The purpose of the work was to study the peculiarities of changes in the indicators of the development of maximum muscle strength in bodybuilders under the conditions of using a complex of exercises on simulators and with free weight load against the background of load modes of different intensity. Materials and methods. 64 bodybuilders aged 20 ± 1.2 years participated in the study. To solve the set purpose, 4 research groups were formed. The duration of the pedagogical experiment was 12 weeks. During the pedagogical experiment, the representatives of the surveyed groups used a set of exercises with free weight load and on simulators against the background of load modes of different intensity. The dynamics of the maximum muscle strength indicators (on the example of the deltoid, biceps and triceps muscles of the shoulder) of athletes in the given conditions of muscle activity was determined in the process of control testing. Results and discussion. It was established that in the course of 12 weeks, in the athletes of groups 1 and 3, who used sets of exercises with free weight load, an increase in strength capabilities under the conditions of moderate intensity loads by 14.8% and 18.7% during high intensity power loads compared to initial data, was observed. It was revealed that among the representatives of groups 2 and 4, who in the course of the pedagogical experiment used a set of exercises on simulators during training, the indicators of the development of the maximum muscle strength of the controlled muscle groups on average show an increase in parameters by 16.5% against the background of the loads of the average intensity (Ra=0.58) and 20.7% – of high intensity loads (Ra=0.71) compared to the results fixed at the beginning of the study. It was investigated that even under the conditions of using a set of exercises with free weight load, but during the mode of high intensity loads, the development of maximum muscle strength of athletes is 2.2% higher, compared to the results recorded during moderate intensity loads on simulators for the same period of time. Conclusion. The use of predominantly strength exercises on simulators in the process of training activities in bodybuilding, especially in conditions of high intensity loads (Ra=0.71) against the background of a small amount of work, contributes to the greatest development of the maximum muscle strength of athletes, compared to the data revealed during control testing of the studied indicators in exercises with free weight load, regardless of the load modes