1.

Meaning of Power:
Power definition in sport is a hot topic. Having a grasp of the subtle but profound differences
between power, strength and muscular endurance will better equip you on how to write and
deliver your training program.
All athletes produce power to perform, but the rate and duration of that power delivery impact
it’s definition.
IVAN

The term Power is used in sport by competitors, scientists, commentators, and armchair pundits
alike. Phrases like “they can’t deal with his power” or “that’s a phenomenal power output” are
used across the sporting spectrum. But what does it mean? The term Power is used in sport to
represent a variety of actions, can all these different uses be correct? What do we mean when we
use the term power? This article aims to explain the different ways of defining power, depending
on the situation. It will discuss the factors that contribute to its production, including sporting
examples; and the ways in which it can be measured and improved.
1.1 Power Definitions in Sport
Power in its simplest form is the product of force multiplied by distance, divided by time. In a
sporting context, force can be substituted for strength, and time/distance indicated by the speed
of movement. Power is important in sport because it reflects the body’s energy production,
applied to generate output of some kind – from a pedal revolution to a vertical jump. Power
output is the key element in most athletic activities, and generally means the same thing, but the
way power is applied differs depending on the sport and its requirements. How power is
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interpreted is largely dependent on the type of sport and the duration of the action being
discussed.
Power output can be mechanical; for example, when applied to pedals, and accurately quantified
(in watts) to reflect how hard an athlete is working. Other actions that do not rely on the transfer
of input to equipment like running, jumping, and throwing are more complicated to assign power
values too, and require more specialized equipment such as force platforms and position
transducers to predict power based on the application of force and speed of movement.
Comparisons of power output between different sporting actions are meaningless as the
measurement of internal energy production for throwing, jumping and running (for example) is
not possible. Variables such as duration, resistance and muscle group utilization all contribute to
the output that is possible. What we can do is provide arbitrary power classifications to actions,
Throws and jumps require explosive power, Sprint events require high power outputs for short
periods of time, and endurance events are more dependent on maintaining a relatively low
average power output for much longer durations.
 1.2 Power in Endurance Events
To a cyclist or rower, power is the result of metabolic energy applied to produce a mechanical
output. This application of this energy to turn pedals or move an oar is predominantly derived
from the aerobic energy system, the characteristics of which include sustained but limited yield.
Much of the apparatus to produce this ‘type’ of energy is found in slow-twitch muscle fibres and
reliant on the delivery of fuel and oxygen. The importance of power output in this sense is
relative to the task at hand.
DENVER

1.3 Power in Explosive Events

The most common use of the term power is as a component of strength and it is this intended
explanation of power that we will focus on here, as it has caused the most confusion in the field.
Power in this sense is the ability to transform physical energy into force at a fast rate, with
emphasis placed on the speed of the action. Such actions require high yield, short duration
energy production that is reliant on anaerobic energy systems and fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Launching a javelin or clearing a 2-meter bar require the rapid development of force. Team
sports such as rugby, football and hockey have complex demands and require players to perform
explosive actions during key periods of play, with a foundation of endurance that allows for
repeated delivery during a game. Jumping, tackling, and striking a ball can all be considered
powerful skills that contribute to the outcome of games.
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2. IMPROVING MUSCULAR POWER:
Strength and flexibility exercises will help you increase muscle strength, maintain bone density,
improve balance, and reduce joint pain. Strength training involves putting loads on your body to
increase muscular and skeletal strength. Whereas power training improves your ability to use
your strength at higher speeds.
AARON

Muscular power commonly means the ability to recruit many muscle motor units quickly to
move a load. It is also required for everyday activities like climbing stairs, catching a bus,
stooping to pick things up or rising from a seated position.
Every activity we perform, whether on the playing field or during everyday activities, require
individuals to react and generate force quickly to certain demands place on our structure. It is
critical that individuals are trained at speeds that are functionally applicable to everyday life and
sport, decreasing the risk of injury and enhancing overall performance.
Power training is on the opposite side of the spectrum of endurance training.
2.1 The Physiology of Power
Muscular power generation relies primarily on type II muscle fibers, which specialize in
anaerobic power generation. This process depends on ATP, the cell’s most basic form of energy.
As the ATP is depleted, creatine stores help produce more. Since creatine stores are limited
 (approximately 100 contractions) power can only be sustained for a limited time. But there are
ways that you can train to improve your muscular power, delay fatigue, and improve recovery.
2.2 Training for Power
Being strong does not always translate to being powerful. For example, a strong lower body can
do a heavy squat slowly, but it can't necessarily generate the power to do the same lift with
AARON

speed.
Power is explosiveness.
Power training can take many forms depending on the goals of the individual and the demands of
the sport. Here are some basic guidelines for power training:
• Move loads at a high velocity
• Use lighter weights at higher reps. For example, 25% of your 1RM in a bench press in a
higher rep range (8-16).
• Incorporate plyometric training
2.3 Eating for Power
You can improve your power performance through the food that you eat. In fact, it is incredibly
important to provide your body with adequate nutrition relative to your training intentions.
Eating foods that support a healthy nervous system is important, since the speed of nerve
communication between your brain and muscles facilitates power performance. Foods that
contain B6, B12 and folate assist nerve metabolism.
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Excellent food sources of vitamin B6 include:

