Types of Strength Training for Every Fitness Goals

Regular strength training has loads of benefits, including bigger and stronger muscles, increased longevity, and lower risk of chronic metabolic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Numerous types of strength workouts are available to you to achieve those results. In this article, I’ll cover the eight most common types of strength training and who they’re best for.

I’ll also cover some of the strength training considerations for specific populations, such as lifting during the postpartum period and considerations for older adults.

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The Magic of Strength Training

The fitness industry is notorious for making bombastic claims about miraculous supplements and earth-shattering green juices. I approach all such promises with a, erm, hefty dose of skepticism (and you should, too). Yet, if there was one intervention that truly did warrant the ‘magical’ moniker, it’s strength training, also known as resistance training, weight lifting, or just lifting.

Strength training is simply the act of our muscles acting against resistance. Most people who strength train in a gym setting use the many types of resistance equipment available there, but you can effectively train without equipment, at least initially.

Regular, heavy strength training makes good on the promises made by so many bogus companies and charlatans by transforming nearly every organ system in your body, improving many different tissues, and changing how you look and feel for the better.

Here are the benefits of regular strength training, in summary:

Stronger bones
Bigger muscles
Increased strength
Better coordination
Reduced injury risk
Improved longevity
Improved insulin regulation
Decreased metabolic disease risk
Increased fat loss
Easier weight management
Stronger ligaments and tendons
Better mental health
Improved posture
More confidence

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The Many Tools Available for Strength Training

One thing that sells in fitness is polarizing sound bites.

Meat will kill you!

Meat is all we should eat– ever!

Usually, a complex topic condensed into a snappy sound bite lacks the nuance to be useful or accurate, so we must remember two things can be true.

For example, any exercise is indeed better than nothing, and beginners can see improvements in muscular strength, size, and endurance by doing bodyweight movements only.

And...

Most people–regardless of gender–will quickly adapt to body weight exercises and need increased resistance levels to continue seeing progress.

Both of these statements are true.

So, if you’re starting at home or hitting a quick workout in the park, that is awesome.

Keep at it.

And if you’re ready for more of a challenge, a membership to your local gym is more than worth it. It will give you access to some of the following resistance training options. These different ways of lifting allow you to mix up your training and keep adapting while busting boredom.

At gyms, you’ll find diverse strength-training equipment:

Dumbbells
Kettlebells
Barbells
Benches (see the best weight benches for your home)
Squat racks
Platforms
Cable machines
Selectorized machines
Physio balls
Bands
Smith machine
Medicine balls
Sandbags

Different Types of Strength Training

If you cringe whenever you hear someone tell you, “You gotta start strength training!” you’re not alone. In fact, only 30% of Americans regularly strength train enough.

Why is that?

In my experience, it’s because people have a very limited view of what exercise options they have available to them. When you see the many different ways you can accomplish this goal and reap its many health benefits, it will feel a lot more achievable and fun.

Deep health is built with consistency over time, and you will only stick with something long-term if you actually enjoy it. So play around with different types of exercise until you find what clicks for you.

Read on to learn about the eight most popular and effective strength training methods available.

Bodyweight Training

As the name implies, bodyweight training is any strength exercise in which the resistance is created by your own body weight. Bodyweight training is great for beginners, busy parents, and WFH warriors who can’t waste time commuting to the gym.

While you will likely build strength quickly and adapt to most bodyweight moves, gold-standard exercises like pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, and dips are highly challenging and are an excellent option for even the most advanced exerciser.

Bodyweight training can effectively help you build muscular endurance and strength.

Free Weight Training

The broadest category on this list, free weight moves involve picking up a weight not screwed into the ground or attached to a machine.

Exercises using dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, bands, or balls are all free-weight exercises. Easily the most versatile and varied style of strength training available, strength athletes of all stripes use free weights in their programming.

That’s because you can achieve almost any goal with one of the many kinds of free weight equipment available, and every gym on the planet has some kind of free weights.

Free weight training can effectively help you build muscular strength, size, endurance, and power, depending on how you use them.

Circuit Training

A phenomenal option for busy people, circuit training offers the benefits of strength training with some cardio for a highly effective and efficient workout.

