More On Strength

Last time I explained about what "strength" means. This time I'll explain which type of strength and when to use it in training, as well as misconceptions.
Quick refresher. There is maximal strength. This is slow, grinding strength. The best example is power lifting ( bench press, dead lift, squat). Then there's explosive strength. Here the best example is Olympic weight lifting ( snatch, clean & jerk). Finally there's strength endurance. Body weight exercises like push ups and pull ups come to mind although some people do lift weights in this moderate- high rep manner.
While people try to make programs for their needs ( especially competitive athletes and real life athletes, i.e fire fighters, military,etc.) I think there are some general guidelines you should follow. First off, start with maximal strength.While you may need strength endurance for your goals, if you don't have strength ,that raw, brute force how will you be able to exert force over any length of time? Or as famous kettle bell trainer Pavel tsatsouline said something to the effect "To endure strength first you must develop it". You need a base. Such strength can only help. Also, developing such strength forces you to work on stabilization simultaneously.Try to squat with more than your body weight without bracing your core.Impossible. Raw strength also strengthens your tendons and ligaments, helping you to decrease your chances of  injury. Look at top athletes like Usain Bolt or even middle distance athletes like Michael Phelps. Heavy lifting helps you to give those sudden bursts when you need it ( i.e, the last 50 meters of a sprint). Heavy lifting can also promote natural growth hormone within the body, helping to lower fat while building muscle.
 This doesn't mean you need to spend hours upon hours lifting ( unless you're training for power lifting competitions). Indeed, strength gains are best made using just a few basic exercises like the squat, dead lift, and over head press, with only 1- 5 reps and 2 - 5 sets. Even competitive lifters limit their reps and sets, although they may train with a 5 x 5 workout for a specific lift ( 5 sets of  5 reps for the bench press for example). Rest periods between sets are also long, from at least 1 but usually at least 3 - 5 minutes.
Certainly strength gains aren't made using workouts with a 15 rep , 10 set workout. You can't do that with maximal or even sub maximal weight. That  people think that high rep workouts leads to strength is one of the biggest falsehoods in the fitness industry. This myth got started because of " modern" body building. From the 80's and especially in the 90's , people started to mix up body building with weight training. Body builders are trying to build big muscles, not move maximal weight  ( although it should be noted that Arnold, Franco, etc. did start their careers with lifting very heavy weights and only lessened the loads towards competition time). They build muscle with 8 - 15 reps and 5 - 10 sets,depending on the exercise, using light to moderate weights as well as minimal recovery times, usually 30 seconds to no more than a minute.  They also eat 4 - 6 times a day, tan, do very little cardio,etc. Their training and goals are very specific , all for show, certainly not what most people who are reading this blog are looking for. In a sense this mix up is the reverse of  the old idea from the 50's up to the 70's that weight training would make you " musclebound " and slow you down. I remember I first heard that as a kid in the 70's when I looked into boxing and everyone told me it would " tighten " me. How times have changed .
If you don't have weights, developing strength is harder . You could use heavy kettle bells or dumb bells . You could also change the angle of an exercise . Try to do an upside down push up . Or remove 1 arm or 1 leg . Try to do 1 arm push ups or 1 leg squats. These are obviously very hard and take a long time to master.
After you've built a strength base it's a good idea to add explosive exercises. Athletes in sports like basketball and track and field can really benefit from such exercises ( although I think everyone can benefit from explosive strength ). With weights the best way are the Olympic lifts, namely the snatch and the clean and jerk . These lifts are done at full speed , with moderate to heavy weight  ( although seldom at maximal weight) . Because of the technical nature of these lifts , reps are often done 1 at a time , with adequate rest between sets , with up to 20 sets . It's very common to start with an empty weight bar, even a simple shower rod . A good coach is recommended. However, you could do these lifts safely with a dumb bell or kettle bell , although you should still practice perfect form.
You could also do plyometric exercises which require no weight , such as jump squats or clap push ups . Here you can add reps, maybe 5 - 10 depending on the exercise , as well as minimal rest. Explosive exercises are also an excellent fat burner .
Strength endurance is good for medium to long distance athletes ( boxers, firemen, etc.). Usually the activity takes some time, involves various intensity  ( throwing punches round after round , or an obstacle course with stops and starts, carrying heavy objects , etc. ). Strength endurance is best attained through circuit training . Such training involves 1 exercise followed by another , with little to no rest , done anywhere from 15 minutes up to an hour ( although 30 minutes seems to be optimal ). Kettle bells and dumb bells , mixed with body weight exercises , are ideal for this type of workout .  Here , reps range from 5 for the harder exercises like pull ups or overhead presses, to 20 for the easier exercises like the swing or mountain climbers . This type of workout also can burn fat, build endurance , and help over all performance.
I hope we now understand the difference between looking strong and actually being strong.