When it comes to fitness, varied goals require specific approaches to training. Two common objectives are enhancing strength and power, and building lean muscle mass. While these goals may seem similar and do have a fair amount of overlap, the methods employed to achieve them can differ significantly. In this blog, we explore the distinctions in training style, volume, intensity, frequency, and exercise selection between strength and power training versus lean muscle building.

Training Style:

Strength and power training often prioritizes compound movements, focusing on exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This approach targets overall strength development and explosive power generation. Conversely, lean muscle building typically involves a mix of compound and isolation exercises, emphasizing muscle hypertrophy and definition. The training style for each goal reflects the desired outcome – functional strength and power versus aesthetic muscle growth.

Volume and Intensity:

In strength and power training, emphasis is placed on lifting heavy loads for lower repetitions, typically in the range of 1-5 reps per set. This low-rep, high-intensity approach stimulates neural adaptations and enhances maximal strength and power output. Conversely, lean muscle building entails moderate to high volume training, often in the range of 6-15 reps per set, with a focus on inducing metabolic stress and muscle damage to promote hypertrophy. *It is worth noting that training “intensity” and “volume” can be measured in a variety of ways including weight, sets, reps, frequency, time under tension, and speed or tempo.

Frequency:

Strength and power training typically involve lower frequency workouts, allowing for adequate recovery between sessions due to the high intensity of each session. This may entail training specific muscle groups or movements 2-4 times per week. In contrast, lean muscle building often involves higher training frequencies, with muscle groups targeted 3-6 times per week to maximize hypertrophic stimulus while allowing for sufficient recovery.

Selection of Exercises:

Strength and power training prioritizes compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and Olympic lifts like the clean and snatch. These exercises recruit multiple muscle groups and promote functional strength and power development. Conversely, lean muscle building incorporates a broader range of exercises, including isolation movements like bicep curls, tricep extensions, and lateral raises, targeting specific muscle groups to promote hypertrophy and aesthetic development.

Integration of Periodization:

Both strength/power training and lean muscle building benefit from periodization, the systematic planning of training variables over time to optimize performance and results. Strength and power training often utilize linear or wave periodization, gradually increasing intensity while decreasing volume over successive training phases. On the other hand, lean muscle building may employ various forms of periodization, including traditional linear periodization, undulating periodization, or block periodization, to continuously challenge the muscles and prevent adaptation plateaus. *In our gym we favor “wave periodization” for our strength and power cycles. Wave periodization can be defined as a training setup that involves increasing intensity (percent of 1RM) on a frequent basis to a top “peaking ” week, before reducing the weight or “deloading” and starting the wave over again with higher percentages of known maxes applied. In other words, building up in weight, then back down, and back up again, for multiple “waves”. When charted out, this training style resembles a wave in the ocean. The eventual goal is to check maxes after an 8-16 week cycle, hit new personal bests, and then reset maxes or base numbers to train at appropriate percentages going forward. A common training methodology utilizing this style is “Wendler 5-3-1.”

Conclusion:

In conclusion, while strength and power training and lean muscle building share the common goal of enhancing physical fitness, their approaches diverge significantly in terms of training style, volume, intensity, frequency, and exercise selection. Understanding these differences is crucial for individuals seeking to tailor their training regimen to achieve specific fitness objectives effectively. Whether aiming to maximize strength and power or sculpt lean muscle mass, a targeted and systematic approach is key to realizing desired fitness outcomes. It is our belief that a mix of training methodologies and training in different “phases” or “blocks” with a different intended stimulus throughout the year yields the best results for balanced athleticism and helps to avoid training plateaus, burnout, and injury.

Coach JKH CrossFit Rising Sun East Nashville.