A circuit means you move through multiple exercises or stations with minimal rest in between. You’ll use lighter weights than a traditional strength session, but that doesn’t mean you’re lifting light weights!

Dial down the weight to something that is challenging and feels hard by the end of your set but not impossible. Circuit training is most helpful for developing muscular endurance and strength and cardiorespiratory health.

Check out this guide on Circuit Training workouts for tips on getting started with circuit training and example workouts.

Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic weightlifting is a fantastic strength sport that requires a high level of technique and explosive power. The entire competition comprises only two exercises: the snatch and the clean and jerk.

Both of these moves are highly technical and take years to master, so this type of strength training is a good choice if you want to develop maximal strength and power, enjoy technical learning, and have a lot of patience.

If you want to learn more about this sport and what it has to offer, check out our Ultimate Guide to Olympic Weight Lifting.

Powerlifting

Probably the most popular and well-known strength training style on this list, powerlifting is the ultimate and most straightforward strength sport.

Powerlifters chase maximum weights on their squat, bench, and deadlift. As with every other sport on this list, you don’t have to compete to call yourself a powerlifter. You need only train in that style.

Finding the limits of your physical strength and mental toughness is a profoundly empowering experience, and I encourage everyone to at least try some barbell training in their lifetime.

Powerlifting is exceptional for developing maximal strength and is also helpful for building bigger muscles. Developing your strength will also help you prevent injuries in daily life.

If you want to learn more about powerlifting, check out this guide on How to Start Powerlifting.

Kettlebell Training

One style of strength training that routinely gets overlooked is kettlebell training. Yet, this is one of the most versatile and practical strength tools available.

A kettlebell is a round weight shaped like a cannonball with a handle welded on top. Kettlebell athletes incorporate many traditional free-weight exercises such as squats and rows, but they also add in Olympic weightlifting moves such as the snatch and clean to create a combo exercise style that builds strength and stability while offering killer cardio conditioning.

Because of the dynamic nature of this strength style, it’s a highly efficient workout that requires minimal equipment and space, making it the perfect option for busy professionals, parents, and home workout warriors.

Kettlebell training will develop your strength, power, endurance, and coordination.

Ready to give it a try? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Kettlebell Training for the best exercises and tips on getting started.

Bodybuilding

For many of my personal training clients over the years, bodybuilding is what they think of when considering weight training. If you’ve ever trained in a commercial gym, those are the folks usually wearing tiny tank tops who are absolutely ripped. For some, being around them is aspirational. For others, it’s intimidating.

No matter how you feel, I’m here to tell you that the benefits of bodybuilding–or the pursuit of lean muscle and body sculpting–go far beyond physical appearance. The truth is that building your physique to your exact specifications is a lifestyle and, for many, a fun hobby that takes years of dedication.

In some ways, it’s as great of a solo endurance sport such as running or hiking.

Check out our Bodybuilding Guide for details on the basics of competition, loads of training definitions, and how to know if bodybuilding is right for you.

Functional Strength Training

Functional strength training is not a strict list of exercises or a defined competitive sport. Yet the term ‘functional training’ accurately describes the purpose of this training style: first and foremost, to prepare you for your life outside of the gym rather than prioritizing your appearance.

Functional movements include the natural movement patterns that humans engage in, including the squat, hinge, push, pull, twist, lunge, and carry. The training style promotes heavy, free-weight exercises performed through a full range of motion.

Functional strength training will build strength, endurance, coordination, and muscle size and help prevent injuries.

Check out our guide for the 8 Best Functional Training Workouts.

Types of Strength Training for Specific Populations

The world is slowly getting hip to the benefits of strength training. Still, people in special populations are often left out of the conversation. What’s worse, for decades, older adults, pregnant people, and disabled people have been infantilized by well-meaning healthcare professionals who don’t have the education or experience to effectively prescribe exercise.

If you’re pregnant, postpartum, or an older adult, strength training can be a phenomenal tool to make you healthier, prevent complications, reduce your symptoms, and keep you moving longer.

