Does Hypertrophy Matter for Powerlifters?

By Jason Bongard

With the apparent explosion of powerlifting on social media, the powerlifting community appears to be getting exposed to a wide array of training ideologies. One aspect of training that appears to be creeping into the limelight is the emphasis of hypertrophy training. I.e., powerlifters are adopting training methods targeting increases in muscle size. While the idea of “powerbuilding” is nothing new, casual observations show increasing numbers of powerlifters doing biceps curls and lat “pull-arounds”, then hitting gnarly front double biceps poses and lat spreads to post to the Gram. With increased exposure and popularity, coaches & lifters will likely prescribe more hypertrophy (hype) work in powerlifting programs. The natural question becomes why? Why would an individual who is training with the intent of maximizing strength in powerlifting include targeted hypertrophy work in training? In search of an answer, we’ll start with background info.

The idea of performing hypertrophy work for powerlifters can be polarizing and potentially misunderstood. Polarizing in the sense that contrasting ideas such as “hypertrophy doesn’t matter just practice the lifts” and “skill doesn’t matter just get jacked” represent two divisive ways of thinking that can dramatically influence training decisions and outcomes. I believe the contrast in these ideas is largely due to the complexity of the relationship between strength and muscle hypertrophy.

By dividing training into “powerlifting” and “hypertrophy” categories we add to the idea that both are independent physical qualities to be trained separately. In reality, strength and hypertrophy are very much so connected, and in some cases, limited by one another. Further confusion then arises from how the pros and cons of hypertrophy work in the context of powerlifting can change depending on the individual you’re working with. If we gain insight as to how one can affect the other, and how both are connected, we can potentially make better informed decisions in our training.

The potential benefits of including dedicated hypertrophy work are far more than the obvious potential increase in muscle tissue, which we will examine in more detail shortly. This is a smoldering take, but all powerlifters can benefit from attempting to maximize the amount of muscle they have, regardless of training status or skill level. However, the type of and how much an individual benefits is dependent on factors such as training status, personality, and existing muscularity to name a few. To help provide insight on the topic, we will look at the relationship between strength & hypertrophy, identify the type of benefits and who can benefit from applying hype work in training. The intent of this article is to lean into the question of, “to who and how much does hypertrophy matter?” in the context of powerlifting.

Terms

Hypertrophy

An increase in muscle size
Hypertrophy training is concerned with applying stressors to result in muscle growth.

Strength

The ability to produce force. How strength is measured is dependent on the task (for example in the squat, bench, deadlift).

I thought it could be useful to visualize a model for comparison while reading along in the article. For comparison purposes in the article, it would be difficult and less useful to identify the factors that contribute to powerlifting strength across individuals. It’s useful to instead compare potential intra-individual changes, so for the purpose of the article we’ll compare two models of the same individual, one with more muscle the other with less. For example, think of two versions of yourself, one has more juicy muscles through the application of hypertrophy training, the other has less. To help contextualize it, you could imagine the two versions of yourself performing the comp lifts and apply the proposed benefits we’ll cover throughout the article to one version but not the other.

The Relationship Between Strength and Hypertrophy

For starters we can look at the relationship between hypertrophy and strength. Before investing our time and effort into certain training decisions, we would like to know that what we are choosing to do will contribute to improvement. For powerlifters, we’d like to know if hypertrophy causes or contributes to strength improvement in some way. Unfortunately for us, the relationship between hypertrophy and strength is not fully understood currently. Current evidential support for the relationship is lacking, and at this time considered associational. In this study by Taber, the relationship is as “contributory casual”, meaning that hypertrophy is not sufficient nor necessary for strength adaptations to occur; however they believe it to contribute to strength in some way. On the opposing side, Loennekke claims changes in muscle size do not contribute to changes in strength, largely due to lack of evidence to the contrary. With apparent disagreement between the field’s experts, we can see how the average lifter or coach would be confused as to what to do. What complicates it for myself personally is the word “change” in the working definition of hypertrophy, meaning the change in muscle size itself is what’s considered contributory to some and not contributory to others.

To summarize the relationship between strength and hypertrophy, you can in fact improve strength without increasing muscle size, and you do not need to increase muscle size to improve strength. Long story short, you do not need to get bigger to get stronger, and if you did get bigger, you did not necessarily get stronger, seeing as strength measurement is task specific. For example, you can get jacked and not improve your squat in the process of doing so. This unsure nature of muscle hypertrophy’s relation to strength is often what restricts coaches and lifters from including hype training into programming and instead opting for specific powerlifting training over time.

