Honestly, I could listen to you educate all day. Even though you’re using words that are not in a common man’s vernacular 😂

Powerlifted in my youth and young adulthood. Low volume, low rep compound movements. Now, at 67 years old. I'm working out for longevity...not my ego. High volume, high reps, still high intensity, and my joints and heart are very thankful. Great video. I appreciate you and what you bring to the sport.

I'm training for strength. My wife was diagnosed with myotonic muscular dystrophy. She became weaker and I've had to lift and sometimes carry her. Would it be possible to get an autographed picture of you for my home gym. I have inspirational pictures in there that I look to when I'm having a hard time finding the motivation to workout. God Bless and have a great day!

The thing that goes unmentioned here (though surely not through lack of knowledge) is the nervous system. People don't appreciate how big of a part it plays and how specific of a skill something like a 1rm is.

Good ol' Nick Best still killing it at 50+! 😅

Started going for asthetocs when I started at the gym 9 months ago. I was chubby and overweight and wanted to get “shredded” Then I realized I had the body type for strength being taller, wide and thicker. That combined with actually enjoying DLs and squats more that most other exercises, I shifted very quick to strength training and have noticed I’ve been getting bigger but with less shape, but more importantly, healthier and still losing some unnecessary fat. And I feel great! I’m for sure too old to ever compete but I love getting stronger everyday, and I love the feeling of being stronger than I appear physically. Love your video content Mitch! Master trainer and educator, keep it up. Go Canada!

Excellent video as usual. Thanks Mitch!

The last few educational posts have been tremendously informative. Keep spreading the knowledge, LHBK.

I had a general understanding, but very well explained, thanks Mitch

thank you. you make this stuff make sense.

Wow, loads of vids. Thanks Mitch.

Nice insight. Always trained to be strong!

Just coming across you brother, great explanation ❤

Love listening to you. Super smart 😊

I'm trying to get stronger rather than look better - but stronger in a slightly different way. Going more for strength endurance that helps me out with daily tasks and life functions. My training goes through both lifting progressively heavier - but in a variety of movement patterns such as you discuss here that bring more muscle groups into play. The other aspect of my training is prolonged periods of more moderate weights, but in explosive patterns, things like a variety of kettlebell movements over a sustained period without stopping, or clubbells, macebells, etc which all allow my body to endure patterns of movement that again bring lots of muscle groups into play - but do so for very long periods of time. For example, a kettlebell routine I commonly go through (at least once, if not twice a week) lasts for between 1 and 1 and a half hours and is a series of movements that utlize legs, posterior chain, chest, shoulders, arms, etc. While I do track the productivity in sets (usually 10 sets of 10 for each movement), there's no rest between sets as the goal is to simply be better at doing things outside of the gym for sustained periods of time. If I want to spend several hours working in my yard - the ability to lift 500 lbs a few times doesn't help me as much as being able to sling around a more moderate weight in dynamic patterns for hours on end. But this is where my mindset differs slightly from the "experts" in both fields. Kettlebell folk will say you never need to lift weights, just stick with the bell. Strength folk will look at long-cycle training with kettlebells as moving light weight around for ever and see it as pointless. The two can marry - heavy weight training has allowed me to progress to heavier weights in the kettlebell side of my training without feeling like I will injure myself. Likewise, the heavier and longer cycle kettlebell training has allowed me to shift more weight per rep in the shorter and more focused strength training. Not saying I'll be crazy strong, but I have improved both my raw strength and my muscle endurance - and it's much more fun than trying to get a pump.

Thanks for being a cool guy when i met you at K-days in Edmonton this summer . Especially since i accidentally interrupted your interview . I didnt realize you were recording but you were really awesome about it and i got a great picture with a legend . Stay strong and stay kind brother.

Good explanation respect to you

Very much appreciated Mr. Hopper.. Thank you

I enjoy these little walks. motivates me to go walking, thanks

Dude is so knowledgeable. Love it

I just try and keep a good balance between both, so I can progress at everything at a steady pace. My general workout is more bodybuilding oriented, high reps with low rest and a lot of exercises, but I also regularly train my compounds like bench, overhead, deadlift and squat for heavy sets of 3-4 with longer rest times and more sets. I'm sure there's a lot I could do to make my training more effective, but I've gradually settled into this self made program that seems to work well for my goals.