Pre, Peri, and Postpartum Strength Training

Even though more than 80% of women will give birth in their lifetime, very few personal trainers and health coaches are trained to provide the latest evidence-based fitness instruction for pregnant and postpartum clients.

Is strength training safe for pregnant and postpartum people? For most people, yes, you can and should strength train while pregnant.

You should first consult with your healthcare provider AND seek coaching from a certified and experienced strength coach who works with pregnant, peri, and postpartum clients. I highly recommend the team over at Girls Gone Strong. They are the leading experts in coaching this population.

Because there are absolute contraindications for strength training during pregnancy, and the advice you get from most coaches is too broad in either direction to be helpful.

Many coaches and allied health professionals treat pregnant people like they’re made of glass and fear any exercise could harm the baby. In contrast, some coaches say you can do whatever you did before pregnancy. Neither is correct in every case, so seek qualified coaching to stay healthy and strong throughout pregnancy.

The benefits of strength training throughout pregnancy are significant and include lowering your chance of complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, decreasing your risk of postpartum depression, and improving pelvic floor function.

Strength Training for Older Adults

A population that significantly benefits from strength training is older adults. Yet most folks over 50 I have trained in my career are quite nervous about picking up weights and need convincing.

That’s because older adults constantly receive messages that they should lift light weights or just do cardio, despite the tremendous documented evidence that strength training is one of the best tools to prevent muscle wasting and bone loss in older populations.

Additional benefits of strength training for older adults include increased strength, better coordination, injury prevention, and a reduced risk for frailty, falls, and metabolic diseases.

As with any unique population, the experience and education of your trainer matters, so I strongly recommend working with a coach who has a track record of working with older adults and is comfortable creating movement modifications and customizing each workout for you.

Because, while older adults can and should be lifting heavy weights and executing compound exercises whenever possible, their program should be tailored, progress appropriately, and address any existing issues such as postural deviations, chronic pain, and poor movement patterns.

Strength Training FAQs

What are the benefits of strength training?

Strength training is recommended for at least two weekly sessions for a good reason. The health benefits are incredible and include:

Stronger bones
Bigger muscles
Increased strength
Better coordination
Reduced injury risk
Improved longevity
Improved insulin regulation
Decreased metabolic disease risk
Increased fat loss
Easier weight management
Stronger ligaments and tendons
Better mental health
Improved posture

What are the different types of strength training workouts?

There are many different types of strength training workouts, and eight of the most common include bodyweight training, free weights, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, kettlebell training, bodybuilding, and functional strength training.

Is strength training different for men and women?

Exercise selection for strength training is the same for men and women. There are no ‘exercises for men’ or ‘exercises for women’. There are differences in programming, particularly if you want to participate in strength sports such as powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, or bodybuilding.

Generally speaking, women can handle more volume and intensity, so women can train harder and more consistently than men can when pursuing the same goal.

These subtle differences can significantly affect your training outcomes, so work with a qualified fitness professional if you’re pursuing those sports.

Can you strength train while pregnant?

The answer is for most people: yes, you can and should strength train while pregnant.

However, you should first consult with your healthcare provider AND seek coaching from a certified and experienced strength coach who works with pregnant, peri, and postpartum clients. I highly recommend the team over at Girls Gone Strong. They are the leading experts in coaching this population.

There are absolute contraindications for strength training during pregnancy, and the advice you get from most people is too broad in either direction to be helpful.

Many coaches and allied health professionals treat pregnant people like they’re made of glass and fear any exercise could harm the baby, while some coaches will say you can do whatever you were doing before pregnancy.

Neither is correct in every case, so seek out qualified coaching to stay healthy and strong throughout pregnancy and beyond.

Bottom Line on Types of Strength Training

There are many types of strength training, with some of the most popular styles being bodyweight, free weight, circuit training, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, kettlebell, and functional training.

While these types of training vary considerably, they all provide the benefits of strength training, including bigger, stronger muscles, improved coordination, lower disease risk, more fat loss, and better mental health.

If you haven’t found a form of strength training you love yet, keep experimenting with different styles. Because the benefits are tremendous and regular strength training in addition to cardio is required for our health and longevity.