Principles for Developing Muscle Strength

Strength is an important quality in many sports. Not only is a minimal level of strength often required for the proper execution of skills it is also a vital link to the development of muscle power. Strength development should take place at specified times throughout a periodized training plan. Morehouse (1976) stated that a hypertrophied muscle (larger muscle) had a greater potential to gain strength and power than a non-hypertrophied muscle. These findings suggested that for maximal strength gains to occur, a preparatory phase, emphasizing the development of muscle hypertrophy, must precede the strength development program. Number of Sets, Repetitions, and Frequency The scientific community is fairly unanimous on which methods are best in order to increase strength. A study done by Capen (1956) suggested that the use of heavy weights, so that a maximum of five repetitions could be performed for three sets, three times per week, was superior for the development of muscular strength. Unfortunately, this study failed to statistically establish whether or not training three times per week was significantly superior to training twice a week