Do you ever wonder why you’re not making the strength gains you want, even though you’re working out regularly? Or perhaps you’ve typed into a search engine, “Why am I not getting stronger?” only to find generic advice on lifting heavier weights or switching routines. What if the issue isn’t about the weight you’re lifting but how you’re lifting it?
In this final installment of our series, I’ll explore the concept of strength as control—the ability to halt a movement at any point without shaking or losing form. We’ll examine common reasons people plateau in their strength gains, introduce simple tests of control, and provide actionable tips to help you cultivate true functional power.
The Difference Between Power and Control
When people talk about “strength,” they often envision someone bench-pressing enormous weights or sprinting explosively. While these feats are impressive, they often focus on power—generating force quickly. Control, on the other hand, is about sustaining and stabilizing force. It’s the ability to own every inch of a motion, whether you’re lifting a heavy box or lowering yourself into a squat.
Masking Weakness with Speed
A lot of fitness enthusiasts use momentum to “cheat” through challenging movements. This creates the illusion of strength but often hides weak links in form and stability. According to a study in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, lifters who rely on fast, explosive movements alone may overlook smaller stabilizer muscles, leading to strength imbalances and higher injury risk.
How to Test Your Control
If you’re unsure whether you have the foundational strength you need, try these slow, deliberate exercises at home or in the gym. Pay attention to any wobbling, shaking, or difficulty holding a position.
1. Slow Push-Ups
The Test: Get into a standard push-up position. Take 3 seconds to lower your chest toward the floor, pause briefly (1–2 seconds), and then take 3 seconds to push back up.
What to Look For: Are your hips sagging? Are your shoulders rounding forward? Do your elbows flare out uncontrollably? Any of these signs indicate a need for better core and shoulder stabilization.
2. Single-Leg Balance
The Test: Stand on one foot, raising the other foot a few inches off the ground. Aim to hold this position for 30 seconds without grabbing onto anything.
What to Look For: Excessive wobbling or immediate loss of balance suggests weak stabilizers in the hips, ankles, or feet. Try the test with your eyes closed for an added challenge.
3. Pause Squats
The Test: Descend into a squat over 3 seconds, pause at the bottom for another 2 seconds, and then rise back up over 3 seconds.
What to Look For: Knee collapse (inward or outward), rounding of the lower back, or significant heel lift. These indicate areas of weakness or mobility restrictions that need addressing.
Why Speed Can Be Misleading
1. Masking Form Flaws
When you move quickly, you can power through sticking points in the range of motion. This might allow you to lift a heavier weight or perform more reps, but it doesn’t guarantee your muscles are doing the work with proper alignment.
2. High Injury Risk
Rapid, jerky movements put excessive strain on tendons and ligaments. Without adequate control, it’s easy to tweak a joint or pull a muscle—especially under heavy loads.
3. Limited Muscle Engagement
Explosive reps might build power, but they often shortchange the eccentric (lowering) phase. The eccentric phase is critical for muscle growth and tensile strength in connective tissues. If you never train this portion deliberately, you miss out on significant gains.
The Role of Core Stability in True Strength
Strength doesn’t just come from big, prime-mover muscles like the quads or biceps; it also hinges on the core—your abdomen, lower back, and even your pelvic floor. Your core acts like a foundation for all other movements. If this foundation isn’t stable, you’ll struggle to perform exercises like squats, overhead presses, or deadlifts without compromising form.
Core-Centric Exercises to Build Control
Dead Bugs: Lie on your back with arms extended to the ceiling, knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Slowly lower one arm overhead and the opposite leg toward the floor while keeping your lower back pressed against the ground. This teaches you to maintain pelvic stability.
Bird Dogs: In a tabletop position, extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back. Focus on not letting your hips tilt. Move slowly and with precision.
Slow Mountain Climbers: Instead of rapidly driving knees toward your chest, move one knee at a time with a 3-second count. Keep your torso stable, resisting any rocking motions.
Strategies to Develop Better Control
1. Incorporate Tempo Training
Build slow tempos (e.g., 3-second descent, 1-second pause, 3-second ascent) into your main lifts. This type of training places consistent tension on the muscles and helps you pinpoint technique flaws.
2. Emphasize the Eccentric Phase
Whether it’s a bicep curl or a squat, pay special attention to the lowering portion of the exercise. Studies in the Journal of Applied Physiology show that eccentric-focused training can lead to greater muscle fiber recruitment and hypertrophy.
3. Use Lighter Weights at First
To truly master control, you may need to reduce your usual loads temporarily. This can be an ego check, but it’s essential for building a strong, stable foundation. Once your form is dialed in, you can gradually increase the weight while maintaining control.
4. Isometric Holds
Pause at the toughest part of the movement. For squats, it might be the bottom position. For a bench press, it might be just above the chest. Holding these positions builds static strength, crucial for overall stability.
Why Am I Not Getting Stronger? Common Culprits
Overemphasis on Volume: Doing too many sets and reps at suboptimal form can lead to fatigue and hinder muscle development.
Insufficient Recovery: Muscles need rest and proper nutrition to repair and grow. Ignoring sleep or nutrient intake can stall progress.
Lack of Progressive Overload: You need to challenge your muscles over time but in a controlled manner. Jumping to heavier weights too quickly can sabotage your technique.
Ignoring Stabilizer Muscles: Focusing solely on “show” muscles (like pecs or biceps) can create imbalances that limit overall strength gains.
High-Reward Exercises for Control and Stability
Bulgarian Split Squats: Forces each leg to stabilize independently. Add a pause at the bottom for an extra challenge.
Turkish Get-Ups: A complex, full-body exercise that demands core stability, shoulder strength, and controlled movements in multiple planes.
Farmers Carries: Holding weights at your sides while walking challenges grip strength, core stability, and postural alignment.
Real-World Transformations
Case Study: RH, 32
RH had been lifting weights for a year but felt stuck at the same bench press max. She introduced tempo training, taking 4 seconds to lower the bar and 2 seconds to raise it, with occasional pauses at the bottom. Within 8 weeks, her bench press max increased by 20 lbs. More importantly, she noticed improved shoulder stability and reduced elbow pain.
Bringing It All Together
Ultimately, true strength is about more than how much you can lift; it’s about controlling the weight—or your body—through the entire range of motion, at any speed, without breaking form. When you emphasize control over velocity, you shore up weak links in your chain, protect yourself from injuries, and establish a rock-solid foundation for future gains.
Key Takeaways
Slow it down: Introduce tempo training to truly test and develop your muscular control.
Focus on the eccentric: The lowering phase is critical for building strength and improving technique.
Test your balance: Single-leg work and isometric holds reveal hidden weaknesses that need attention.
Core first: A stable core is the gateway to safe, effective strength in all other exercises.
Stay patient: Building control is a journey. Reducing weights initially might be necessary, but the long-term benefits are well worth the effort.
Bottom Line: You can always go faster later, but if you can’t go slow and hold steady, you haven’t mastered true strength. With control, you can unlock a whole new level of performance and resilience.
Strength, Reimagined
Too often, we measure strength by external metrics: how heavy, how fast, how many reps. But if you’re serious about longevity, injury prevention, and genuine muscle development, it’s time to reframe strength in terms of control. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or a casual gym-goer, slowing down your reps, prioritizing form, and mastering multi-planar stability will pay dividends in every aspect of life.
If you’ve been stuck in a fitness rut or dealing with recurring aches and pains, this might be your wake-up call to reassess your training approach. Take the time to understand how your body moves, where your weaknesses lie, and how you can correct them with slow, deliberate practice. Because once you have control, there’s no limit to how strong you can truly become.
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