Moving an object (or your body), the load, is one thing. But, doing it quickly is another. That’s where speed training comes in. Speed strength is commonly referred to as power. Here, the focus is on getting the neuromuscular system to generate force as quickly as possible. It requires a higher degree of skill and strength. In general, faster rep speeds with a light weight do a superior job of building power compared to using a heavy weight, so long as just a few repetitions are done. So, you won’t find very heavy loads in this kind of training, nor training to failure.
Power training isn’t as simple as following a given workout because it includes many elements and many different types of exercises. You should choose exercises that match your goals. Start off modestly and increase volume and difficulty over time. In fact, such workouts can remain an integral part of your training throughout the year.
Be sure not to turn your workouts into conditioning drills, because your focus is on explosive power! Conditioning exercises are designed to make you tired, which is the opposite of what you want to be when completing your plyos. You want to be fresh. You must be fully recovered between sets, so your recovery period should be 3 to 5 times longer than the duration of your set, or about 30 to 60 seconds. Don’t start the next set unless you feel fully recovered. There should be no carryover fatigue here as there is in bodybuilding training.
POWER TIPS
- Do a 5 to 10-minute warm-up to elevate your heart rate and focus your mind or follow a dynamic warm-up that includes such movements as high kicks and arm circles.
- Do 3 to 6 sets of 3 to 8 reps using an explosive but clean motion. Stop before reaching muscle failure.
- Limit your total reps, which are called touches, for the entire workout. Limit your total touches to 75 to 150, for more optimal improvements in speed and explosiveness.
- For recovery purposes, don’t train every day, but rather every 2 to 3 days or three times a week.
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