How to Gain Strength 

There is absolute strength and maximal strength. Absolute strength is 100% of what you are capable of, it’s your 1 rep max. Your goal is to increase your 1 rep max but that is not how you train. You train at 85%-95% of your 1 rep max, that is maximal strength. By training in your maximal strength you are getting stronger but not over taxing your nervous system because you have to come back the next day or the day after and train again. The body needs minimum 24 hrs to recover for the next strength session. But if you train in absolute strength/ failure all the time you will not recover and strength is gained by challenging your nervous system, allowing it to recover so you can come back stronger and do more than you did the training before. So leave 1 rep in reserve, If you know that you can do 3 reps of an exercise (eg pull ups) then all your sets do 2 reps! Train in the 1-5 rep range, for isometrics (page 28) 1-12s, eccentrics 1-5 reps, each rep 7 seconds (page 28). Strength trains the nervous system, that’s why you don’t feel the pump in your muscle when you train and that’s important because you have to feel fresh. 3 days per week is ideal but listen to your body maybe you can only do 2 or maybe you recover very well and can do 4 days.