Functional Strength

When I did stronglifts, I did it my way...there order/sets/reps, but I didn't start with the bar. I started with the heaviest weight I could properly do the exercise with. And then my strength went through the roof.

My question is, and anyone who knows more on this, is having high numbers on Bench, Row's, Squats equatable to functional strength.

Does benching 300 lbs equate to anything substantial in the golf swing?

Also, does being able to keep improving your max actually mean you are gaining strength? I've read in a few places that muscle growth plateaus pretty fast after the first couple years of working out. Basically, a person will likely put in a lot of muscle mass the first year, less the 2nd, and so on. Those people who are working out for years might only see maybe a few lbs of muscle mass a year.

I am wondering is the max rep number more on being very good at just doing a bench press or is it actual strength. I know in some regards learning the movement, and performing it in an efficient way can let someone lift more. Basically developing those neurological pathways towards that lifting movement.

Just pondering if it is actually worth being able to lift that much weight, besides personal accomplishments?

My question is, and anyone who knows more on this, is having high numbers on Bench, Row's, Squats equatable to functional strength.

Does benching 300 lbs equate to anything substantial in the golf swing?

Also, does being able to keep improving your max actually mean you are gaining strength? I've read in a few places that muscle growth plateaus pretty fast after the first couple years of working out. Basically, a person will likely put in a lot of muscle mass the first year, less the 2nd, and so on. Those people who are working out for years might only see maybe a few lbs of muscle mass a year.

I am wondering is the max rep number more on being very good at just doing a bench press or is it actual strength. I know in some regards learning the movement, and performing it in an efficient way can let someone lift more. Basically developing those neurological pathways towards that lifting movement.

Just pondering if it is actually worth being able to lift that much weight, besides personal accomplishments?

Your body adapts to the demands placed on it.  Muscle growth typically plateaus after a few years because people fail to place greater demands on their muscles to stimulate growth.  In order to maintain muscle growth you have to work the muscles differently.  You can't just go and do bench presses every day, even if you increase the weight.  Supersets, negatives, etc were created to put additional stress on the muscles and stimulate growth.

I don't know that being able to bench 350 will help you in golf, but Tiger and Rory seem to believe adding muscle helps in some way.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/whats-my-genetic-muscular-potential/

This is where I got that information. Usually after 4 years a person will only see 2-3 lbs per year of muscle gains. This is assuming proper training. If a person sees higher gains it is because they didn't optimally train in those first 3 years.

Still, that is just average, some people might be able to put on more. I would bet most people are close to the average.

That said, take a look at the natural body builders who are randomly tested for PEDS and have packed on quite a bit of muscle with just hard work in the gym and healthy eating.

http://www.naturalbodybuilding.com/pages/pages/banned_substances.php

I don't think people realize how much size 15lbs - 20lbs of muscle adds to the frame.  I'd guess Rory has put on at least 10 - 15 lbs of muscle in the last year.

I don't dispute that our body types can limit the amount of muscle of bodies can naturally add, the whole endomorph, ectomorph, mesomorph thing.

That said, take a look at the natural body builders who are randomly tested for PEDS and have packed on quite a bit of muscle with just hard work in the gym and healthy eating.

I wouldn't consider Body Builders as a good example.

They do tricks like carb loading and drinking tons of water to make their muscles stand out more. I think there are a few other tricks they use to look bigger as well. I still would say they are not gaining much muscle mass year to year.

With out looking at their work out routines, I wouldn't assume they are your standard weight lifters in the gym every week doing progressions. There is a science behind body building over just gaining strength. There are people who look huge who don't bench nearly as much as some other people who actually train to lift that amount.

If you look at football players, they can lift crazy amounts of weight, but a lot of them don't look nearly as HUGE as some body builders do.

I wouldn't consider Body Builders as a good example.

They do tricks like carb loading and drinking tons of water to make their muscles stand out more. I think there are a few other tricks they use to look bigger as well. I still would say they are not gaining much muscle mass year to year.

With out looking at their work out routines, I wouldn't assume they are your standard weight lifters in the gym every week doing progressions. There is a science behind body building over just gaining strength. There are people who look huge who don't bench nearly as much as some other people who actually train to lift that amount.

If you look at football players, they can lift crazy amounts of weight, but a lot of them don't look nearly as HUGE as some body builders do.

Power lifting and body building are different disciplines but there's plenty of carry over.  Tom Platz was a body builder but also pushed a huge amount of weight when squatting.

Ronnie Coleman was benching 800 lbs, benching about 500, and deadlifting 800 lbs. For reps...not even his max.

To get big, you have to lift big...there's no way around it. There are different training techniques...for bodybuilding, you're generally in the 6-12 rep range...for power lifting, you're in the 1-5 rep range.

Ronnie Coleman was benching 800 lbs, benching about 500, and deadlifting 800 lbs. For reps...not even his max.

To get big, you have to lift big...there's no way around it. There are different training techniques...for bodybuilding, you're generally in the 6-12 rep range...for power lifting, you're in the 1-5 rep range.

Is that just difference in trying to gain max reps versus trying to gain bulkiness?

Is that just difference in trying to gain max reps versus trying to gain bulkiness?