The Generality of Strength Adaptation

Abstract

The generality of strength suggests that a "strong" individual will typically exhibit higher values of strength across a wide range of strength tasks for a given muscle relative to their weaker counterpart. This concept is often extended to adaptation, suggesting that increasing strength on a given movement or strength task with a given muscle should reflect an increase in other movements or tasks using that same muscle. The concept of a generality of strength adaptation appears less supported in the literature.Objective: To elaborate on recommendations for strength assessment, providing a focus on the "generality of strength" and the "generality of strength adaptation." Design & Methods:We reviewed the literature on a generality of strength. In addition, we examined the resistance training literature to provide evidence and discussion on a generality of strength adaptation. Results/Conclusions:The generality of strength adaptation, even across strength skills using the same muscle on related movements seems quite low. Although some studies show a weak generality of strength adaptation and others show no generality of strength adaptation, it appears that increases in strength diminish as the strength assessment becomes farther removed from the actual training stimulus.(Journal of Trainology 2019;8:5-8)

Long-term time-course of strength adaptation to minimal dose resistance training: Retrospective longitudinal growth modelling of a large cohort through training records

“…Of course, given the specificity of strength adaptation is dependent upon the way the variable is operationalised for measurement (Buckner et al, 2019), it may be possible to elicit continued improvement even after previous resistance training experience with specific training. By way of comparison to our existing results and to explore this, we applied the same longitudinal growth model to a random sample of 10,000 lifters (limited to exploring totals [kg] for squat/bench press/deadlift competition; (see https://osf.io/de3ws/ and https://osf.io/8jx3e/) from the Open Powerlifting dataset (https://openpowerlifting.gitlab.io/opl-csv/introduction.html).…”

Sensitive Periods to Train General Motor Abilities in Children and Adolescents: Do They Exist? A Critical Appraisal

“…Finally, different magnitudes of improvement has also been observed in isometric, isokinetic and isoinertial test conditions following a training program even though all measures are thought to reflect the general motor ability strength - (13). These findings collectively suggest that there are no general motor abilities, but rather that each motor skill is a result of a complex integration of abilities that are partly task specific.…”

Does increasing an athletes’ strength improve sports performance? A critical review with suggestions to help answer this, and other, causal questions in sport science

“…Indeed, it has been argued that many of these proxy measures may be poor surrogates for actual sports performance particularly considering the role of specific practice of tasks in skill acquisition. 24 Experimental research employing interventions such as resistance training to increase muscular strength does suggest that many of these proxy measures improve. 9,10 Yet this is not a consistent finding even for performance outcomes that could be considered as actual sports performance such as time trial performance.…”

“…In fact, the further removed a performance task/movement is from the specific training task/movement performed to improve strength, the less likely the strength improvements from training will transfer to improve its performance. 24 Even where the proxies of sports performance mentioned involve similar musculature, they differ considerably compared to the typical resistance training that might be performed to improve strength in a measure such as a one repetition maximum. Actual sports performance then represents a possible further step away.…”