How To Improve Strength: Techniques & Factors

Physical strength is the measure of the exertion of force on physical objects. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.

An individual's physical strength is determined by two factors; the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers recruited to generate force and the intensity of the recruitment.

Individuals with a high proportion of type I slow twitch muscle fibers will be relatively weaker than a similar individual with a high proportion of type II fast twitch fibers, but would have a greater inherent capacity for physical endurance. The genetic inheritance of muscle fiber type sets the outermost boundaries of physical strength possible (barring the use of enhancing agents such as testosterone), though the unique position within this envelope is determined by training. Individual muscle fiber ratios can be determined through a muscle biopsy.

Other considerations are the ability to recruit muscle fibers for a particular activity, joint angles, and the length of each limb. For a given cross-section, shorter limbs are able to lift more weight.

The ability to gain muscle also varies person to person, based mainly upon genes dictating the amounts of hormones secreted, but also on sex, age, health of the person, and adequate nutrients in the diet. A one-repetition maximum test is the most accurate way to determine maximum muscular strength.

Musculoskeletal

19 causes

Protective Factors	Studies
Protective Factor Panax Ginseng Herb	1 study Ginseng therapy in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Study in 1995 +133% with Moderate evidence in 6 months 36 subjects
Protective Factor Exercise Recovery Musculoskeletal system	1 study Short inter-set rest blunts resistance exercise-induced increases i... Study in 2016 +105% with Moderate evidence in 24 hours 16 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Strength Training Selfcare	4 studies Testosterone, Growth Hormone and IGF-I Responses to Acute and Chron... Study in 1995 +38% with Moderate evidence in 16 weeks 13 subjects Muscle tenderness and peak torque changes after downhill running fo... Study in 1996 +11% with Low evidence in 2 weeks 10 subjects Mediation of Cognitive Function Improvements by Strength Gains Afte... Study in 2016 +11% with High evidence in 6 months 100 subjects Effects of aerobic vs. resistance training on visceral and liver fa... Study in 2011 +5% with Low evidence in 8 months 249 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Peppermint Herb	2 studies The effects of peppermint on exercise performance Study in 2013 +22% with Moderate evidence in 10 days 20 subjects The effect of plyometric training on distance running performance Study in 2002 +1% with Low evidence in 6 weeks 17 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Ashwagandha Herb	1 study Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Terminalia arjuna (... Study in 2010 +7% with Moderate evidence in 8 weeks 30 subjects
Minor Protective Factor High Intensity Interva... Selfcare	1 study Effects of in-season short-term aerobic and high-intensity interval... Study in 2016 +1% with High evidence in 7 weeks 30 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Coffee (Caffeine) Beverage	2 studies Dose response effects of a caffeine-containing energy drink on musc... Study in 2012 +3% with Low evidence in 1 hr 12 subjects A review of caffeine's effects on cognitive, physical and occupatio... Study in 2016 +1% with High evidence
Minor Protective Factor Sodium Bicarbonate Manufactured	1 study The Effects Of Serial And Acute NaHCO3 Loading In Well-trained Cycl... Study in 2012 +3% with Moderate evidence in 3 days 8 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Dynamic stretching Selfcare	1 study Static vs. Dynamic Stretching on Vertical Jump and Standing Long Jump Study in 2006 +2% with Moderate evidence in 5 minutes 34 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Rhodiola Rosea Herb	1 study The effectiveness and efficacy of Rhodiola rosea L.: a systematic r... Study in 2011 +1% with Low evidence in 4 hours
Minor Protective Factor Compression garments Selfcare	1 study Compression garments and recovery from exercise-induced muscle dama... Study in 2013 +1% with Low evidence
Minor Protective Factor Meat & Foods rich in B... Nutrition	1 study Effect of acute and chronic branched-chain amino acids on energy me... Study in 2003 +1% with Low evidence in 30 days 12 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Continuous Sunlight ex... Selfcare	1 study The effect of ultraviolet irradiation upon training for 100m sprint +1% with Low evidence in 6 weeks 6 subjects

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Risk Factors	Studies
Minor Risk Factor Static Stretching Selfcare	1 study Static vs. Dynamic Stretching on Vertical Jump and Standing Long Jump Study in 2006 -2% with Moderate evidence in 10 minutes 34 subjects
Minor Risk Factor Massage Selfcare	1 study Effects of massage on physiological restoration, perceived recovery... Study in 1999 -1% with Low evidence in 20 minutes 8 subjects

Outcomes	References
Minor Protective Factor Fall Musculoskeletal system	1 study Recurrent and Injurious Falls in the Year Following Hip Fracture: A... Study in 2009 -4% with Moderate evidence 193 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Urinary Incontinence Urinary system	1 study Urinary Incontinence in Older Women: The Role of Body Composition a... Study in 2016 -60% with Moderate evidence in 3 years 1,476 subjects
Minor Protective Factor Metabolic Syndrome Lymphatic system	1 study Childhood Muscular Fitness Phenotypes and Adult Metabolic Syndrome Study in 2016 -80% with Moderate evidence in 20 years 737 subjects