What Is Power?
While having strength to do an action is great, possessing and exerting power gets the job done fast. Power is the ability to produce high force at high speed.
A high rate of force development (RFD) allows you to move your body or an object explosively, an ability that is often necessary in sports, work, and life. While strength allows you to move a heavy weight without consideration to time, power allows you to move it in as little time as possible. High force and high speed equals high power.
Obviously, the heavier the weight, the slower it can be moved; the lighter the weight, the faster. In other words, you can move ten pounds much faster than you can twenty pounds. If presented as a formula, it would be this: Power = mass x distance/time. This does not mean you cannot train to increase the speed of moving the weight, increase the weight while moving at speed, or, ideally, both! In fact, one of the goals of training for increased power is moving more weight faster:
As one of the Five Components of Fitness, power is a distinctive motor quality, and it can be optimized through proper power-specific training.
What Are Some Examples of Power?
Jumping, sprinting up stairs, or throwing a stone into the ocean—these are examples of power. There may be times when power comes out of necessity, such as dashing out of the way of danger, sprinting to reach something precious, or pushing or pulling someone to safety. Whatever the case, your ability to contract your muscles at high speed is a useful component of real-world fitness, because life does not always move slowly.
How Is Power Measured?
Power can be measured through many means, but the simplest way is through a vertical jump. In addition to assessing power, a vertical jump is a great way to train for its enhancement.
At first glance, the vertical jump appears to be an assessment of only the legs and hips, but other parts of the body are also powerfully engaged. The torso must stabilize against the high forces of acceleration, and the arms must explosively swing upward. This means that the chest, upper back, shoulders, and arms are greatly involved. The vertical jump is both an effective whole-body assessment and a power exercise.
Power Has a Place in Your Life!
- Power makes you move faster.
- Power allows faster reactions.
- Faster reaction time may lower the risk of injury.
- Power utilizes fast-twitch muscles.
- Power requires a high metabolic output.
- High metabolic output aids in weight loss and control.
Power gives you confidence.