If all this relationship stuff is true, and I’m a powerlifter, then why should I attempt to increase muscle size in the first place? Knowing that you don’t necessarily need to get bigger to get stronger is a valuable piece of information for any coach or lifter to have, however, it is not all doom and gloom. Knowing this info does not diminish the potential benefits powerlifters can accrue over a lifetime of training. Rather, knowing the relationship between strength and hypertrophy can provide further context as to how hype work can benefit a variety of individuals in a variety of ways over time.

Key Points

The current take from the literature is messy. The “contributory causal” relationship at best points toward hypertrophy not being sufficient or necessary for strength improvement.
Technically speaking you do not need to increase muscle size to get stronger, nor does an increase in muscle size cause strength improvement directly
Knowing the relationship between the two can provide clues into how exactly any one lifter can benefit

Adaptations to Hypertrophy Training

The following section can be dense. The hope is to present info that is biologically relevant to how hypertrophy can contribute to strength. Further information on strength, hypertrophy, and the proposed mechanisms and benefits will be presented. For those interested in the subject and hoping to reach further into the available information, I recommend clicking on the hyperlinks provided to continue your search.

Strength, being operationally defined as the ability to produce force, is dependent on neuromuscular processes to be expressed. From our current understanding and an oversimplification, muscle contraction results in force generation by pulling on connective tissue which is connected to attachment sites on the skeleton or other muscles. This action of the muscle in conjunction with connective tissue results in torque (rotational force) about a joint, which can be expressed as motion or acted directly on the environment (such as picking up a heavy barbell).

Hypertrophy, operationally defined as an increase in muscle size, can occur through a variety of mechanisms and be expressed in different ways. What specifically grows in order to express the change in size can vary depending on training. We are concerned with what is termed as “classic” hypertrophy which is expressed as the accretion of contractile proteins resulting in increases in sarcomeres in series or parallel. Sarcomeres act as the individual contractile units of muscle tissue, by adding in series we add in length, and adding in parallel we add next to one another. The addition of sarcomeres can then lead to an increase in whole muscle size. With sarcomeres being the individual contractile unit of muscle, and muscle contraction resulting in force acting on the environment, one can then follow the simple logic that increasing the number of contractile/force generating units can increase “strength potential.” For example if we compared the two versions of yourself, the model with more muscle has higher strength potential compared to the model with less muscle due to the differences in contractile tissue. Strength potential then can be realized in specific tasks the individual cares to improve such as the squat, bench and deadlift.

In this whopper of a position stand, the main proposed mechanisms for the hypertrophic process include mechanical tension, exercise induced muscle damage, metabolic, and “electrical” stress. The leading mechanism at this time is thought to be mechanical tension, defined simply as an applied force (AKA lifting). The training variable of interest for hypertrophy is volume, defined in this context as the number of sets performed. You would find all these mechanisms present in both powerlifting and hypertrophy focused programs, and you would expect both hype and strength improvements to occur at varying degrees regardless of programming style. However, the magnitude of the response is related to the applied stress. Through biasing one style of training or group of variables over others, we can apply forces that are targeted towards specific outcomes; hence why powerlifting or bodybuilding programs can look like different languages at times. In most cases, both occur in training regardless of what the intent of the program is.

As powerlifters, what potential biological benefits could we expect from applying targeted hype work?

