functional strength vs weight strength

**BTM0085** · 12-27-2008, 12:43 AM

how much does weight strength tie in to functional strength, how much can functional strength be gained through weightlifting? you ever know a guy strong as a bull but not so much in the weight room, lots of construction workers are that way. does height play a greater factor in functional strength? and on an enrelated note why is bench always the big measure of strength, i mean i think a military press is a better indicator of Raw strength, what is the best indicator of raw strength?

**MuscleScience** · 12-27-2008, 12:52 AM

it basically boils down to motor patterns that the person is trained for. Every ones muscles are capable to produce practically the same amount of force per contractile unit (theoretically). Not everyone can cause all contractile units to fire in the most effective manner to produce the greatest force to perform a task or movement.

**Kratos** · 12-27-2008, 01:13 AM

**Charger527** · 12-27-2008, 01:27 AM

what are you talking about bench? everyone knows bi curls are the true measure of strength.......

**bushido3374** · 12-27-2008, 01:52 AM

I don't understand the relationship either. I had a friend that had a 500+ lb. bench. He trained in Brazilian jiu jitsu class for a while. One day we were training "grips" and "breaking grips" and he matched up with a guy we called "man handler", who had worked construction and had a terrible grip, but was relatively wirey. Man handler ended up breaking my friend's finger in the drill just out of grip strength.

wierd

**JiGGaMaN** · 12-27-2008, 01:55 AM

regarding the bench press comment: sounds like something a highschool student might say. #'s dont mean shit, its how strong you look that matters most. my apologies to any powerlifters who may read this.

**bushido3374** · 12-27-2008, 02:10 AM

I wonder if this thread was spawned from the 'Pull up' thread. There are so many ways to measure strength... and so many ways it can be applied. It's kind of like comparing apples to oranges.

**GT2** · 12-27-2008, 04:50 AM

Originally Posted by JiGGaMaN

regarding the bench press comment: sounds like something a highschool student might say. #'s dont mean shit, its how strong you look that matters most. my apologies to any powerlifters who may read this.

Exactly. I always say "no-one cares how much you bench, squat, and deadlift when you're up on stage or at the beach". As Arnold put it, weights are a means to an end. The means in which to build muscle, but not the end itself.

**Bossman** · 12-27-2008, 07:27 AM

I competed in a strong man competition this past summer, flipping a 550lb tire, farmers walk with two 180lb cylinders, pushing a truck 120' for time, etc. I finished in the middle of the pack. I thought that the powerlifter who was competing would take it easily, but in the end, a big farmer that did not lift weights won the whole thing. The farmer was naturally big, 6'3", 260 lbs. But didn't look that strong. He does work a dairy farm daily though.

The functional strength of the strongman was a lot different from the weightroom. It was a good experience but I won't do it again. I hurt for a week afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsvrgA-ZuWY

**green22** · 12-27-2008, 07:50 AM

I know lots of guys at my work that are functionly strong as hell. Some of the guys are older too, 50 plus.......... and never lifted weights.

**number twelve** · 12-27-2008, 12:29 PM

you need to know how to lift real world objects, just like you need to learn how to lift a weight properly.

**Jfew44** · 12-27-2008, 12:49 PM

Just like people who repetitively lift weights, someone who works construction or other labor-intensive jobs will most likely have a stronger grip strength than a person of similar size who works in an office all day. It's all relative though. I worked for a moving company for a summer, and some of the guys i worked with had never lifted weights in their lives, yet could move the heaviest furniture with ease.

I agree that to look your best, how much you lift doesn't matter, although rarely do you see a 250lb 8%bf beast who can't lift heavy.

**quarry206** · 12-27-2008, 01:41 PM

i think the big difference between weightroom numbers and real world application is your core strength..Their are lots of people who work out have amazing numbers in some areas but never touch deadlift, abs, delt/rotator cuff, hamstring.. sit one day and watch the guys at the gym, watch for five mins, i bet the number of people doing bench press compaired to shoulder press is 5 to 1. look at the numbers of people doing back, but never do deadlift..

if u are a well rounded lifter, the weight room can carry right over. plus people get too caught up with wraps, belts and add ons instead of just using there body to pick up or move the weights.

i have love powerlifting, and put up very good numbers.. but i also train supporting muscles and do things like pull-ups, rope climbs, sit-ups,flutter kicks, lungs and i run alot (i run a 15min two mile).. the weightroom i believe helps me ALOT, but i don't stick to a strait three lift workout, u have to do core muscles and supporting muscles too..

