When it comes to strength training, various methods promise optimal results. Among these, Maximal Strength Training (MST) and Explosive Strength Training (EST) are frequently discussed. But how do they truly stack up against each other? Research has delved into comparing these methodologies to understand their effectiveness on different aspects of strength development. This article will explore a study that directly compared MST to EST, alongside Hypertrophy Training (HT), to determine which approach yields superior gains in bench press performance, a key indicator of upper body strength.
A study investigated the adaptations from eight weeks of MST, HT, and EST in moderately trained individuals. Sixty-three participants, both male and female, were divided into groups performing MST, HT, EST, or a control group. MST involved 4 sets of 4 repetitions at or above 85% of their 1-repetition maximum (1RM). HT was conducted with 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions at approximately 70-80% of 1RM. EST was performed using bench press throws for 4 sets of 6-7 repetitions at 40% of 1RM. Researchers assessed maximal strength (1RM), explosive strength (rate of force development – RFD), velocity during lifting (mean propulsive velocity – MPV), and muscle hypertrophy before and after the training period.
The findings revealed that both MST and HT led to significantly greater improvements in 1RM compared to EST and the control group. Specifically, MST showed a +21.5% increase and HT a +17.9% increase in 1RM, while EST only showed a +5.9% increase. This clearly indicates that for building maximal strength, MST and HT are considerably more effective than EST.
In terms of explosive strength, measured by RFD at 50% of 1RM, MST again demonstrated superior results, with a +58.4% increase. HT also showed a significant improvement (+38.9%), while EST, although showing improvement, was less effective than MST (+27.1%). This suggests that MST not only enhances maximal strength but also contributes more significantly to the rate at which force can be produced, a crucial component of explosive power.
Analyzing MPV across different loads (20-80% of 1RM) further highlighted the advantages of MST. MST led to greater increases in MPV compared to the control group across all loads. Importantly, MST also outperformed EST at higher loads (80% and 60% of 1RM), and showed a strong trend towards being more effective even at 40% of 1RM. This implies that MST is more effective at improving lifting velocity, especially when dealing with moderate to heavy weights.
The study concluded that MST and HT are more effective than EST for enhancing both maximal strength and explosive strength, particularly when facing moderate to high loads. Even at lower loads, EST did not prove to be more beneficial than MST or HT, despite its focus on velocity. The results underscore that for improving overall strength performance across the load-velocity spectrum, gains in muscle strength appear to be more critical than simply focusing on velocity specificity as emphasized in EST. Therefore, when the goal is to maximize strength gains, MST and HT should be prioritized over EST.
