Lately I have been asked, on several occasions, the following question. Does Strength and Conditioning build muscle? This seems like a strange question to me. Mainly, because is implies a lack of understanding about what is meant by the term Strength and Conditioning.
So, what is Strength and Conditioning? According to the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association, a Strength and Conditioning Coach is a coach who develops the physical capabilities of athlete populations. Fitness training for the general population is not in the Scope of Practice of Strength and Conditioning Coaches. In turn, physical preparation of athletic populations is not in the Scope of Practice of personal trainers that do not have additional training within the field of Strength and Conditioning.
So, now we have clarified what Strength and Conditioning means, we can turn our attention back to the original question. Namely, does Strength and Conditioning build muscle?
Does athlete conditioning build muscle?
Do athletes need to build muscle? This is actually the more relevant question, since, strength and conditioning is concerned with the physical preparation of athletes. We need to know whether increased muscle mass will result in an increase in physical output for a given sport. If the answer is yes, then strength and conditioning will be used to build muscle. However, many sports require athletes to be light. In these cases, strength and conditioning will not be used to build muscle.
Let us assume that those who asked the original question, do in fact, wish to build muscle. In this case, the question should change. Strength and Conditioning involves all kinds of training methods and training goals. Training to build muscle is just one possible goal from strength and conditioning. Therefore, we should be asking the question, what kind of training builds muscle?
How to Build Muscle
Gym based strength training is often associated with building muscle. This is with good reason. All else being equal, bigger muscles are stronger muscles. So, increasing muscle size is an important adaptation from training that leads to improved strength. The thing is, neuromuscular adaptations can also lead to improved strength, without any increase in muscle size.
So what kind of strength training will lead to increased muscle size?
There are three main mechanisms underpinning muscle building.
- Mechanical Tension
- Muscle Damage
- Metabolic Stress
In order to create sufficient mechanical tension it is necessary to use heavy loads. In order to create sufficient metabolic stress it is necessary to perform enough repetitions per set and to have short enough recovery periods between sets. As such, a sweet spot is known to be perfect for building muscle. This sweet spot involves six to twelve repetitions (per set) being performed, with the sets being taken close to failure. Less than six repetitions, and it may not be enough to create sufficient metabolic stress. More than twelve repetitions, and it may not be enough load to create sufficient mechanical tension.
Muscle Damage to Build Muscle and Strength
Taking the sets close to failure is also important, as it is likely those final few repetitions, which are extremely difficult to complete, are the ones to result in muscle damage. We also need to perform a sufficient number of sets per session in order to produce sufficient muscle damage. The necessary number of sets is specific to the individual. Beginners will need fewer working sets. Ten working sets could be enough per session for a beginner. Very advanced bodybuilders could need in excess of 30 working sets per session. For most people it will be somewhere in between. Fifteen to twenty working sets per session is often ideal.
Of course there is much more to building muscle than this. However, adhering to the three mechanisms underpinning muscle building is a great place to start. By doing this, you are likely to be performing six to twelve repetitions per set. You are likely to be taking each working set close to failure. You are also likely to be taking relatively short recoveries in between sets. Beyond these key points, additional things to consider include exercise selection, exercise execution, periodisation, and nutrition.
The number of training sessions per week dedicated to muscle building is another important consideration. If you are training for a sport then you will have to make do with fewer gym sessions. In this case, two gym sessions per week is usually appropriate. If you are just training for muscle growth, for its own sake, then you can build up to as many as six gym sessions per week.
York Personal Training
It is beyond the scope of this article to go into all of the different areas that might influence muscle growth. Perhaps I will create some future articles covering all of these different areas. However, in the mean time, if you wish to get the most out you muscle building efforts, you may be interested in personal training.
Personal training takes place with myself, Tim Egerton. Personal training takes place at Egerton’s Garage Gym (The EGG), in York. Egerton’s Garage Gym is a completely private personal training gym, kitted out to the highest possible spec. The EGG is a strength training gym. It contains equipment from world leading strength training brands. These include: Eleiko, Watson, and Hammer Strength.
With personal training at The EGG, you receive specialised attention from myself. I hold a Masters Degree in Strength and Conditioning. I am a former university lecturer in Strength and Conditioning. Amongst my past and present client base are Olympic athletes, world champions and Commonwealth Games medallists. I am a former international athlete myself.
It is safe to say that if you choose me as your personal trainer, then you are in good hands. You can find out more about personal training with me by following the link below.
If you have any more questions about personal training in York, then do get in touch. I am always happy to answer your questions. We can even arrange for a visit to The EGG to see it for yourself!
For now, keep training hard, and I will speak to you soon!
Tim Egerton, Foxwood Personal Training, York