Hypertrophy vs strength training: Both are different protocols and hence give different results. The choice between these training protocols totally depends on your weight training goals.
- If your main goal is to increase the size of your muscle, then hypertrophy training is best for you.
- If you goal is to increase muscular strength, then you should focus on strength training.
This article will explain to you that how strength and hypertrophy training protocols are different and what are their pros and cons. But first let’s understand these two concepts.
What is Muscle Hypertrophy?
An increase in the size of your muscle fibers is called muscle hypertrophy.
An increase or growth in the size of your cells is called hypertrophy. And when this growth happens in muscle cells then it is called muscle hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy simply means an increase in the size of muscle fibers that are already present in your body. It is not related to the increase in the number of muscle fibers, that’s a totally different process called hyperplasia.
Resistance training or weight training is the best way to achieve muscle hypertrophy.
Related article: What is Muscle Hypertrophy & How To Maximize It?
What is Muscular Strength?
Muscular strength means how much weight you can lift or carry for a short time spam. Your fast-twitch or type 2 muscle fibers are responsible for this.
Muscular strength is the amount of force your muscles can exert against resistance for a short period of time. It is the ability to move and lift objects or weights.
Exercises that put stress on the muscles like weightlifting or resistance training helps in developing muscular strength.
It determines by the number and size of the fast-twitch muscle fibers in that particular muscle. Fast-twitch muscle fibers are also called type 2 muscle fibers. To increase your muscular strength, you have to do more focus on training these muscle fibers.
Hypertrophy vs Strength Training
As a beginner when you start doing weight training or resistance training, you build muscle size and strength at the same time. But as you do progress and go on to the next level, then you have to choose between the two.
How strength and hypertrophy training is different?
Well, the equipment and exercises for both the training protocols are almost the same. However, they differ in the:
- the number of sets of an exercise,
- rep range,
- the amount of weight you lift,
- rests you take in between the sets,
- training volume and training frequency.
Let’s differentiate the two training protocols on the basis of these factors.
Number of sets
For maximizing muscle hypertrophy, 4-6 sets are optimal whereas for strength, 2-4 main sets are enough.
Hypertrophy: A meta-analysis was done to compare the muscle hypertrophy response of the number of sets per exercise that shows that more sets result in more muscle gain.
Hence to maximize muscle hypertrophy, 4-6 sets per exercise is optimal. As a newbie, start with 4 or maybe 3 sets and do up to 6 as you achieve an advanced level.
Strength: For strength training, do comparatively less number of sets. Besides some warm-up sets, 2-4 sets are enough for maximizing strength.
As the number of sets per exercise increases, the amount of the muscle you gain also increases
Rep range
Do most of your sets in a rep range of 6-12 for hypertrophy and 5-8 for building strength.
Hypertrophy: Several types of research shows that the ideal rep range for hypertrophy is 6-12 reps per set. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to bound yourself in this rep range only.
Do most of your exercises (at least 70%) in hypertrophy rep range only. However, higher and lower rep ranges have their own benefits.
Strength: For improving muscular strength your main focus should be to annihilate the fast-twitch muscle fibers. For that, the optimal rep range is 6-8 reps per set.
However, you go for even less than 6 reps in some sets. But do a majority of your sets in 6-8 reps only.
Weight
Moderate to heavyweights are optimal for hypertrophy whereas to build strength you need to lift heavy only.
Hypertrophy: Lift moderate to heavyweight in a medial rep range to increase muscle size or hypertrophy.
However, once in a month lift lightweight for high reps or heavy weight for low reps to shock your muscles. This shocking technique would help you in getting better muscle hypertrophy results.
Strength: Lifting heavy weights for fewer reps is the best way to hit your fast-twitch or type-2 muscle fibers. Sometimes, with the help of your training partner go for super heavy weights for even fewer reps.
But make sure to not compromise with the form. It is important to lift weights with proper technique to avoid injuries.
Rest periods
For hypertrophy, take 1-2 minutes rest between sets, whereas, while strength training, you need longer breaks of 2-3 minutes.
Hypertrophy: As you are not lifting too heavyweights, a short break of 1-2 minutes is sufficient after each set.
Strength: While training for strength, you need to take longer rest periods. Due to the stress caused by heavyweights, your muscles need a longer time to recover. Hence, take the rest of about 2-3 minutes in-between the sets.
During heavy compound exercises like dead-lifts, squats, etc, if you feel fatigued or breathless, then take even longer break.
Training frequency
For maximizing hypertrophy, train each muscle twice a week, and for strength building, once in a week is good enough.
Hypertrophy: To gain more muscles, some people start doing more training which sometimes leads to overtraining. Instead of increasing muscle hypertrophy, this will hamper your gains.
For muscle growth, it is essential to give enough time to your muscles to recover. Big muscle groups like legs require about 3 days to recover whereas 2 days are sufficient for shorter muscles like biceps and triceps.
So for most people, training each muscle twice a week is the best for maximizing muscle hypertrophy. However, some muscles like arms or calves can be trained for even three times a week.
Strength: During strength training, you are putting your muscles under high pressure with heavy loads. Due to which, they need more time to recover. So it is better to train each muscle once in a week with five days on and one day two days off.
Benefits of Hypertrophy Training
Here are the following benefits of hypertrophy training:
- Training for hypertrophy helps in giving you an athletic physique as its main focus on building muscle size.
- Less risk of injury as you don’t need to lift too heavy weights.
- It also increases strength and power.
- High volume training means more caloric expenditure which aids in fat loss.
- Avoids muscular imbalance and helps in building symmetry.
Benefits of Strength Training
- The strength training protocol is very effective during fat loss. It helps in retaining muscle mass while losing fat.
- Makes you physically strong and increases muscular power.
- Gives you stronger bones and increases bone density.
- Helps in weight management.
Safety Measures while Training
Along with the above benefits, weightlifting associates many risks also. Here are some safety measures you should consider to avoid risks.
- While strength training don’t try to lift too heavyweight that make you do compromise with your form.
- Always have a trainer or a training partner with yourself while lifting heavy.
- Don’t hold your breath while lifting. Keep breathing.
- Keep sipping water or BCAAs during the workout.
- Take proper rests as mentioned.
- Make sure to do a proper warm-up before the workout. Also, if you are training for strength, do some sets with light weights. This will help you in preparing your muscles for the immense stress that you are going to put on them in your main sets.
Related post: How To Do Proper Warm-up Before A Workout?
Hypertrophy vs Strength Training – Summary
So this was the detailed explanation of hypertrophy vs strength training protocol. Now which one is better, that depends on your goal.
If you want lean, aesthetic, muscular physique, go for hypertrophy training protocol –
- Lift moderate to heavyweights in a rep range of 6-12.
- Do 4-6 sets per exercise with 1-3 minutes of rest after each set.
- Train each muscle twice a week to increase training volume.
On the other hand, if you wanna get stronger and increases muscle power, then choose strength training protocol –
- Lift heavy to super heavyweights in a rep range of 5-8.
- Do 2-4 main sets of each exercise with 2-4 minutes of rest after each set.
- Give your muscles more time to recover and train each muscle once a week.
So this was the detailed information about hypertrophy vs strength training protocol. I hope you learned something from this article.
If you have any queries regarding fitness, feel free to ask in the comment section. Thank you for reading this far.