I actually train in my week 80% like a bodybuilder and 20% strongman. I have always been athletic and done those dynamic compound movements and didn’t stop when I was training for a show, and I always done heavy training with dropsets each set for volume while improving strength and power but keeping cut as well. So when I decided to do my first strongman 2 weeks ago (video on channel), I just added events day and a few exercises a week and responded really well, but have kept that body fat off. That does have a few drawbacks like he mentioned but not much

My thoughts are that the potential for this strongman fitness house to reach out to people that aren’t huge. I feel a bit of a disconnect from the community, by not walking around 300 pounds. I guess it’s really just a reminder that you’re following right now is everybody; but it has to reach out to everybody or they’re going to lose interest I’m getting into your programs, I’m watching the chats, but it feels like a bit of an exclusive club… It doesn’t affect my training, it only affects where I get my information from. Super proud of your accomplishments. I certainly relate to your education, your previous experiences, and where you are now. Keep up the good work

Thank you for the breakdown. I'm training to be strong-- my goal is to pull a bus for charity by the time I'm 50 (or while I'm 50, that still counts). I turn 47 this year. There's a non-profit veterinary hospital in our area that operates on a sliding scale; if a person has low or no income, they'll still treat their pets. I want to raise money for them. What's the point of being strong if we can't use our power for good?

What if you're training to have a solid mix of both? Being able to move big weights, but also the ability to be agile and move with relative speed?

This is a good series.

Amazing content!

I’m training mostly for longevity haha. (Figuring things out as I go with self experimentation) if I can do sets of push-ups, pull-ups and dips and have the endurance to be very active in the heat or cold. I’m pretty strong and content.

Amazing Thank You Bradda’h Hoop💪🤙🏾💪🤙🏾🏋🏽‍♀️🏋🏽‍♀️💯💯

I started lifting for overall health 3 months after a back, rib and shoulder injury that had me having to take it super easy for a while to heal. And I mixed in some rucking into my training, with a monthly 2.5km ruck

Let me summarize for the bros. Genetics is everything. If your lift heavy, you get big and strong. If you bodybuild you get big but not as strong. If you you do steroids it will help with recovery. So do all of those and you will be worlds strongest man.

awesome video mitch

I bodybuild to look like a strongman. I like the look of strength but don't really have any interest in the numbers themselves. I just want to be a big thick man.

It might be confusing for most people to grasp onto these concepts, since you’re literally a mountain of a man, an athlete in strength sports. So getting big is a matter of time, and I chose to do it slower than most people, opting for functional strength. Great video, Congrats from Brazil 🇧🇷

Training to be strong, but also 200lbs is big for me as I'm on a rather small frame at 5'9", so it all works out. :D

I'm liking your strongmann stuff and cardio necessity, what is your view on swimming? Must be fantastic cardio for bigger guys

Strong & Big 💪

Perhaps you guys can give me your opinion, been training for 12 years like this. I have gained weight and stayed strong (relative for someone doing the movements once a week). I always the bigger movements first. for example leg day. Start of with heavy squats low rep for strength. The rest of my workout consists of getting that pump. Perhaps this is counter-productive but i found this fits well for my body and goals to look good and stay strong. let me know if anyone else trains like this

I notice that not only are you strong but you're also athletic. Does this difference also apply to training for performance/athleticism?

There is a sweet spot within the 2 which to me will always be the most ideal way to go about it. I like the definition in my arms and lower legs but everything else i would like for it to be similar to what Mitch has currently of looking like a Bear lol

Thanks for this video. I'm training to be reasonably strong - enough so that I can continue to do chores like splitting wood into my old age. I'd like to avoid CAD, stroke, diabetes dementia and kidney failure as I've seen many people suffer tremendously in their lives from them.

