Strength training is an essential element of fitness for virtually every sports man and woman. The benefits of strength training to athletic performance are enormous and many. Not only is it an integral conditioning component for power athletes such as cricket and football players, performance in the pure endurance events can be improved with a well-structured strength routine.
Mention strength training, and weight lifting or using machines immediately comes to mind. But there are many types of strength. But before we get into that let us see what strength means.
What is Strength?
Well, a simple definition of strength is the capacity your body has to exert muscular and skeletal force against a resistance. The resistance can be the weight of your own body, the weight of something else or both. So, the larger capacity you have to move your own body or a foreign object in your environment, the stronger you are.
What are the different types of Strengths?
Here are the basic types of body strength namely:
Maximal Strength
Maximal strength is the amount of force that can be generated from one, all out effort, regardless of time or bodyweight. Some people say weight training is best for maximal strength training, and for some exercises they are right. However, many trainees are using weights to perform exercises because they can't handle the weight of their own body. For example, many men and women do Lat Pull Downs because they can't do pull ups or chin ups.
Explosive Strength
Explosive strength is strength per unit of time. In other words, this is how much force you can generate in the shortest amount of time. In terms of bodyweight training, it means how fast you can move your body from one position to another. Think of explosive movements like jumping squats or plyometric pushups where your body is propelled with such force it actually leaves the ground.
Strength Endurance
Strength endurance is the amount of force you can generate for an extended period of time. It is the ability to be as strong as possible as long as possible. This type of strength is characterized by being able to perform a movement repeatedly without being overcome by fatigue or sacrificing form. There are 2 different types in this one:
Dynamic strength-endurance is typically associated with cyclic exercises in which considerable tension is repeated without interruption during each cycle of movement". It is also apparent in acyclic events requiring maximum power repetitions with short rest periods in between such as jumping or throwing activities.
Static strength-endurance implies isometric tension of varying magnitude and duration or in holding a certain posture. Static strength endurance is associated with relatively long or short term sustained muscular tension, its duration in each case being determined by its magnitude.
When you think of bodyweight strength training, this is normally the type of strength people think of. Rhythmic, repeated bodyweight calisthenics for example builds strength endurance.
Speed Strength
Speed strength is defined as the ability to quickly execute an unloaded movement or a movement against a relatively small external resistance. For example, working with a punch-out drill against the heavy bag would equate to the execution of a relatively small external resistance, as the weight of the glove is insignificant. Speed strength is also very important for fighters. Unfortunately, many athletes train improperly, hence sacrifice this strength quality.
Limit Strength
It is the amount of force that you can generate for one all-out effort. Consider Limit Strength as the base upon developing your muscles. A foundation (your muscles) built on weak grounds (training program) will be detrimental to your success. There are three types of Limit Strength:
- Eccentric (how much weight you can lower under control)
- Concentric (how much weight lifted at one time with all-out effort)
- Isometric (how much weight you can hold without losing control)
Examples of Limit Strength include Powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting, Shot Put.
Stabilization strength
It is a lot more than just balance. Stabilization strength involves improving the stability and strength of the core. Without core strength, force production, force transference, and force reduction will not occur properly. This will lead to altered joint mechanics and eventually injury. Stabilization strength training involves little joint action to enhance muscle endurance and deep stabilization of the core.
For the best overall results, a combined fitness program incorporating all of these types of strength is recommended.
