Bodybuilding or Strength Training: Which Path is Right for You

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I used to believe those bodybuilders are the strongest humans alive. When I looked at them, I thought they could crush anything they get their hands on. They looked so strong!

Indeed, having more muscle mass or bigger muscles does make you stronger. But working on improving the size of your muscle does not always help you increase strength. You need to train specificially for that. 

Yes, strength training and hypertrophy training  are different. Wildly different. While both of these training looks similar, they focus on different outcomes. 

In this article, we will explain the differences between those two training methods and  help you to choose what works best for you. 

Understanding Strength Training

Strength can be simply defined as the amount of muscular force your body produces. But different athletes show  their strength in different ways, for examples,  a swimmer or a gymnast may display their strength differently than a powerlifter, who may show strength by lifting heavier weight. Here is the caveat, more strength does not necessarily translate into someone’s ability to lift heavier weights. This is context-dependent .ly. For the sake of this article, we will talk about strength in the sense of your ability to lift heavier weights. 

The goal of strength training is  to progressively increase the weight you can handle in a certain exercises like squat, bench presses, and deadlifts , which are typical weightlifting exercises. . When you exercise to build strength, you are essentially adapting your muscles to perform well against resistance. This is why, the exercises become easier as you continue doing the same weight  for a while.. 

Understanding Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding aka hypertrophy training focuses on improving their physique. They are judged based on muscle appearance, symmetry, and other physical features. 

Bodybuilding programs focus more on increasing muscle size rather than building strength. These exercises target muscle cell physiology to modify it and make the muscles appear larger. 

Understanding the Difference Between Bodybuilding and Strength Training

Bodybuilding and strength training have a lot of overlap between them. Both are forms of resistance training that involve lifting weights. You may even be performing similar exercises. 

However, there are some key differences between both strength training and bodybuilding. Understanding these differences can help you choose what will work best for you. 

Here is a list of factors that set strength training and bodybuilding apart from each other: 

End Goal

An increase in muscle size does increase strength. And an increase in strength does alter the muscle appearance. But both Strength Training and Bodybuilding work towards different goals. 

Strength training focuses more on building strength. This is why, your strength training progress will be tracked by recording how much incremental weight you can lift. One common test for measuring strength is the 1-repetition maximum or 1 RM performance. This test measures the maximum weight you can lift for 1 repetition with the right technique. 

Bodybuilding on the other hand focuses on helping you get bigger and bulkier. It is more about physical appearance. Bodybuilding does not focus much on improvements in overall strength. 

This is why, for bodybuilding, success is usually measured differently. You may monitor your progress by tracking muscle size, symmetry, and the amount of lean body mass etc. 

Type of Training for Improvement

Now you know that strength training and bodybuilding focus on different end goals. So it is understandable that they will also include different training routines. 

Bodybuilding requires that you train in higher volumes and with shorter rest periods. Your workouts may include more reps and sets with lower weights. You may also focus on one muscle group at a time. 

Strength training on the other hand involves fewer reps with heavier weights. It has a longer rest period to allow for muscle recovery for better performance. While strength training, you may work on several muscle groups simultaneously to build overall strength. 

Weight Intensity

Since strength training involves improving your muscle’s functional ability, it requires putting your muscles through increased resistance. 

This is why, strength training involves lifting heavier loads and training closer to 1-RM. Muscle hypertrophy, on the other hand, may not always need heavier loads and you might be able to make your muscles grow through a wider range of reps. 

Types of Exercise

If you are working towards building strength, you may benefit more from a specific set of exercises and their variations to test and improve your strength. You might be able to build a routine around these exercises and eventually add to the intensity for better results.

A bodybuilder, however, will perform different exercises to increase muscle size and definition. 

The Importance of Cardio

Cardio, short for cardiorespiratory fitness, is vital for every individual, regardless of how they train. However the importance of cardio-focused exercises and the expected outcome varies based on whether you are training for strength or muscles. 

For bodybuilding, cardio-focused exercises will help you manage your body weight and body fat composition more effectively. During strength training, cardio exercises will help you improve your physical performance. This will help you train with higher volumes to improve strength. 

Strength Training vs Bodybuilding: What Should You Do? 

Whether you should prioritize strength training or enroll in a bodybuilding program depends on your end goal. 

If you want stronger muscles, strength training may be right for you. But if looking bulkier is your goal, you may benefit more from a dedicated bodybuilding program. 

Ask yourself whether you want to look bigger or be stronger. Also, assess your capability to commit to the exercise routines involved in either type of training. Then decide whether you want to focus on strength training or bodybuilding. 

Also, remember that while it is a good idea to push yourself to your limits, going overboard may prevent you from accomplishing your goals. Therefore, give yourself ample rest. Also, learn to listen to your body to prevent injury and ensure that you can continue hitting the gym with maximum performance capacity.