Strength vs hypertrophy training: what's the difference?

Strength training aims to lift the most weight once or a few times. Hypertrophy training aims to grow muscle. The two overlap a lot, because a bigger muscle can lift more and getting stronger lets you use heavier weights for your growth sets. What changes is mostly how heavy, how many reps, and how much rest.

What's different

• Reps: strength work lives at 1 to 6 reps with heavy weights. Muscle grows across a wide range, from about 5 to 30 reps, as long as the sets are hard.
• Rest: heavy strength sets need 3 to 5 minutes. Growth sets do fine with 2 to 3. See how long to rest between sets.
• Exercises: strength is specific, so you practise the lift you want to get better at. For size you can use any exercise that loads the muscle well, machines and isolation moves included.
• Practice: heavy singles and triples are a skill. Strength lifters repeat the main lifts often to get good at them.

How to do both

Start each session with one main lift at 3 to 6 reps, then move to 8 to 15 reps for the rest of the workout. That's how most good programs work, and it suits nearly everyone who wants to be both bigger and stronger. See how many reps to build muscle and compound vs isolation exercises.

• Back squatQuads, Glutes
• Barbell bench pressChest
• Leg pressQuads, Glutes
• Cable flyChest

In Liftsmith

Liftsmith puts the loaded compound lifts first and the accessories after, sets your reps and weights from what you've logged, and lets you pick strength, muscle or general fitness as your goal.