Science and Development of Muscular Strength, with Timothy Suchomel, PhD

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Aug 8, 2025

Timothy Suchomel, PhD, is an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a leading expert in strength and power development. He dives into the intricate definitions of strength, comparing absolute and relative measures, and emphasizes the importance of context in athletic performance. Suchomel critiques traditional sport-specific training and introduces advanced training methods like accentuated eccentric loading. He also discusses a new publication on strength training mechanisms, offering valuable insights for athletes and coaches alike.

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ANECDOTE

From Athlete To Researcher

Tim Suchomel traced his career from playing sports to internships and PhD research that shaped his strength focus.
He credits mentors like Bill Eben and Mike Stone for moving him from coaching to research-driven practice.

INSIGHT

Strength Is Contextual

Strength is multifaceted and must be defined in context, not just how much you can lift.
Suchomel defines strength as producing force against external resistance in a task-specific context.

ADVICE

Train The Right Strength Mode

Match training mode to the task: emphasize concentric, eccentric, isometric, or reactive strength as needed.
Use the strength-speed spectrum to choose heavier fast loads or lighter fast loads depending on phase.

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"How much can you bench, bro?" Really, how much can you bench? How much can you squat? And what does it all mean? In this episode, Tim Suchomel, author of Science and Development of Muscular Strength, defines strength and discusses the various measures of strength. What is the difference between absolute strength and relative strength? What about concentric and eccentric strength? Dr. Suchomel breaks down why it is important to define strength and distinguish between the various measures. He also explains why the term "sport-specific" might have a more applicable name we haven't been using.

Timothy J. Suchomel, PhD, CSCS, *D, RSCC, *D, mISCP

Tim Suchomel is an associate professor and the director of the sports science master' program at the University of Pittsburgh. He has published over 110 peer-reviewed journal articles on topics such as strength and power development, weightlifting movements and their derivatives, eccentric training methods, postactivation potentiation, and athlete monitoring.

He has served the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as the chair of the Sport Science Special Interest Group, the Wisconsin state director, and a research committee member, and he currently serves as a senior associate editor of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and associate editor for Strength and Conditioning Journal. He was honored by the NSCA with the State/Provincial Director of the Year Award in 2019, the Terry J. Housh Outstanding Young Investigator Award in 2022, and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Editorial Excellence Award in 2023. Suchomel is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with distinction, and a registered strength and conditioning coach with distinction through the NSCA and has been recognized as a master international strength and conditioning practitioner (mISCP) through the International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA).

Suchomel completed his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2010, master's degree in Human Performance at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2012, and doctoral degree in Sport Physiology and Performance at East Tennessee State University in 2015.