Strength training isn’t just for those in search of buff bodies or bulked-up muscles. It also boosts the strength needed for daily tasks. Just about any activity becomes easier with stronger muscles. So does any sport you enjoy.
Another type of training, known as power training, is just as important as strength training in maintaining or restoring function. As the name suggests, power training is aimed at increasing power, which is the product of both strength and speed. Optimal power reflects how quickly you can exert force to produce the desired movement. Here’s an example: Faced with a four-lane intersection, you may have enough strength to walk across the street. But it’s power, not just strength that can get you across all four lanes of traffic before the light changes. Likewise, power can prevent falls by helping you react swiftly if you start to trip or lose your balance.
Some power moves are strength training exercises done at a faster speed. Others rely on the use of weight which is held, or worn, while performing certain exercises that are typically aimed at improving functions such as bending, reaching, lifting, and rising from a seated position.
As we age, muscle power ebbs even more swiftly than strength does. So exercises that can produce gains in power become especially important later in life to help prevent injuries. Additionally power training is critical for athletes requiring explosive speed (Power) to excel in their chosen sport.
At Engage Fitness and Training Center we combine the swift or high-velocity moves of power training with more deliberate and slow strength-training exercises to reap the benefits of both activities.