Rip: Strength Training: What It Is -- And What It Is Not

[Mark Rippetoe]

Strength Training: What It Is – And What It Is Not | Mark Rippetoe

[Shiva Kaul]

Another way of phrasing it: a strength program can offer guarantees in terms of your maximal achievable strength, whatever that might be. “If you follow this program for a decade, then it is likely that you will reach 90% of your genetic potential.” Or: “If you complete NLP, you’ll fulfill about half of your potential.” Since incremental programs make some progress at any level of strength, they can be strength programs.

By contrast, an unintentional program, relying on the novice effect, makes guarantees only in terms of your initial strength. “Double your squat in three months! (*Offer not valid for all customers)”

[FatButWeak]

Great article, as always.

Something I would add is that when normies speak of "strength training" (unfortunately, as I peruse the interwebs and podcasts I encounter a lot of normies who blithely say things like "I do strength training 2-3 times per week like my doctor says") the focus is on "the moves:" Incline dumbbell bench press, bicep curls, shoulder press, lat pull downs, etc. Even where they talk about SPBD, the emphasis is on "doing the moves," as if they are some sort of magical, corporal incantation that will cause the gods of strength to bestow increased strength upon he who "does the moves."

There is an almost complete absence of discussion about sets, reps, rest, recovery and the effect of all these on the motherfucking goal, which is an adaptation of strength.

Your proposed definition is, therefore, great. Esp because it places an emphasis on results - the adaptation.