Hypertrophy and strength training are both types of resistance training. Focusing on one area doesn’t mean you won’t see gains in the other, but varying your workouts can optimize your results.
Resistance training is a form of exercise that includes body weight and weightlifting exercises to
Two common types of resistance training include hypertrophy and strength training:
- Hypertrophy refers to increasing the physical size of your muscles and their cells.
- Strength refers to increasing the amount of external force your muscles can move.
Training for hypertrophy and training for strength are interconnected because they often occur at the same time.
For example, when you train for hypertrophy, the increased muscular size can increase your strength. Conversely, the ability to move heavier loads during strength training can lead to bigger muscles.
However, there may be some key differences to consider when it comes to your own fitness goals.
Keep reading to learn more.
Resistance training can help you focus on different aspects of your muscles, such as:
According to the National Association of Sports Medicine (NAMS), your muscles respond differently to certain types of training. This is known as muscular adaptations and is important to understand if you have specific goals in mind.
Hypertrophy training
Training for hypertrophy means you’re looking to increase the physical size of your muscles.
Hypertrophy occurs when
In the
Strength training
Training for strength involves training your nervous system to use as many muscle fibers as needed to overcome an external force.
Neuromuscular adaptation is a
Other aspects of muscular strength
Strength training plays a vital role in most sports and everyday life.
Starting out: Strength or size?
When you start resistance training, the NASM suggests first focusing on strength training to develop a strong foundation. Once you have a stable base, you can move into hypertrophy-focused training.
Also, when first starting out, you may not see major gains in size right away.
A 2018 review found that strength gains are typically noticeable after
Early gains in strength are most likely due to neural adaptations.
If you don’t see results right away, don’t get discouraged. Resistance training provides many health benefits besides getting stronger.
Limited research focuses on the benefits of choosing one specific type of resistance training instead of the other.
As a whole, resistance training can offer several health benefits,
- replacing body fat with lean muscle mass
- managing your weight
- increasing your metabolism
- increasing bone density, which may reduce osteoporosis risk
- improving blood lipid markers
- reducing the symptoms of chronic conditions, such as:
The type of training you choose may influence volume load and central nervous system activity.
Volume load
Volume load refers to the combined amount of weight, repetitions, and sets of your workouts.
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The authors found that when the total volume is high, you may experience more strength than hypertrophy gains. However, hypertrophy gains happen regardless of whether the volume load is low or high.
Central nervous system
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For example, the authors note that training only one leg for a period of time may lead to increased strength in the other, while hypertrophy only occurs in the trained leg.
Which type of training is better for weight loss?
Some people suggest hypertrophy training is better for weight loss because you perform more repetitions, which could burn more calories.
However, research suggests that resistance training – regardless of the specific focus – is beneficial for weight loss. Weight loss is dependent on maintaining a caloric deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume throughout the day.
As such, you can focus on strength training and still achieve your weight loss goals.
Acute training variables are the fundamental components of any training program, according to the NAMS.
Muscular adaptations require muscles to become damaged, stressed, and fatigued. Acute training variables help determine the amount and type of stress your body experiences, which can lead to the adaptations you want.
There are 10 acute training variables, but there are 5 key variables to consider for hypertrophy and strength.
Intensity
Intensity affects how quickly your muscles reach fatigue.
To be effective, the intensity you select needs to be enough to generate stress while allowing you to do enough reps to reach fatigue.
Reps
Reps refer to the number of times you perform the action of a particular exercise.
Reps and intensity have an inverse relationship: as your intensity increases, you need to decrease the number of reps you do.
- Strength: Aim for 1 to 5 reps at 85% to 100% of your single-rep weight capacity (one rep max, or 1RM).
- Hypertrophy: Aim to complete 6 to 12 reps at 75% to 85% of your 1RM.
It’s important to perform each rep safely, which means using proper technique and moving the weight with control.
Rest period
Rest periods vary between strength and hypertrophy training.
- Hypertrophy: 60 to 90 seconds, as too long may prevent the hypertrophic effect from occurring.
- Strength: 3 to 5 minutes, as without sufficient rest, you won’t be able to complete the necessary intensity needed to gain strength.
Sets
Sets are the number of times you perform the same exercise. Using the above example, you may do 3 sets of 10 reps of squats with rest periods in between each set.
- Hypertrophy: 3 to 5 sets per exercise
- Strength: 4 to 6 sets per exercise
To train for either, vary your intensity and reps so you can reach the ideal number of sets.
Exercise selection
Exercise selection can make a difference in your overall resistance training program.
A multiple-joint approach benefits training for hypertrophy or strength. This means your routine should include exercises that involve several muscle groups and joints in one action, known as compound exercises.
Some examples include:
For hypertrophy, working multiple muscle groups at once may promote uniform growth. For strength, working multiple groups at once can improve overall strength.
Bringing it all together
The following chart provides a basic example of the difference between training for hypertrophy and training for strength using the same exercise.
| Training type | Exercise | Example Max Intensity | Intensity | Reps | Rest period | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypertrophy | Rows | 20 lbs 1RM | 16 lbs (80% of 20) | 10 | 60 seconds | 4 |
| Strength | Rows | 20 lbs 1RM | 18 lbs (90% of 20) | 5 | 3 minutes | 5 |
Your workout regime will also differ based on your exercise experience and what you’re training for.
A beginner weightlifter looking to improve their general health will have a different program than an elite athlete training for a specific sport.
When done properly, resistance training is generally safe and effective in building size and strength.
However, it’s possible to experience injury by doing both hypertrophy and strength training.
Injury may result from poor lifting technique and overuse of the muscle. It’s also more commonly associated with training to failure, which is when you can no longer do the exercise properly.
In strength training, training to failure is when you try to achieve maximum force generation through minimal reps. In hypertrophy, training to failure happens after doing more reps with less weight.
It’s important to use proper lifting techniques by controlling your movements when performing an exercise.
You should also avoid lifting more weight than you can handle, as this may lead to injury.
For example, if it’s difficult to complete 10 reps of squats with your body weight, don’t add additional weight yet. Instead, focus on finishing your reps and sets at your base level and then increase your intensity once you can comfortably finish your routine.
If you’re not sure where to start, speak with a healthcare professional or personal trainer. They could help develop a resistance training program for you and show you the proper techniques for each exercise.
Which is better hypertrophy or strength?
The best type of training will depend on your goals. For example, hypertrophy may be better if you’re looking to increase muscle size, while strength training may be better if you want to get stronger.
Do bodybuilders do strength or hypertrophy?
Bodybuilders typically focus
Can you still build strength with hypertrophy?
Yes, you can still build strength with hypertrophy training.
Why do I get stronger but not bigger?
You may be getting stronger but not developing larger muscles if you’re focusing on strength training rather than hypertrophy training. This means you may be lifting heavier weights for 1 to 5 reps instead of lighter weights for 6 to 12 reps. Your rests may also be longer between sets.
Strength and hypertrophy training are part of resistance training, which may help increase your overall health.
Although training for one will increase the other, you can take steps to focus on one over the other.
Focusing on lifting heavier weights, lower reps, and executing fewer sets with full rests is likely to increase strength. By contrast, hypertrophy training involves moderate weight, higher reps, and more sets with limited rest in between.
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