Ever noticed how some people can bench press impressive weights yet struggle with daily tasks like carrying a heavy box? Strength training is more than just sheer power; it’s about cultivating balanced, functional strength that improves your everyday life. The Ideal Strength Standards serve as a guide to achieve this balance via essential movement patterns.
Foundational Movement Patterns
The Ideal Strength Standards emphasize 8 key movement patterns:
Squat: A lower-body movement that involves bending at the knees, hips, and ankles that engages the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It mimics everyday actions like sitting and standing.
Hip-Hinge: A lower-body movement involving bending at the hips and knees slightly with posterior chain engagement, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. A common exercise is the deadlift or RDL.
Lunge: A single-leg movement that enhances balance and stability while working the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. This includes exercises such as lunges, step-ups, and single-leg RDL’s.
Vertical Push: Involves pushing weight overhead, engaging the shoulders, triceps, and upper chest. Examples include overhead presses and higher incline presses.
Vertical Pull: Involves pulling weight down from above, primarily engaging the back and biceps. Common exercises are pull-ups and lat pulldowns.
Horizontal Push: Involves pushing weight away from the body in a horizontal plane, working the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Bench presses and push-ups are a typical example.
Horizontal Pull: Involves pulling weight towards the body in a horizontal plane, targeting the back and biceps. Rows are a common exercise.
Carry Patterns: This movement pattern involves carrying weight over a distance, which emphasizes core stability, grip strength, and overall body coordination. It can also include moving your body through space or resisting forces in different positions. For dynamic expressions, exercises like farmers’ carries are ideal, where you walk while holding weights. For static variations, exercises like planks are excellent examples, where you hold a position to build strength and stability.
These patterns are assessed and ranked across skill levels from one to seven, providing benchmarks that correspond to each movement. The standards are differentiated for men and women based on relative strength, with benchmarks calculated as multipliers of bodyweight to ensure a balanced approach to training.
Importance of Balance in Movement Patterns
Achieving functional strength means maintaining balance across all movement patterns. For instance, imagine a scenario where someone excels in squatting but has a significant weakness in single leg training. This imbalance can lead to a higher risk of injury due to the disproportionate development of muscle groups. Similarly, an imbalance between upper body pushing and pulling strength can predispose one to shoulder issues.
Maintaining balanced development across these patterns ensures comprehensive strength and reduces the risk of neglecting any critical areas. This holistic approach to training embodies the philosophy that true strength isn’t just about lifting heavier weights; it’s about how well your body can perform a variety of movements efficiently and safely.
Levels of Strength
The seven levels range from introductory to advanced, each becoming exponentially harder:
Level One (and below): This is the starting point, aimed at beginners or those recovering from injury. Movements involve basic exercises like lightly loaded goblet squats and dowel Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) to learn proper technique. Most people can achieve a level one with some basic coaching.
Level Two: At this stage, strength and functional awareness develop through self-limiting exercises heavier like goblet squats, where posture and core strength limit the load. These exercises ensure good technique while preventing overloading.
Level Three: The goal for most clients, this level indicates functional strength. Exercises at this stage help improve bodyweight management, build muscle mass, and increase bone density. Reaching this level usually takes about a year of consistent training.
Level Four: This level represents intermediate strength, achieved after consistent training over several years. Progressing from level three to level four takes longer than from 2 to 3, reflecting higher fitness and strength development. This stage is a hallmark for those who prioritize regular strength training in their lives.
Level Five: At this point, trainees may have specific performance or aesthetic goals. This level poses a higher challenge suiting those who enjoy strength training challenges or compete in strength sports. It indicates an advanced level of strength and dedication to training.
Level Six: Reserved for advanced individuals who have trained for a decade or more. This level indicates a high dedication to strength training and significant progress.
Level Seven: Reserved for elite athletes, this level is benchmarked against world-class strength standards. It’s the pinnacle of strength training, ideal for those who compete in strength sports at a high level.
Practical Application and Training Philosophy
The goal is to progress through these levels, ensuring all movement patterns are within one tier of each other. For example, if your lunge pattern is significantly weaker than your squat and hinge, you need to focus on improving single-leg stability to prevent injuries.
The progression through these levels is visualized using a spider web graph, providing a clear representation of an individual’s strengths and areas needing improvement. Early-stage strength training often relies on tools like cable machines, dumbbells, and kettlebells, while barbell exercises become more prominent at higher levels due to their load-bearing nature and mastery of movement patterns.
The Ideal Strength Standards encapsulate a holistic approach to strength training. By focusing on balanced development across foundational movement patterns, individuals can achieve functional strength, reduce injury risks, and embark on a lifelong fitness journey.
Whether you’re just starting or aiming for advanced levels, these standards provide a clear, structured path to follow. Begin assessing your current strength levels and plan your training accordingly to ensure balanced growth and long-term success.
Download Ideal Strength Standards
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