Being strong at lifting weights doesn’t mean you’re strong at pushing or pulling and holding still—even with the same muscles—because your body uses different systems for moving vs. holding.

Being strong at lifting weights doesn’t mean you’re strong at pushing or holding something still—even with the same muscles—because your body uses different systems for moving vs. holding.

Getting stronger at lifting weights doesn’t make you much stronger at pushing or holding something still — they’re like two different kinds of strength, not just one ability measured two ways.

Lifting weights with movement (like squats or bench presses) makes you much stronger at those exact movements, but doesn’t make you much stronger at holding a static position—even if you’re using the same muscles.

Beginners get way stronger from weight training than experienced lifters, and even among beginners, they get much stronger at moving weights than at holding them still.

Beginners get the biggest strength boosts from lifting weights, but even they get way stronger at moving weights than at holding still — the gap between those two types of strength stays the same no matter how fit you are.