A question a lot of people ask is “what’s the difference between strength training and hypertrophy training?” We want to give an easy answer, but the reality is- it’s complicated.
Definitions
There are many different definitions available online, but given the most up to date information, we can chalk it down to this:
Strength training refers to working out primarily to exert more force. It’s often used to describe resistance training in general. However, in this context, it refers to training to lift more and more weight.
Hypertrophy training refers to exercising to build visible muscle, get bigger, and improve physique. Hypertrophy prioritizes muscle size over performance.
Briefly put, strength training is for more weight and power output, and hypertrophy training is for bigger muscles, which is ideal for bulking.
Examples
Hypertrophy is mainly about appearance. Bodybuilders will most likely focus on hypertrophy, because the ultimate goal is to have bigger muscles and improve physique.
Strength training is mainly about performance. Powerlifters are more likely to focus on strength training, because their primary focus is on the amount of weight lifted.
There’s more strength training going on in powerlifting gyms, whereas there’s more hypertrophy training happening in places like Planet Fitness. Bodybuilders will typically exercise for reps during hypertrophy training, whereas powerlifters are more likely to attempt one rep max PR’s (personal records) during strength training. However, both types of training can happen anywhere and even at the same time.
Connections Between Hypertrophy and Strength Training
There are significant overlaps between strength and hypertrophy training. If you are training for hypertrophy, you will get stronger in the process. Additionally, if you are training for strength, you will often get bigger muscles or appear more defined. Better performance often enhances physique, whereas training for physique often increases power output.
Additionally, improvements in both size and strength benefit from progressive overload. Progressive overload is the term used to describe making the workout harder by adding more reps or weight over time.
Strength training is a combination of proper technique, neural adaptations, and hypertrophy. Hypertrophy, scientifically referred to as Myofibrillar hypertrophy, builds not only denser but stronger muscle fibers. These two training types may be different, but they are very interrelated.
Strength Training Variables
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- Strength- train specific exercise that you want to get better at like bench press
- Progressive overload- lift more weight every week
- Principle of specificity- perform 1-5 reps for neural efficiency
- Low volume- intensity (heavy weight) is more important than volume
- Risk- more risk in terms of fatigue and injury[1]
- Rest time: typically 3 or more minutes
Hypertrophy Training Variables
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- Hypertrophy- Train virtually any exercises to isolate and stress the muscle you want to grow
- Progressive overload- Necessary to continue to stress the muscles as they get stronger.
- High volume- Perform 5-30 reps or until failure. Research varies, but most studies suggest that more volume is good for muscle size. One study suggests to “perform 3−6 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions with short rest intervals (60 s) and moderate intensity of effort (60−80% 1RM) with subsequent increases in training volume (12–28 sets/muscle/week)”[2]
- Rest- typically 1-3 minutes or less between sets
Review
In the context of strength training versus hypertrophy, strength training is mainly about power output, and hypertrophy is mainly about size. Both types of training will typically require progressive overload. Strength training needs more intensity and weight over time in order to increase power output and performance. Hypertrophy also needs more difficulty over time in order to stress muscles so they will grow. Strength training often results in bigger and/or more defined muscles, whereas hypertrophy training increases strength in addition to muscle growth. These two forms of training arent that far apart. You can perform one or the other or even both to meet your specific goals, while reaping the benefits of both at different levels.