Strength Training can be a tough and grueling process, but it is very rewarding. You continue to strength train because you are looking to get stronger, which can happen in many ways. There are a handful of ways to strength train, and it can be difficult to determine which one is best for you. These five types of strength training can help you figure out what your goals are, and which is best suited for you.
1. Power Lifting
Powerlifting is a form of strength training that is centered around three core lifts. Those three core lifts are the bench press, the squat, and the deadlift. The bench press is an upper-body movement that involves your chest shoulder and triceps. The squat is a lower body movement that involves all lower body muscles. The deadlift is a full-body movement that primarily involves your back and hamstrings.
These three lifts are the main focus of powerlifting, and the goal of powerlifting is to lift as much weight as possible. If you are looking to get as strong as possible, then this is the type of strength training that you are going to want to pursue. You do not have to only perform these three lifts when you train, but they should be the emphasis of your workout. You can perform other exercises that help strengthen the supporting muscles for each lift, which will help you get stronger in these lifts.
To get as strong as possible when powerlifting you should perform sets that involve low numbers of repetitions and high weight.
2. Body Building
Bodybuilding is a form of strength training, but it is not particularly concerned with being strong. Bodybuilding is more so sculpting your muscles to look as good as possible. You can sculpt these muscles through strength training to increase size and endurance. Bodybuilding is centered around posing, so it is ideal that your muscles look as big and toned as possible.
This is not to say that you cannot get strong while bodybuilding. The best bodybuilders in the world are incredibly strong human beings. Your muscles will grow when you are lifting heavy amounts of weight. So, you can still get stronger while bodybuilding. However, when bodybuilding you should also incorporate lower weights with higher repetitions. This type of training will help you train different parts of the muscle to look a certain way.
3. Olympic Lifting
Olympic lifting is like powerlifting, but it is focused on two different lifts. The two Olympic lifts are the power clean and the snatch. There are many variations of these lifts that are included in Olympic lifting, but these are the main lifts. Both lifts are full-body movements and will help you get incredibly strong.
Like powerlifting, you do not have to only do these lifts. You can perform other exercises to help strengthen the supporting muscles for these lifts. If there are certain lifts that you want to improve, then Olympic lifting may not be for you. However, if you want to get strong and explosive, then Olympic lifting will help you do so.
4. Powerbuilding
Powerbuilding is a form of both powerlifting and bodybuilding. This form of strength training is simple. Your core lifts are the same lifts that are included in powerlifting, but the rest of your workout is a body-building emphasis. So, your accessory lifts are focused on bodybuilding and strengthening muscles that are not included in your core lifts.
5. CrossFit
CrossFit is a new form of strength training that has been gaining popularity over the last two decades. CrossFit is primarily functional movements such as pull-ups, running, squats and push-ups. It also includes Olympic lifting at the highest level of CrossFit, but CrossFit for beginners can be done with all bodyweight movements. Therefore, it has become so popular. CrossFit can be perfect for at-home workouts, and it is great for those who want to work out but are intimidated by a gym setting.
6. Calisthenics
Finally, there is calisthenics. This is a strength training exercise that involves only the use of body weight. It involves training large muscle groups with minimal equipment. The fact that it is very easy to start and involves virtually no equipment makes it perfect for at home workouts. Just get yourself a yoga mat and get started.
Conclusion
You should not try and do all five of these because they can become detrimental to your health. Overtraining can lead to injuries, which can hinder your progress when it comes to strength gain. You can incorporate different parts of each into your training, but you should not try and do multiple styles of training at the same time. Find something that works and stick to it. Over time you will see results that are incredibly rewarding.