As modeled by Vigotsky, if the increase in muscle size is significant, then an increase in the muscle’s moment arm, or measure of effectiveness of generating torque about the joint is improved. The moment arm can be thought of as a measure of the muscle’s leverage to act. The classic example is visualized with a wrench turning a bolt. Holding the wrench further from the axis allows for less force to be applied to turn the bolt, compared to holding the wrench closer to the axis where higher forces are necessary. This can mean that if other factors influencing strength remain the same, an improvement in muscle moment arm can increase the torque produced (more weight on the bar). For example, if we again compared the two versions of yourself, the one with juicier quads can generate higher amounts of torque at the knee joint with the same contractile force as the smaller model of yourself. Basically, we can express higher strength outputs through the same generated contractile force, which could be seen as improved efficiency.
In addition to contractile proteins, the amount of connective tissue and specialized proteins within the muscle can increase in response to training. Not only does the muscle tissue grow during the hypertrophy process, but your connective tissues and specialty proteins increase in number as well. So your whole muscle size can increase in response to training, yet what exactly grows to result in the larger muscle can vary. As a result, an increase in “normalized muscle force” can occur, meaning the amount of force a whole muscle can produce relative to its size. The possible explanation for increases in force is through “lateral force transmission”. In other words, the force produced by the muscle is transferred more efficiently from muscle to tendon to attachment site due to the increase in non-contractile stuff. So, even if your muscle size increase is from non-contractile tissue, the additional connective tissues can help improve strength expression.
Improvements in skill learning. As suggested by motor learning research, in addition to specific practice, implementing a variety of tasks, or slight variations of the task we are intending to improve, can help improve outcomes over time. Hypertrophy training can provide much needed variance in the form of range of motion, movement pattern, load, proximity to failure, etc. in an otherwise specific powerlifting program. The comp lifts themselves can be poor hypertrophy exercises for a variety of reasons. The addition of “classic bodybuilding” exercises (typically single-joint, single muscle focused) can supplement both skill learning and satisfy one’s need for variety.
Through the exposure to a variety of ranges of motion, loads, movement patterns, etc. listed above, implementing hypertrophy work further supports the injury vs overuse hypothesis. To briefly summarize the idea, if specificity is adhered to at all times (squat, bench, deadlift every day, all day…) we can increase our risk for musculoskeletal strain injury. By gradually exposing the system to a variety of tasks (load, patterns, ROM, etc.) we can expand the list of “trained” ranges. Given that hypertrophy training loads are typically lighter than squats, benches or deadlifts, hype work is an excellent tool for the job.
Coming back to the associational argument, strength is dependent on muscle for expression. Simply increasing the amount of force generating tissues an individual has seems like a good idea. In past and current muscle modeling, strength is related to the number of contractile proteins present to attach to one another during the contraction-coupling process. An increase in contractile proteins in turn increases the number of attachment sites, further supporting the idea of increasing strength potential. If you’re looking for an interesting read from the past, this paper by Huxley provided the groundwork for further study for decades to come.

Key Points

Strength is dependent on muscle for expression. Having more muscle can increase one’s strength potential
Muscle, the force generating tissue of the body, contracts to produce force and act on tendon, further acting on attachment sites on the skeleton or additional muscle/connective tissues generating torque at joints which we can then act on the environment.
Increasing the number of contractile units via classic hypertrophy can improve strength potential via changing muscle moment arms or leverage about a joint.
Simply having high numbers of contractile or force generating units (sarcomeres) seems like a good idea in a force production sport.

In summary, we can improve the weights we lift in the squat, bench, and deadlift from increasing the number of contractile units and/or changes in leverages across the body (in addition to practicing the lifts). The addition of new muscle tissue is then trained under the tasks we aim to improve, thus realizing newfound “strength potential” the increase in muscle tissue can provide. For a muscle to increase its size, other components like connective tissue and support proteins can grow. Finally, including hypertrophy exercises that vary from the comp lifts can improve motor learning and reduce the risk of overuse type injury when compared to hyper specific training models.

Who Can Benefit?

For this section we’ll look at who can benefit. Regardless of skill level, all powerlifters can benefit from the addition of hype training, how exactly any one individual will benefit is the “it depends” part. For starters, we will look at the powerlifting population in total, then identify more case specific scenarios in which hypertrophy training applies.

We can first separate the population into two groups:

1. Weight class restricted lifters attempting to maximize muscle mass at a specific body weight class (either remain, increase, or decrease body weight to fit a specific class), usually to maximize competitive potential.

2. Non weight class restricted lifters intending to increase lean mass, not concerned with fitting into specific weight classes.

The above two criteria intentionally match the entire powerlifting population to make the following point. Lifters should try to maximize their muscle mass, whether they intend to remain in a specific weight class or change (either up or down).
For the sake of simplicity, we will categorize lifter cases into new, intermediate, advanced, and other. Attempting to classify lifters into categories can be messy and won’t match all individuals, and it is not the intent of the article to do so, so we will keep the definitions broad and simple.

New Powerlifters:

We can define new lifters as individuals untrained in the squat, bench, and deadlift, or individuals in the process of learning the lifts for the first time with hopes of competing.

A common narrative heard in powerlifting follows the line of thinking that new lifters benefit less from hypertrophy work in comparison to more experienced lifters. The idea stems from the high number of non-hypertrophy related contributing factors, and these factors tend to decrease in number or magnitude over time as skill progresses. Once a lifter progresses their strength level and the number and magnitude of contributing factors decreases, hypertrophy gains more relevance in training.

