Strength Training

Strength is defined by the maximum amount of force that a muscle or group of muscles can produce. The most common way to test strength is through a 1RM of a given exercise. The 1RM is exercise specific, but it can still help make predictions of athletic performance. The most common tests of strength are the 1RM bench press, squat, deadlift, and overhead press. I personally like to know an athletes 1RM pull up as well.
The reason it is important to know an athletes 1RM is so that there is a reference point off which a program can be developed. 1RM can also be a good (not perfect) predictor of an athlete’s performance.
Research shows that to optimally gain strength, 80%+ 1RM should be used to send the proper signal for adaptation. While I fully agree with this, beginners to strength training will likely see strength gains through any type of resistance training. After about 6 months, it will be more and more necessary to have a program with specificity and progressive overload.

The body adapts to strength training so many ways- some of them we will not get into because the science is still unclear (the human body is incredible). We will get into some of the muscular, metabolic, and neural adaptations. Strength training will cause some hypertrophy (increase in muscle size) specifically for Type II (2) muscle fibers. There will also be local improvements of the ATP-PCr system and anaerobic processes to produce energy. The neural adaptations get the least credit and have the largest impact. With training, there will be more motor unit recruitment, synchronization of motor units, increased depolarization/repolarization, and new motor patterns created (making it easier for the body to perform a movement). The neural adaptations are heavily involved with improved technique and rate of force development.

Strength training should be done by every human on the planet. It helps improve resilience (injury prevention), force output (daily tasks/sport tasks are easier), and increased motor coordination. As far as tactical/athletic training, strength is the foundation on which speed, power, hypertrophy, and even muscular endurance is built.