• pork
• Poultry such as chicken or turkey
• Fish
• Bread
• Wholegrain cereals such as oatmeal, wheatgerm and brown rice
• Eggs
• Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, beets, turnips, romaine lettuce)
• Peanuts
• Milk
• Potatoes
Sources of folate include:
• Legumes
• Asparagus
• Eggs
• Leafy greens
• Citrus fruits
 • Broccoli
• Nuts and seeds
Sources of B12 include:
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• Clams
• Beef liver
• Fish (trout, salmon, tuna, haddock)
• Eggs
• Chicken
2.4 Supplementing for Power
Ideally you should be getting the nutrition you need for performance through the food you eat,
but it is difficult to get the right balance on a daily basis.
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3. BENEFITS
Losing weight and toning up are the two most common reasons for starting an exercise program.
Many people who start exercising to achieve these goals often make distance running a key
component of their workout programs. Sprinters and distance runners have such contrasting body
types because of the way they train for their respective events. Endurance training can help
improve aerobic efficiency and burn excess calories, but it is not that effective at promoting
muscle definition. If your clients want to increase their levels of lean muscle mass and enhance
their aesthetic appearance, it is worth considering these seven benefits of power training:
3.1 Power training can recruit large amounts of muscle fibers.
An individual motor unit is comprised of a motor neuron, which receives the commands for
action from the central nervous system (CNS), and its attached muscle fibers. Motor units can be
classified as fast-twitch or slow-twitch. Slow-twitch motor units have a low threshold for
activation and low conduction velocities and are best suited for long-duration activity requiring
minimal force output because they attach to slow-twitch, type I muscle fibers. Fast-twitch motor
KIM

units, by contrast, have a higher activation threshold, are capable of conducting signals at higher
velocities and are better suited to anaerobic strength and power-based activities because they
attach to type II muscle fibers, which have the ability to produce a high amount of force in a
short period of time. Motor units are activated according to the all-or-none theory, which
postulates that when a motor unit is activated it shortens all of its attached muscle fibers.
3.2 Power training can improve the magnitude and velocity of force production.
Muscle spindles are sensory receptors that identify changes in muscle length and then
communicate those changes to the CNS to determine and produce the appropriate motor
response. Muscle spindles lie parallel to individual muscle fibers and sense changes in muscle
length as well as the velocity of the length change. When a muscle is lengthened, it creates a
 stretch on the muscle spindles, which respond by initiating a discharge of the alpha motor
neurons. This, in turn, causes a reflexive contraction of the involved muscle.
3.3 Muscle force output is not based on the size of the muscle, but on intramuscular
coordination, which is the efficiency at which the motor units activate individual fibers
within a particular muscle.
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Rate coding is the speed at which the CNS activates muscle motor units to create muscle
contractions. Power training relies on the fast discharge of type II motor units and their attached
muscle fibers. For the average client, power training can enhance the ability to perform many
activities of daily living (ADL), such as carrying children, navigating a busy urban street or
participating in a favorite recreational activity. For athletes, power training can be an effective
method for enhancing performance. Both athletes and non-athletes can use power training to
increase lean muscle mass and improve definition.
3.4 Power training relies on type II muscle fibers for generating high amounts of force in a
short period of time.
Type II muscle fibers can metabolize energy from glycogen or stored adenosine triphosphate
(ATP) without the presence of oxygen to meet the immediate need for force production.
Sprinters rely on explosive power training to maximize their ability to generate high levels of
muscle force in a brief amount of time; hence, they rely on the type II muscle fibers to do most
of the work. The good news is that type II fibers are also responsible for providing a muscle with
its shape and size, which makes power training an effective strategy for improving aesthetic
appearance.
3.5 Power training can help older adults improve their quality of life and maintain
functional independence during the later years of the aging process.
Type II muscle fibers not utilized during adulthood will atrophy and become dormant. Older
adults can use safe power training exercises to activate type II muscle fibers, which increases
lean muscle mass, improves dynamic balance (reducing the risk of falls) and enhances aesthetic
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appearance.
3.6 The mechanical and metabolic damage created by power training signals the body to
increase levels of the anabolic hormone’s testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like
growth factor.
These are used to repair the damaged muscle fibers resulting in stronger, larger muscles capable
of generating higher levels of force.
3.7 Power training can help develop stronger, more resilient connective tissue; specifically
tendons, ligaments, fascia and joint capsules, which reduces the risk of injury from sprains
or strains.
This fast and efficient workout was designed to enhance total-body power output and increase
lean muscle mass.
REFERENCES:
Definition of Power, Strength & Endurance In Sport. (2021, October 26). Ludum. Retrieved

September 20, 2022, from https://ludum.com/blog/training-plans/power-strength-

muscular-endurance-in-sport-an-explanation/

Powell, T. (2021, September 28). Training for Muscular Power. KYMIRA Sport. Retrieved

September 20, 2022, from https://www.kymirasport.com/blogs/news/training-for-

muscular-power

Exercises to Improve Power | ISSA. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2022, from

https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/exercises-to-improve-power

McCall, P. (2015, August 27). Benefits of Power Training Exercises: 7 Reasons to Get Started.

Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.acefitness.org/resources/pros/expert-

articles/5623/benefits-of-power-training-exercises-7-reasons-to-get-

started/#:%7E:text=Power%20training%20can%20help%20develop,and%20increase%20

lean%20muscle%20mass.