We get questions all the time about how to increase lower body strength. Should I be squatting? Do I need to deadlift too? What kind of lifting program should I be doing? The most common question we get though, is "how often should I be squatting to increase my strength?" Well, lets outline that a little bit further...
When it comes squatting, a good rule of thumb is to have two sessions a week focused on increasing strength.
These two sessions should look slightly different however. One session should be solely weight based. Something like a front squat or back squat, working with a certain percentage or rep scheme. This type of training will invoke muscle failure at times, causing the muscle to adapt, repair, & become stronger.
The second day that week, should be higher repetitions with low intensity. It could be more of a metabolic conditioning filled with lunges, air squats, or light barbell work. The goal here is to have many more cycles of range of motion under fatigue. However basic body mechanics should be the same though; sitting hip crease below knee to standing full extension at the top. This is going to also increase muscle endurance yet still have a positive result on absolute strength (1 rep max).
Strength gains vary person-to-person, and also from body type to body type. We have previously discussedthe three main body types, as well as the stimulus needed to build muscle. However, another influencing factor is the area of body you are going to be training. Different muscle groups respond differently to strength programs. Smaller muscle groups are not going to be able to handle as much volume as large groups. Smaller muscles also may require a different length of time to see strength gains.Well this is a good general rule of thumb, the best piece of advice is to work with a coach. Someone that can watch your mechanics as well as educate you about training adaptions. This kind of guidance is going to get much better strength gains in the long run. Click here to setup a a free session with one of our certified coaches today!
