Should You Lift Heavier to Get Stronger? 🤔 – SHAF Coaching Newsletter

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Happy Humpday – When we hit the gym, most of us want to get stronger. But what does that really mean? Strength training and muscle growth (hypertrophy) are closely related, but they’re not exactly the same thing. You can get stronger without significantly increasing muscle size, and you can build muscle without maximizing your strength. Let’s break down the science behind it and why lifting heavier isn’t always the best approach for everyone.

Strength Training vs. Muscle Growth – What’s the Difference?

Strength training focuses on increasing the maximum force your muscles can produce. This means lifting heavier weights with lower reps, typically in the 1-5 rep range. Your nervous system plays a huge role here—your brain learns to recruit more muscle fibers and fire them more efficiently. This is why powerlifters and Olympic weightlifters often appear leaner than bodybuilders but can lift significantly heavier loads.

Muscle growth (hypertrophy), on the other hand, thrives in the 6-12 rep range. This rep range creates the perfect balance between mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage—three key factors that contribute to muscle growth. More volume (total sets and reps) leads to more muscle-building stimulus.

While training for strength will still result in some muscle growth, and hypertrophy training will still improve your strength, the emphasis of each style is different. Strength training is about neuromuscular efficiency and force production, while hypertrophy is about increasing the size of individual muscle fibers.

The Risks of High-Intensity, Low-Rep Training

While lifting very heavy weights (90%+ of your one-rep max) works for your performance goals, it comes with a higher risk of injury. When you train in the 1-5 rep range, you’re placing more stress on your joints, tendons, and central nervous system. While this is essential for powerlifters and athletes who need maximum strength for performance, it’s not always ideal for those training for general health and longevity.

Going too heavy too often can lead to:
✔ Increased risk of tendon and ligament injuries
✔ Longer recovery times
✔ Greater fatigue and central nervous system stress
✔ Higher chance of form breakdown, leading to potential injuries

If you don’t have a performance-based goal (like competing in strength sports), there’s little reason to max out regularly. In fact, moderate weights in the 6-12 rep range will still make you stronger over time—without the added injury risk.

The Best Strength Approach for General Health

If your goal is to be strong, fit, and injury-free for life, here’s the ideal approach:

• Stick to compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, presses, pull-ups) for overall strength.
• Use moderate weights (70-85% of your max) for 6-12 reps per set to build muscle while still gaining strength.
• Cycle your intensity – depending on your individual goals and training plan you may occasionally train heavier (3-5 reps), but don’t max out weekly.
• Prioritize form and control – slow, controlled reps reduce injury risk.
• Don’t neglect mobility and recovery – strength means nothing if you’re too stiff or injured to move properly.

Final Thoughts

Strength training is essential for health, longevity, and performance, but going as heavy as possible isn’t always the best strategy. Unless you’re training for powerlifting or another strength sport, you don’t need to push your max limits all the time. A balanced approach—lifting challenging but manageable weights with good form and moderate volume—will still make you stronger while keeping your body healthy and resilient. And if you decide to go heavy, please don’t compromise on your form. Too often I see people in the gym using too much weight, moving it in a very limited range of motion and a bad form.

So remember my credo: it’s not just about lifting heavy—it’s about lifting smart. 👩🏻‍🏫

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I will send out the newsletter bi-weekly instead of weekly from now on. So see you in two weeks!

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Happy Lift,

Janika

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