It's a question that is often asked by athletes, coaches and recreational gym users since we started lifting to get stronger. My answer to this is a simple question back to you, what do you need to be strong for?
If you are a Strong Man/Women or a Powerlifter then you need to be as strong as you possibly can. A lot sports require a near maximal level of strength but not an absolute maximum as other factors such as endurance, skill and weight categories come into play that will impact the need or ability to achieve maximal strength.
That being said, being strong definitely has it's benefits in everyday life as well as in a sporting context. Simple things such as carrying shopping or opening a jar of jam are easier, DIY tasks and general labouring are less of a chore! There are also many health benefits from being stronger too;
- A more robust immune system
- Greater bone density to off set osteoporosis
- Greater muscle mass for a higher metabolic rate
- Less risk for falling and injury
- Easier to get up after a fall (for the older individual)
There are some general guides that coaches use in order to get their athletes lifting to a level that will enhance their sporting performance and power output; I have listed these below (please note that this is just one of many variations to these guidelines and that these are minimum standards and are for your general information).
Back Squat: Men 2 x BW Women 1.5 x BW
Power Clean Men 1.5 x BW Women 1.2 x BW
Deadlift Men 2.5 x BW Women 1.8 x BW
Bench Press Men 1.5 x BW Women 1 x BW
Pull Up Men + 0.5 x BW Women + 0.3 x BW
So, back to our original question and we must also consider what the goals of most recreational athletes and gym users are too? For most of us, being able to shift our own body weight i.e. chins and dips or lift our body weight on a barbell i.e. squats, deadlifts or bench press would be considered an achievement. CrossFit/HIIT/Grit type workouts and WOD's have certainly got Olympic type lifts and their variations into mainstream gym culture. More people are using free weights, especially barbells and this is a good thing.
There is a downside to this set up though in my opinion, and that is that these workouts are mainly delivered in a class format that is quite set in it's delivery. This in itself is no issue for most people, in fact to large extent this is a key factor in their success. However, being able to set your own timetable and choose the workouts that suit your schedule is important for some, me included.
With this in mind I have set up a Facebook Group that provides workouts, challenges and training plans along with some general lifestyle advice. This Group also allows for the sharing of knowledge, training experiences and workouts too.
To find out more you can email me at tsilvester@getcoached.net or visit my Facebook Page Get Coached which has links to set up your membership to the Closed Group "The HIIT Works by Get Coached".
