Ever see a huge bodybuilder get out-lifted by a smaller powerlifter? ⁣⁣Yup. ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Why? The bodybuilder rarely trains under maximal loads, while the powerlifter trains to be strong for those complex movement patterns.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Strength is very much a skill. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
Just like in order to get better at hitting a baseball, you have to practice swinging a bat, if you want to get stronger you have to actually lift loads that challenge your strength. ⁣Principle of specificity 101.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Strength is first and foremost a neural adaptation and a skill. An individual will get stronger relative to their baseline strength as a result of repeated practice lifting heavy weights.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
Squatting, benching, deadlifting, overhead pressing etc. for a 1-rep max involves complex movement patterns, with multiple muscle and joints working together to produce a force. The more an individual can practice specific movements patterns under a specific load the more effective the body becomes at recruiting all neurons and muscle fibers required for a given movement aka more strength gains. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Anatomy is another factor involved in how heavy they can lift weights. Muscle architecture, moment arms, and fiber types all can influence strength. The body is a complex unit, with multiple systems working together. ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
While I don’t believe muscle size is correlated directly to muscle strength, I do believe at some point, a greater amount of muscle volume, and thus, more fibers per unit of muscle mass will result in a greater ability to exert force positively contributing to strength⁣ And therefore, powerlifters may benefit from taking some time to focus on hypertrophy.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
If your primary goal is hypertrophy, training in the 5-20 rep ranges (and mostly in the 8-15 range) is “best” in my opinion.⁣
⁣⁣⁣
As bodybuilders, we want to focus on effective reps, overloading the (target) muscles with mechanical tension with the intent to grow.⁣⁣⁣
We’re still lifting heavy relative to the rep range a weight that gets you to at least an RPE 8 (RIR 2) within those hypertrophy rep ranges, and getting stronger over time within that rep range.⁣
⁣
Keep the goal the goal