I remember watching a basketball game last season where the coach, Uichico, made a fascinating observation that stuck with me: "Everybody played well. Everybody was in the right mindset but in the course of the game, we saw some complacent lapses which resulted in some mistakes like giving up fouls, those things that we try to avoid." This got me thinking about how muscular strength isn't just about raw power—it's about maintaining that power consistently throughout physical activity. In my fifteen years of studying sports physiology, I've come to appreciate that true muscular strength manifests differently across various sports, and understanding this distinction can completely transform your training approach.
When we talk about sports that genuinely display muscular strength, we're looking at activities where athletes must generate maximal force against resistance. Weightlifting immediately comes to mind—the clean and jerk or snatch movements require athletes to lift astonishing amounts of weight through explosive power. I've always been amazed by how elite weightlifters can hoist over 200 kilograms above their heads, a testament to years of dedicated strength training. Then there's powerlifting, which focuses specifically on three main lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. What many people don't realize is that these sports demand not just strength but precise technique and mental focus—exactly what Coach Uichico was emphasizing when he mentioned the "right mindset" being crucial alongside physical capability.
Gymnastics represents another fascinating display of muscular strength, particularly in events like rings or parallel bars. I've personally tried basic ring exercises and was humbled by how much strength it takes just to maintain a simple support position. The iron cross move, where gymnasts hold themselves horizontally with arms outstretched, requires approximately 1.8 times the athlete's body weight in pulling force from each arm—a staggering demand on the latissimus dorsi and pectoral muscles. What makes gymnastics particularly impressive in my view is how athletes combine this strength with grace and control, something that separates true strength displays from mere brute force.
Football linemen provide another compelling example, especially during those critical seconds when they engage opponents at the line of scrimmage. The average NFL lineman can bench press around 225 pounds for 20-25 repetitions and squat over 500 pounds—numbers that still blow my mind despite having seen them for years. But here's what most spectators miss: similar to Uichico's observation about complacent lapses, these athletes must maintain their strength output repeatedly throughout the game, not just in isolated moments. That consistency separates good players from great ones, and it's why strength training for football focuses so heavily on endurance alongside peak power.
Now, wrestling and judo deserve special mention because they combine sheer strength with technical precision in ways that few other sports do. I've always preferred combat sports for demonstrating functional strength because athletes must control opponents while maintaining their own balance and position. A study I came across last year indicated that elite wrestlers can generate grappling forces exceeding 450 Newtons during takedowns—that's like pushing against 100 pounds of resistance while moving dynamically. This reminds me of Uichico's point about avoiding mistakes under pressure; in wrestling, a single strength lapse can mean immediate defeat, so mental focus becomes as crucial as physical capability.
Building muscular strength effectively requires understanding these sports-specific demands. From my experience working with athletes, I've found that compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses form the foundation of any good strength program. But here's where many go wrong: they focus only on the lifting numbers without considering how that strength translates to their sport. I typically recommend athletes spend 70% of their training on compound lifts and 30% on sport-specific strength applications. For a basketball player worried about fouling due to fatigue—like in Uichico's example—this might mean incorporating defensive slide drills while fatigued to maintain proper form when tired.
Progressive overload remains the non-negotiable principle for strength gains, but I've modified this approach over the years based on what actually works with real athletes. Rather than increasing weight indiscriminately, I prefer the 2-for-2 rule: when an athlete can complete two extra reps with proper form for two consecutive sessions, we increase the weight by about 5-10%. This conservative approach has helped my athletes avoid injury while making consistent progress. Nutrition plays a bigger role than most people acknowledge—I've seen athletes increase their strength outputs by 15-20% simply by optimizing their protein intake to approximately 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight and timing their carbohydrate consumption around training sessions.
Recovery is where I differ from some traditional strength coaches. While many emphasize additional active recovery days, I've found that quality sleep and proper hydration contribute more significantly to strength gains than extra light workouts. My athletes aiming for maximum strength improvement typically need 7-9 hours of quality sleep and at least 3 liters of water daily—simple changes that often produce better results than complex supplementation strategies. The mental aspect that Uichico highlighted translates directly to strength training too; I've noticed that athletes who approach their lifts with focused intention consistently outperform those who just go through the motions, even when their physical capabilities are similar.
Looking at the bigger picture, developing meaningful muscular strength isn't about chasing numbers in the gym—it's about building capacity that translates to your sport and helps avoid those "complacent lapses" that coaches dread. The strongest athletes I've worked with weren't necessarily those who could lift the most weight in training, but those who could apply their strength effectively when it mattered most. This connection between mental focus and physical performance continues to fascinate me, and it's why I always integrate psychological preparation alongside physical training in my programs. True strength, it turns out, manifests not just in muscles but in the focused mind that directs them.
People in Motion (PiM) is our employee advocacy and improvement program. These cross-functional groups are comprised of employees, with an executive sponsor, who contribute ideas and drive action towards focused areas of improvement across the employee experience. The groups include: Kyruus Kontext & Business Readiness; Community, Connectivity, & Engagement; System, Tools, & Productivity; IDEA [Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility].
As a remote-first company, we are invested in employees creating a work setup that allows them to do their best work. In addition to a laptop, we also provide you with $750 to get the additional equipment you need and add an ongoing amount of $1,200 to your salary to cover remote work costs.
We value ownership at Kyruus Health, not only in the work you do but in the shared financial success from our growth. Employees will have the opportunity to grow their equity ownership throughout their tenure.
We care about creating the time you need to bond for any team members at Kyruus Health growing their families. We offer 8 weeks of fully paid leave to all parents. Birthing parents are also eligible for additional time and coverage through our Short-Term Disability plan.
We encourage all employees to save for retirement through our 401(K) plan. Employees have the option to begin contributing to their accounts on their first day of employment and we offer an employer match of up to $1,500 per calendar year for all employees who enroll.
We offer employees a lifestyle stipend of $2,000 per year to help them be well. This is designed for Kyruus Health to offset the cost for items, experiences, or home expenses that enhance team members’ well-being
We want to provide employees and families with health insurance offerings to support them getting the care they need. Our health, dental, and vision plans are desiged to allow employees the opportunity to choose options that work best for themselves and their families.
We are committed to flexibility and empowering employees to do work that matters in a way that works for them. Our unlimited PTO policy is anchored on that flexibility – encouraging employees to take time off for what’s important to them, in addition to the many company holidays we celebrate. To highlight our commitment to a healthy work-life balance, we provide a specific stipend each quarter for employees to use on a recharge day.