When compared to skill adaptations (learning how to squat, bench, and deadlift), the net contribution of hypertrophy to performance is lower in new lifters. However, this does not mean that muscle size is not important for new lifters and does not require attention in training. Yes, comparatively the contribution will be smaller than skill adaptations in theory, but the benefits of hypertrophy mentioned in the previous sections still apply.

In addition, considering the low amount of volume needed to see positive outcomes in new lifters, the novice stage is an excellent time to introduce hypertrophy focused work for a number of reasons:

Seeing as the dose needed to make improvements in strength or hypertrophy is arguably the lowest it will ever be, we can apply modest amounts of volume/intensity in both and expect positive outcomes. We can take advantage of how “sensitive” the new lifter is by applying smaller doses (generating less fatigue, potential interference, etc.) compared to an otherwise trained lifter. Considering hypertrophy contribution to strength increases over time, it can be wise to begin the process of learning how to apply it while the lifter is “sensitive” to training.
Over long periods of time, lifters are often asked by coaches to link sensations to certain technique-based ideas. For example, if you deem the lats to play an important role in the squat, bench, or deadlift it can be helpful to introduce new lifters to the sensation of voluntary lat contraction during simple exercises (rows or single arm pull-downs for example). If the lifter has no idea what the lat is, or what the proposed change in outcomes one can expect from its use are, we’re simply creating unnecessary problems for the lifter to solve. So, if you’d like to learn how to recruit certain muscles in hopes of changing outcomes in the comp lifts, hypertrophy-like exercises are a good place to start.
Something I believe to be undervalued in powerlifting is adherence. Maybe more importantly, having fun in training that then leads to adherence over time. Introducing new lifters to numerous options in the forms of exercise selection, load and repetition ranges, proximity to failure, etc. opens more opportunities to find something they truly enjoy. From a motor learning perspective, increasing the tasks the new lifter is exposed to can improve the learning process when compared to more restrictive options. By removing barriers to entry and focusing on what things new lifters can do for themselves that can contribute to positive outcomes over time is arguably the better choice.

Intermediate Powerlifters:

To roughly define the group, we can say an individual is intermediate when the response to training begins to decline and creativity is needed for continued progress. For example, simply practicing the tasks of the squat, bench, or deadlift no longer results in immediate short-term progress and an “individualized” approach to training prescription becomes necessary. The comp lifts are relatively learned, meaning that “form” or behaviors/habits under the bar are less variable across load ranges, and the lifter has a preferred or reliable method to execute the lifts.

For lifters in this category, hype training can become more specific to the individual. For example, we may target underdeveloped or relevant muscle groups to the performance of the comp lifts (prime movers), or simply make choices to improve adherence. As skill improvements stall, hypertrophy can gradually increase its net contribution to strength over time and even supplement times when strength performance is in a down state. For example, as the amount of skill improvement decreases, increasing the amount of muscle tissue an individual has, then training it to express strength in certain tasks, can be a viable long-term strategy.

Seeing as applied doses of strength and hype work can increase over time (either in volume or intensity mainly), the management of training stress becomes increasingly important as strength and hypertrophy related movements progress. While the biological justifications for hype work still apply, the significance of having fun in training begins to grow as net improvements in the lifts begin to shrink over time.

Advanced Lifters:

For an oversimplification, we will call advanced lifters quite skillful, strong, and muscular, and usually within a fixed weight class to maximize competitive potential. Compared to new or intermediate lifters, skill adaptations are lowest per unit of training volume. Seeing a low rate of return on skill improvements, the same logic commonly heard for new lifters mentioned earlier applies in the opposite way. As the number of factors contributing to strength are lower, and the existing patterns of the squat, bench, and deadlift are learned, the number of contractile units available to produce force grows in significance. While skill adaptations contribute less in magnitude to the advanced lifter, this does not mean skill improvement is irrelevant to this training population, it simply contributes less.

Hypertrophy training for this population is usually as specific as it gets for the individual. Meaning the intent is to either grow muscle tissue where it can potentially contribute to the individual’s expression of the squat, bench, or deadlift, or to match the individual’s training preferences to keep having fun, often to load or volume ranges learned to be effective through past experiences.

