| If You Want to Get Stronger Faster, Listen Up I’ve traveled the globe, training in gyms far and wide, and I’ve come back with an important lesson: If you’re sleeping 8-9 hours per night and eating roughly 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight, the fastest way to build strength isn’t some secret supplement or complicated program. It’s this: Squatting below parallel Sitting back properly in a deadlift Bringing the barbell all the way to your shoulders in a shoulder press Getting your chest to the bar on pull-ups Touching your head to the floor in a handstand push-up And every other movement that follows the same principle: Use the fullest range of motion you can control. The science behind getting stronger is actually pretty simple, yet it’s often overshadowed by the number on the barbell or the score on the whiteboard. If your goal is to get stronger, your real goal should be to build control through the full range of motion of every exercise. Achieving a deep stretch at the bottom and a powerful contraction at the top sends a clear message to your body: “I need more muscle and strength to handle this.” Why does this work? Because your body adapts to the demands you place on it. Your muscles don’t care how much weight is on the bar. They don’t think, “We lifted 40 pounds today, better get ready for 45 next week.” Instead, your body responds to the stress and tension it experiences during movement. The more muscle fibers you challenge through a full range of motion, the more adaptation you’re likely to create. The more time you spend under control, the more blood flow and nutrients are delivered to working muscles, helping support recovery and growth after training. That’s why movement quality matters so much. The number on the bar is just a tool. What really matters is what your body is doing. If you’re fighting to maintain great positions, moving through a full range of motion, and staying in control from start to finish, you’re doing a lot to build strength. On the other hand, if you’re chasing heavier weights while your lower back feels tight and your coach is constantly cueing you to fix your positions, you’re probably asking structures that aren’t meant to drive strength gains, like joints and connective tissues, to do more than they should. So if you want to get stronger faster: Stop obsessing over the number on the bar. Start asking yourself: “Am I moving well?” “Am I feeling the muscles I’m supposed to be using?” “Am I controlling the entire movement?” And when you’re not sure, ask your coach. That’s what they’re there for. They’ll help you move better, train safer, and make progress toward your goals. Have a wonderful day, y’all, and I’ll see you in the gym! Kidd Ellis Vegvisir CrossFit P.S. Some of you may feel personally attacked by the “head touching the floor” handstand push-up example. Don’t worry, this isn’t a call-out. Using pads for HSPU progressions serves an important purpose. They help build confidence in an intimidating movement, allow you to maintain workout intensity, and give you a measurable target as you improve your range of motion over time. If your goal is to achieve a strict handstand push-up, keep using the scale that allows you to move well. Just make sure that every couple of weeks you’re finding ways to reduce the assistance and gradually increase your range of motion. Small improvements add up to big results. |
