not doing anything for a week, ...
6
votes
2answers
47k views
Sore after work out - can't straighten arm
I'm in good aerobic shape but never did strength training. Yesterday, I did some basic strength work, using both dumbbells and machines. Nothing too crazy - I started light and built my way up. I ...