Lifters in this population typically follow an outlined competitive schedule (for example Nationals in the fall, the Arnold in the spring, possibly a local meet to “keep in touch” with platform experience). Lifters with relatively fixed dates for competition can follow more phasic structure in training if desired, where hypertrophy training complements the times immediately following competitions, mainly in hopes of combating long-term fatigue and staleness in training. In extreme cases, if individuals in this population are lifting at their near theoretical limit for muscle mass, the potential increases in size are small, but at this time we don’t know what effect every X increase in muscle size will have on strength, no matter how small the increase is. For the few folks in this population, hypertrophy training benefits would lean more toward the variability, behavioral,
or fun side.

Other

Moving away from general categories and toward specific cases somewhat unrelated to an individual's general training status:

Individuals with low trainability or history with hypertrophy targeted training variables (repetition and load range, exercise selection, etc.) and/or low training history prior to competing in powerlifting.
“Low or Non-Responder” to specific powerlifting training @ X time throughout the competition cycle/calendar.
- Chronic diminishing returns on strength training (skill adaptations) can justify a phase dedicated towards hypertrophy.
Individuals at risk of “burn out” with classic powerlifting training or in need of a short-term win.
- Applying something new can provide easier to reach short-term adaptations, which can provide a positive experience for the lifter.
Individuals with higher need for variety in training stimulus
- Doing the same thing or slight variations of the comp lifts can be boring. Variety of exercise selection, load and repetition ranges, fatigue, etc. can help combat staleness.
Individuals with already high levels of muscle tissue, yet untrained in specific exercises or muscle areas.
- Basically, if someone is already Jacked, identifying something that they’re untrained in can provide the novel stimulus needed for growth or adherence
Individuals unable to train the comp lifts due to injury
- Injuries suck. When they do happen, we can often find numerous things to do in training that can still contribute to powerlifting performance. Lifters unable to perform the comp lifts for whatever reason can find use of hypertrophy training.

Without question, most powerlifting improvements will occur from the repeated practice of the squat, bench, and deadlift. I am under no illusion that powerlifting training can be entirely replaced by specific hypertrophy training to improve the squat, bench, and deadlift over long periods of time. However, in most cases, individuals become bored or complacent from repeated practice of the competition lifts- arguably more so over the course of a training “career.” Rate of burn out or the need for novel stimuli are realistic variables lifters need to manage over long periods of time. Pivoting to phases when hype work is the majority of training can help combat powerlifting burnout. Phases when competition specific work sounds like a blast vs. phases of existential dread at the thought of squatting heavy are expected and normal. Recognizing and attempting to maximize on times when the comp lifts are hot and knowing when to transition to other forms are important parts of long-term management.

Due to the more complex, multi-joint nature of the comp lifts, they are typically not the most efficient choice for hypertrophy exercises, so the need for variety outside of the lifts increases to meet the need. This need can be met through more classical hypertrophy exercises, typically performed as single joint actions with specific muscle targets in mind. Knowing that hypertrophy contributes to powerlifting performance in a variety of biomechanical and biological ways, we can confidently prescribe appropriate doses to complement powerlifting work with no fear of drastic complications.

Conclusion

Current trends suggest a growing number of powerlifters are interested in hypertrophy and how it can contribute to strength over time. Though the relationship between hypertrophy and strength is not fully understood, all powerlifters can benefit from performing hype work at various times in training. How an individual lifter can benefit is dependent on circumstances such as training status, existing muscle mass, skill level, or personality. Given that hypertrophy isn’t technically sufficient or necessary to increase strength, insight into how one can contribute to the other over long periods of time is helpful to both coaches and lifters alike.

Considered at times to be seemingly independent physical qualities and training methods, strength and hypertrophy are now beginning to be considered as complementary parts of a holistic training system within the powerlifting community. Increasing “strength potential” through an increase in the amount of muscle tissue an individual has, then training it in the tasks of the squat, bench, and deadlift are commonly cycled throughout the competitive year.

For lifters on the fence as to whether to pursue hypertrophy, the previous information on who and under what circumstances it can help hopefully provides further insight on the topic. Knowing that hypertrophy can contribute to strength through a variety of biological and practical ways, such as improving muscle moment arms or providing training novelty, we can confidently prescribe appropriate doses and perform targeted hypertrophy work without fear of long-term complications.

For lifters hoping to compete in the sport for a long period of time, finding a model of training that works well for the individual becomes increasingly important. Balancing comp lift specificity, attempting to maximize one’s muscle tissue, and having fun can be approached in several ways, often finding methods that best fit the individual through lived experience. All powerlifters can benefit from hypertrophy training and the additional muscle tissue it can provide, discovering how and why any one person can benefit is the interesting and challenging part.