If you have weight lifting experience, you probably know that getting bigger and getting stronger have a strong correlation between them. If you take a look at powerlifters, weightlifters or strongmen, you will see a number of good examples. The conclusion here is that if you want to improve your looks, you need to improve your strength first, or you can't reach your goals. After you go through a period of normal bodybuilding, you need to move to a training plan that is oriented towards strength. When you want to design a strength program, there are a number of basic things you should do:

Lower reps

You can use heavier weights if you do a smaller number of reps. Heavy weights also allow you to build strength faster. If you can do at least 6 reps, it's time to increase the weights. When you're able to do 1-3 reps, that's when your strength increases. 4-6 reps allow you to get extra mass.

Higher sets

Since you do a small number of sets, you need to compensate elsewhere, so you have to do more sets. There is no magic number here. You can do between 5 and 12 sets for each of the exercises. Your goals, number of reps and work capacity influence how many you should be doing.

Long rest periods

While in bodybuilding you need to get as tired as possible, if you're doing strength training, you should avoid getting tired. When you avoid being tired, you allow your body to recover a lot in the period of time between sets. If you rest for a few minutes (3-6 minutes), it should be enough. How much time exactly is influenced by the exercise you're doing at the time. In some cases, powerlifters will take breaks that take up to fifteen minutes between deadlifts or heavy squats.

Higher frequency

As you exercise, you get better at doing things. That's why strength athletes that are professional train two or three times each day, six days a week. Even though amateurs like us aren't helped much by this type of training, it can still give us an idea on how to boost the strength in a quick way. If you train often enough, and you take the time to recover, this method can help you.

What you read so far are just a few tips that can help you get stronger. If you want to gain muscle and extra strength, good training programs, supplements and a good diet can help a lot.