Riccardo Grandi's speech at the StrongFirst Summit of Strength 2026

On 31 January and 1 February 2026, Cesena was the meeting point for coaches, athletic trainers and strength professionals from all over the world at the StrongFirst Summit of Strength 2026: an international event dedicated to strength culture, training programming and the development of athletic performance.

In a context where advanced methodologies, models and approaches to physical preparation were openly confronted, one of the most thought-provoking speeches was that of Riccardo Grandi, founder of the SBB training school.

The subject matter is as simple as it is controversial:
are strength and hypertrophy really two separate worlds?

Due istruttori sorridenti che discutono durante una sessione di allenamento con attrezzature fitness professionali Sidea, promuovendo forza e ipertrofia muscolare.

The problem is not the science, but how we read it

Grandi's speech starts from a clear observation: today's debate on training is increasingly influenced by simplifications.

Phrases such as:

“strength is not needed for hypertrophy”
“no more coming to blows”
“the fundamentals are outdated”

do not arise from false data, but from partial interpretations of the scientific literature.

In recent years, numerous studies have indeed shown that, with the same strain near failure, even relatively low loads can induce hypertrophic adaptations comparable to those obtained with high loads. However, the transition from “possible” to “equivalent” is far from obvious.

And therein lies the central point:
science should not be simplified, it should be understood.

In his talk, Grandi questions what we might call a “fast synthesis drift”: the use of studies and meta-analyses as absolute truths, without considering context, limitations and actual applicability.

Recruiting does not mean stimulating

One of the most relevant passages concerns the concept of motor unit recruitment.

It is true that working close to collapse, even with light loads, involves high threshold motor units.

But this does not mean that the stimulus is equivalent.

A fundamental distinction emerges here:

Recruitment ≠ quality of the stimulus

Training with high loads means:

activate the high threshold motor units first
working under more favourable mechanical conditions
maintaining higher execution quality

On the contrary, sagging with light loads does lead to recruitment, but:

under high fatigue conditions
for a more limited time
with a progressive reduction in the mechanical quality of the gesture

A concrete example

Take a squat with a high load: the high threshold motor units are involved from the very first repetitions, working with high tension levels and a still stable technique.

In a lightly loaded series brought to failure, the same units are indeed recruited, but only in the last repetitions, when fatigue is already very high and the quality of the movement inevitably drops.

The result?
Not everything that is recruited is stimulated in the same way.

Volume is crucial. But it is not enough.

Another central theme is the role of volume.

The most recent literature clearly shows a dose-response relationship between volume and hypertrophy: more training series, within certain limits, tend to produce more adaptations.

But even here, Grandi urges us to avoid hasty conclusions.

Because the point is not just how much volume you do, but:

how much you can sustain it over time
with what quality
by what margin of progression

And this is where force comes into play in a decisive way.

Strength is not an alternative to volume. It is what makes volume sustainable, effective and progressive.

Without a base of strength:

the relative load is lowered
the quality of the stimulus decreases
the capacity for progression is reduced

In other words, volume may build muscle mass, but it is strength that gives structure to that volume in the long run.

Back to basics, with an evolved vision

The methodological proposal that emerged from the intervention is clear:
not choose between strength and hypertrophy, but integrate them within a coherent system.

A system that:

uses large motor patterns as a basis
organises work by intensity levels
distributes the load over several frequencies
integrates complementary exercises without losing the structural focus

It is not a question of going back to the past, but of recovering what works, putting it into a modern and conscious vision.

The real evolution is not eliminating the fundamentals, but knowing how to use them better.

copertina 9036-_6 - 9046_6 Powerlifiting Calibrated Steel Plates evento in sicilia

A message that goes beyond training

What makes this intervention particularly relevant is not just the technical content, but the cultural message.

In an industry increasingly exposed to fads, shortcuts and polarisations, the appeal is clear:

To train better means first of all to think better.

And this is exactly the kind of approach that events like the Summit of Strength want to promote: not just updating, but evolving thinking.

Istruttore di fitness che parla durante una sessione di allenamento, con attrezzature professionali per forza e ipertrofia, in un centro fitness Sidea.

SIDEA: research, method, vision

The role of SIDEA fits naturally into this context.

Participation in the Summit does not simply represent an institutional presence, but a clear statement of position:
supporting the culture of strength through research, study and dissemination.

SIDEA, today a European market leader in the design and supply of innovative fitness solutions, has always pursued a clear principle:

equipment is not the end, but the means by which to build effective training systems.

For this reason, the commitment is not limited to product development, but extends:

the study of methods
collaboration with coaches and professionals
the dissemination of quality content

Because SIDEA is not just about equipment.
It is passion for fitness enthusiasts, it is movement culture, it is the will to contribute in a concrete way to the evolution of the sector