Relative Strength: Calculation, Importance, and Improvement

How to calculate relative strength?

Relative strength measures your ability to move a significant load relative to your own body weight, calculated by dividing the weight lifted by your body weight, providing a crucial metric for performance, especially in sports requiring high power-to-weight ratios.

Understanding Relative Strength: Why It Matters

In the realm of exercise science and athletic performance, strength is not a monolithic concept. While absolute strength refers to the maximum amount of force you can exert or the total weight you can lift regardless of your body size, relative strength provides a more nuanced perspective. It quantifies your strength in proportion to your body mass. This distinction is critical for several reasons:

• Sports Performance: For athletes in sports like gymnastics, climbing, wrestling, combat sports, or even endurance running, relative strength is often more important than absolute strength. The ability to efficiently move one's own body through space or against an opponent without carrying excessive non-functional mass is paramount.
• Bodyweight Mastery: Developing high levels of relative strength is fundamental for mastering bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, dips, and advanced calisthenics.
• Injury Prevention: A balanced strength-to-weight ratio can contribute to better movement mechanics and reduced injury risk, especially in dynamic activities.
• Training Effectiveness: Tracking relative strength helps assess the efficiency of your training programs. Are you getting stronger without unnecessarily increasing body mass, or even while decreasing it?

The Basic Formula for Relative Strength

The calculation of relative strength is straightforward, involving two key variables: the weight you lift and your body weight.

The fundamental formula is:

$$ \text{Relative Strength} = \frac{\text{Total Weight Lifted}}{\text{Bodyweight}} $$

• Total Weight Lifted: This typically refers to your 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM) for a specific exercise (e.g., squat, deadlift, bench press). In powerlifting, it might refer to the sum of your 1RM in the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
• Bodyweight: Your current body mass.

The resulting number is a ratio, often expressed as a multiple (e.g., 1.5x bodyweight). Ensure that the units for "Total Weight Lifted" and "Bodyweight" are consistent (e.g., both in kilograms or both in pounds).

Step-by-Step Calculation Guide

To accurately calculate your relative strength, follow these steps:

Step 1: Determine Your Bodyweight

• Accuracy is Key: Weigh yourself consistently. For best results, weigh yourself first thing in the morning, after using the restroom, and before consuming any food or drink.
• Units: Note your body weight in either kilograms (kg) or pounds (lb). Consistency with the units of the weight lifted is crucial.

Step 2: Identify Your 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM) for a Specific Lift

The 1RM is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for one complete repetition of a given exercise.

• Direct 1RM Testing:
  • This is the most accurate method but carries a higher risk of injury if not performed correctly.
  • Warm-up thoroughly: Begin with light cardio, dynamic stretches, and several sets of the target exercise with progressively heavier weights, performing fewer reps per set.
  • Progressive Loading: Gradually increase the weight in small increments until you find the heaviest weight you can lift for a single, technically perfect repetition.
  • Spotter: Always use a spotter for safety, especially for lifts like the bench press and squat.
• Estimated 1RM (Using Rep Max Formulas):
  • If you prefer not to test your true 1RM, you can estimate it based on a higher-rep set (e.g., a 3-rep max or 5-rep max).
  • Common formulas include the Brzycki Formula (Weight / (1.0278 - (0.0278 × Reps))) or the Epley Formula (Weight × (1 + (Reps / 30))).
  • Note: These formulas are estimates and can vary in accuracy depending on the individual, exercise, and number of repetitions. They are generally more accurate for lower rep ranges (1-5 reps).

Step 3: Apply the Formula

Once you have your 1RM for a chosen lift and your body weight, plug them into the relative strength formula.

Example:

• Bodyweight: 70 kg
• Squat 1RM: 105 kg

$$ \text{Relative Strength (Squat)} = \frac{105 \text{ kg}}{70 \text{ kg}} = 1.5 $$

This means your relative strength for the squat is 1.5 times your body weight.

Interpreting Your Relative Strength Score

A higher relative strength score indicates a greater ability to move loads efficiently relative to your body mass. The interpretation of your score depends heavily on your goals, sport, and training level.

• General Benchmarks (Highly Variable):
  • Beginner: Often below 1.0x bodyweight for major lifts.
  • Intermediate: 1.0x to 1.5x bodyweight.
  • Advanced: 1.5x to 2.0x bodyweight and beyond. Elite powerlifters can achieve 2.5x to 3.0x bodyweight or more for lifts like the deadlift.
• Sport-Specific Demands: A gymnast might prioritize relative strength for overhead pressing (e.g., handstand push-ups) and pulling (e.g., pull-ups), while a lineman in American football might focus more on absolute strength.
• Weight Classes: In sports with weight classes (e.g., powerlifting, wrestling), relative strength is paramount as athletes strive to maximize strength within their weight category.

Advanced Considerations: Beyond the Basic Ratio

While the basic relative strength ratio is valuable, specialized formulas exist for more complex comparisons:

• Wilks Formula (Powerlifting): This formula is used in powerlifting to compare the strength of lifters across different body weights and genders. It calculates a "Wilks score" by multiplying a lifter's total lifted weight by a coefficient based on their body weight. This allows for fair comparison of absolute strength achievements across different weight classes.
• Sinclair Formula (Olympic Weightlifting): Similar to the Wilks Formula, the Sinclair Formula serves a comparable purpose in Olympic weightlifting, normalizing total lifted weight based on body weight for equitable comparison.
• Relative Strength in Bodyweight Exercises: For exercises like pull-ups or dips, where your bodyweight is the resistance, relative strength is inherently being tested. The number of repetitions you can perform is a direct indicator of your relative strength in that movement. For example, being able to perform 15 strict pull-ups at 70kg bodyweight indicates higher relative strength than performing 5 pull-ups at the same bodyweight.

Improving Your Relative Strength

To enhance your relative strength, you generally need to achieve one or both of the following:

1. Increase Your 1RM (Strength) while Maintaining Bodyweight: This involves traditional strength training principles:
   • Progressive Overload: Gradually increasing the weight, reps, or sets over time.
   • Focus on Compound Lifts: Prioritize multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and overhead presses.
   • Periodization: Structuring your training into phases to optimize gains and prevent plateaus.
2. Maintain Your 1RM (Strength) while Decreasing Bodyweight: This requires strategic body composition management:
   • Caloric Deficit: Consuming fewer calories than you burn to promote fat loss.
   • Adequate Protein Intake: To preserve muscle mass during a caloric deficit.
   • Resistance Training: Continuing to lift heavy to signal to your body to retain muscle mass.

Ultimately, improving relative strength involves a strategic balance of strength development and body composition management. It's a key metric for many athletes and fitness enthusiasts aiming for optimal functional performance.

Key Takeaways

Relative strength is a powerful metric that transcends mere absolute lifting numbers, offering deep insights into your functional capacity and athletic potential. By understanding how to calculate it and applying consistent, evidence-based training principles, you can unlock new levels of performance, body mastery, and injury resilience. Prioritize proper technique, progressive overload, and mindful nutrition to optimize this crucial aspect of your fitness journey.