I'm training for strength and mobility as I near 50. Finally someone brought up Wolff's Law! ❤ Every time someone tries to explain why weight training increases bone density I scream when they don't bring up Wolff's Law!

As I'm getting older my strength has lessened but my intensity has increased and my focus and mind-muscle connection has improved vastly. I'm 43 in two days and can still bench 335 1rm and squat 425 2rm with good form. But I'm 6' 215lbs so I'm no Goliath. Twinged my back a few years back doing deads, how much am I leaving on the table by not focusing on deadlifts?

Im training to be in good shape and health. Thats it 😅 when i started to train it was to get abs because girls liked it back then (zyzz peak era). But i just got bigger the harder I train… so now I go for long runs to get leaner and it works.

Just super informative bro.

training to be strong! ...hoping to compete in U105kg strongman soon 🤞

This made perfect sense to me 🎉

As a dynamically disabled Athele (Bipolar Disorder and hypermobile ehlers danlos syndrome), I train for a particular type of strength. Stability strength and mental strength. I have to train every single tiny stabilizer and there are so many of them. Great for mind muscle connection though.

Super interesting!

Training to be strong 🎉

Smart advice, have to admit though I think having a strong core, even a big blocky core is a more powerful and desirable look than a tiny waist. Maybe not to instagram, but certainly in my eyes.

I'm training to be strong enough, big enough, but most importantly healthy and ready for any situation that my body might go through. However, I do specialise in grip training and that's my love.

man, these 500lbs deadlift reps are looking great on Nick

Training for size. Natural Hypertrophy and Enkiri Elite are talking about this with each other right now.

. Great video

Training for a mix of both

My problem is when I try to do my strength block, I can never get the weight right. If I were doing 10 to 12 reps with a weight during my hypertrophy block, I add 20% and shoot for 4 to 6, which depending on the exercise, translates into 6 to 8. Maybe I need bigger jumps, 25% or 30%.

Damn, that is a NICE neighborhood. As a Canadian myself, I know how much thede houses can be wowza!

I just started a high volume 15-25 rep sets the 25 reps feels like death on the last set

I’m training to Lift Heavy and Be Kind 😎

I've been training to ensure I can watch as many strongman shows as possible. I'm learning to sleep with one eye closed and the other on the show! LOL

For me, and only because he asked, I wanted to train heavy, but I realized that I didn't want to injure myself. So to lose weight, I'm doing the "bodybuilding" workouts. Once I'm at my goal weight, we'll see.

I hybrid train with the two :) get results from both :)

Training to be strong

I train to be big and I really dont care how much weight moves up and down. As little as needed is the goal.

If you're training for absolute strength would there come a point at which you'll hit a sort of strength ceiling of your current body and would therefore NEED to start training for size specifically in order to raise that cap?

Personally as a tall lean guy who’s always had a 32” waist I’ve always idolized guys with thick waists I’ve always thought it looked powerful and masculine. Something to aspire to. This guy could sword fight with another guy and get cut on the abdomen but because he’s got 4 inches thick of abdominal muscle he’ll be fine. I’m a core machine I’ve been doing decline sit-ups for a long time consistently. Did them with 1/4 body weight extra for 6 months. In a couple months I’m gonna start doing them with half body weight! I’m suuuper excited!

I'm training to not get injured again and body building is a strength sport where I can get away with not squating, deadlifting or benching. I miss the big three but my recovery has been possible with a higher rep, lower weight style of training.

Training for state of mind .

Training for strength and longevity.

I try to do both but I lean towards the getting bigger side

Why not do the best of both worlds? Work up to a few heavy/low rep sets each workout and then burn the muscles out with some high rep/drops sets? Example: Work up to a bench press of 315 pounds for 3-5 reps. And then immediately following that set, drop the weight to 135 and rep out 25 slow and controlled reps.

Don't forget age. Age also plays a factor in how often you train, recovery, and how you train.

im training to be fit and healthy

Strength. Fun!

Training for joints only, so from a lifetime of physical work that is low reps, heavy weight (5*5) thoughts?

Traning to not die right here!