**quarry206** · 12-27-2008, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by bushido3374

I don't understand the relationship either. I had a friend that had a 500+ lb. bench. He trained in Brazilian jiu jitsu class for a while. One day we were training "grips" and "breaking grips" and he matched up with a guy we called "man handler", who had worked construction and had a terrible grip, but was relatively wirey. Man handler ended up breaking my friend's finger in the drill just out of grip strength.

wierd

not too weird, most powerliftings never do biceps, or do it very little.. and biceps/forearms are what do grip.. bench press has very little relationship to grip. but i understand your point, throwing around a number like 500lb u would think he would train other parts of his body..

**J-Dogg** · 12-27-2008, 04:08 PM

I think a lot of it comes down the skeletal muscles and the places our tendons connect. All our bodies are different.

I get beat by people with smaller fatter arms than be in arm wrestling all the time.

I'm a dedicated lifter, and I own a roofing company and haul around shingles 14 hours a day every summer 6-7 days a week.

**growin_big** · 12-27-2008, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by cgb6810

I competed in a strong man competition this past summer, flipping a 550lb tire, farmers walk with two 180lb cylinders, pushing a truck 120' for time, etc. I finished in the middle of the pack. I thought that the powerlifter who was competing would take it easily, but in the end, a big farmer that did not lift weights won the whole thing. The farmer was naturally big, 6'3", 260 lbs. But didn't look that strong. He does work a dairy farm daily though.

The functional strength of the strongman was a lot different from the weightroom. It was a good experience but I won't do it again. I hurt for a week afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsvrgA-ZuWY

you are frickin huge!

**Bossman** · 12-28-2008, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by growin_big

you are frickin huge!

Thanks! I was about 5 weeks out from a contest, about 235 lbs. It was a good experience. I have even more respect for the strongmen then I did before this competition. And I realize it's not for me.

**LawMan018** · 12-28-2008, 02:21 PM

I don't quite understand it myself... I've got good lifts for my bodyweight in the gym and I had one friend, good old southern boy, who couldn't nearly lift as much as me on anything, but could beat me like nothin in arm wrestling, and his grip was incredible.

**FallenWyvern** · 12-29-2008, 01:49 AM

Originally Posted by LawMan018

I don't quite understand it myself... I've got good lifts for my bodyweight in the gym and I had one friend, good old southern boy, who couldn't nearly lift as much as me on anything, but could beat me like nothin in arm wrestling, and his grip was incredible.

I have had this experience myself.

**Nicotine** · 12-29-2008, 02:01 AM

all i give a shit about, is the fact i'm better now than i was when i was a fat sack of crap 3 years ago.

i don't worry about if everyone else is doing more, or if i'm doing more, etc etc etc.

as long as i'm putting in my effort, nothing else matters. not weight numbers, not max 1 rep bench...

**bushido3374** · 12-29-2008, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by cgb6810

I competed in a strong man competition this past summer, flipping a 550lb tire, farmers walk with two 180lb cylinders, pushing a truck 120' for time, etc. I finished in the middle of the pack. I thought that the powerlifter who was competing would take it easily, but in the end, a big farmer that did not lift weights won the whole thing. The farmer was naturally big, 6'3", 260 lbs. But didn't look that strong. He does work a dairy farm daily though.

The functional strength of the strongman was a lot different from the weightroom. It was a good experience but I won't do it again. I hurt for a week afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsvrgA-ZuWY

Cool clip. I also watched the tire flip and Michigan BB show.

**BTM0085** · 12-29-2008, 12:06 PM

is it pretty safe to say Strongmen is better suited for big tall guys and powerlifting is better suited for big regular height guys.

**Bossman** · 12-29-2008, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by BTM0085

is it pretty safe to say Strongmen is better suited for big tall guys and powerlifting is better suited for big regular height guys.

I agree.

I love watching the ESPN world's strongest man competition. It seems most are well over 6' and 300lbs. There are some shorter competitors but the tall guys seem to dominate.

**T_Own** · 12-29-2008, 04:57 PM

training with weights doesn't build up the tendon strength like actual work does. from wrestling, some kids are tiny but strong as hell cause they've been doing it for years. it was amazing how much better my grip got from wrestling, along with other muscles you use all the time. thats all stuff thats very hard to duplicate in the weight room