Combat athletes can have either greater absolute strength or relative strength depending on their weight. Training should focus on developing maximal strength, explosive strength, and power through exercises that target rate of force development like Olympic lifts. Proper programming is needed to transfer maximal strength gains into power gains, and variation in exercises and training load is important to continue stimulating muscular improvements. During competition, an athlete's rate of force development will be more important than their maximal strength.
Combat athletes can have either greater absolute strength or relative strength depending on their weight. Training should focus on developing maximal strength, explosive strength, and power through exercises that target rate of force development like Olympic lifts. Proper programming is needed to transfer maximal strength gains into power gains, and variation in exercises and training load is important to continue stimulating muscular improvements. During competition, an athlete's rate of force development will be more important than their maximal strength.
Combat athletes can have either greater absolute strength or relative strength depending on their weight. Training should focus on developing maximal strength, explosive strength, and power through exercises that target rate of force development like Olympic lifts. Proper programming is needed to transfer maximal strength gains into power gains, and variation in exercises and training load is important to continue stimulating muscular improvements. During competition, an athlete's rate of force development will be more important than their maximal strength.
Combat athlete A weighs 100kg – bench presses 200kg.
Combat athlete B weighs 80kg – bench presses 195kg. The heavier fighter has greater absolute strength. The lighter fighter has greater relative strength. Training Goal: Maximal Strength Maximal strength can be shown in the movement of both heavy loads and light loads (F = ma). When using heavy loads the force is determined by absolute strength and when using light loads it is determined by speed of contraction. When aiming to land a blow the athlete has to overcome a small resistance so training should be aimed at executing the movement at maximal speed. Training specifically for improved rate of force development (RFD) will immediately improve the fighter’s ability to increase explosive strength or power. High-intensity training (neuromuscular coordination) should be combined with either the repeated or submaximal effort methods, or all three, to stimulate muscular hypertrophy. These exercise batteries should be changed regularly and the training load should be varied (Zatsiorsky, 2006). With good programming to ensure maximal strength gains are transferred into power gains, both correct strength exercise selection and the timing of training are vitally important. When selecting resistance exercises with the goal of increasing power, attention to detail should be shown in regards to working muscles, direction of movement and the force–posture relationship. During competition, rate of force development will have a greater importance for the combat athlete than maximal strength. Exercises that target RFD, such as the Olympic lifts for example, require great skill and coordination and therefore are done in a rested state, usually the first exercises after the warm-up.
The Effects of A 7-Week Heavy Elastic Band and Weight Chain Program On Upper-Body Strength and Upper-Body Power in A Sample of Division 1-AA Football Players