What a beautiful neighborhood.

Strong.

Can anyone ID that overhead press machine that they were using early in the video? Not a big deal if not but I just want to see how my numbers stack up against a pro's based on weight percentages.

I have terrible genetics for size, so I focused more on my strength. Nowadays I just maintain

Almost 45yo and 6’3” always been chasing size over strength, never seemed blessed with big strength and it’s not for a lack of trying.

I try both I like to be in between strong and big I do it for my self

Tell us more about gear. :)

I usually do my 3 times 10 but i do first 10 reps 60% then increse the weight so my 3rd set is 90% if im able to do 5 reps on the last set im happy but my goal is 10 so i continue with rest pause until i reach the last rep

Isn't there an old adage "mass moves mass"

I like the walk and talk kinda like jay walk with jay cutler

Love the insight in your videos Mitch but I have to disagree on one thing. You can very easily go from high volume, low intensity training to low volume, high intensity training without having to fear getting hurt by not using momentum in your movements and performing them slowly, even doing a short pause at the end of the eccentric phase. Momentum is the number 1 reason for injuries to occur, take it out of the equation and you´ll be fine, if the weight is too heavy for you, you won´´t be able to lift it. And if you stay away from squats and deadlifts as a bodybuilder,, which is like blasphemy, I know, and mainly train with machines, there´s nothing to worry about. Of course this only works for bodybuilders as you strongmen and powerlifters have to train the movements exactly the way you´re doing them in competition.

Currently i am trying Bodybuilding, primarily for muscle growth. Still need to lose some weights. But i am not so confesed with low-fat like Bodybuilders. I would never try to get under 10% body fat is this seems to me to not be healthy at all. I feel fine having some more body fat maybe 15% to 20%, also i think it looks better. So maybe Bodybuilding is not the perfect goal for me. But also during Bodybuilding trying i realize that i have a lot more fun with Strength Training. I am also not interesting in that extremely high-rep ranges. Even if i think that it is awesome that someone can do 1000 push-ups in one hour for example, something i maybe myself will never accomplish in my life, but i have no interest in it. It would be boring for me like hell. So maybe some kind of more Strength Focus Sport seems better for me.

Trying to be the best Masters Hammer Thrower I can be. While being able to throw a capable Wt, Super Wt, Ultra Wt with 2 or 3 turns..

I feel like I am big enough and don’t think I will be able to get any bigger at this point. I really just want to get strong. I’m definitely not strong for my size. I am trying everything I can to just get strong and I am not succeeding.

💯🔥

training for powerlifting strength (and keeping general health in check with hikes/runs). 6’ 230# not planning to get much bigger until I feel recomped at current body weight

I’m training to be big and strong 😉

I’d diss agree when it comes to bench and shoulder press strongmen will always be much much stronger in any lift

A great contrast would be bodybuilder who mostly does isolation stuff vs strongman. Strength is movement based, muscle size is .. muscle based. It appears there is great genetic component - Northern (Viking) and Eastern (Slav) Caucasian men have the right build - large frame all around, large shoulders, ribcage, pelvis - thick joints. For most strength feats short limbs and long torso is better. Men who excel in aesthetics have almost the opposite build - tiny pelvis is requirement, small joints are advantageous for muscles to pop, long legs are pretty. I don't think fat helps that much. Look at some of the peak polish strongmen (Mariusz Pudzianowski) - not much fat to speak of. It is that to get into generous size, most can't hold the fat at bay and it is kind of a side product, doesn't help but doesn't hurt either.

What about powerbuilding?

Thanks! So.. the best way to lose visceral fat is to do higher reps with less rest or a faster pace?

Strong

Forget sets, reps and exercise selection when it comes to the difference between strength training and size training. The most archetypal difference I learned between the two methods are increasing and decreasing the internal forces that a certain weight puts on the muscle. A powerlifter that trains for strength in the one rep max would want to get as much mechanical lifting efficiency by decreasing the internal forces that the weight puts on his muscles. While a bodybuilder training for size wants to maximize the internal forces that a certain amount of weight puts on his muscles.