Why Power Training May Be More Important Than Strength Training

Pinpointing power

Exercise specialists use several tests to gauge what you can improve on, Ronai says. One of those tests is the gallon-jug shelf transfer test, which involves moving five 1-gallon jugs from a shelf at knee height to a shelf at shoulder height as quickly as possible while keeping your back straight. Exercises to boost power — squats, medicine ball slams, rapid squats and resistance-band rows — may mimic this movement.

“That’s a very functionally oriented task, but it requires power” from your whole body, Ronai explains. 

These two tests are a good way to assess body power, he says:

• The 30-second chair stand test: This measures how many times you can rise from sitting and sit back down again in 30 seconds. Typically, fewer than eight repetitions in 30 seconds is considered a risk for falls.
• The 5-repetition chair stand test: This measures how fast you can stand and sit safely in a chair five times. Typically, a time above 12 seconds indicates a need for further fall risk assessments, Ronai says.

During the tests, a professional will be able to get a baseline of where you are from a strength and power perspective, then recommend specific movements to improve your power, he adds. 

Researchers are looking at which techniques correlate to functional improvements and how to meet the needs of individuals, as some may have more power in certain areas of the body than others, says Joseph Signorile, a professor in the department of kinesiology and sports sciences, and director of the Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging at University of Miami in Florida.

Speeding up safely

It’s critical to start slow and be safe during power training, Ronai says.

“You have to move faster and more explosively but under control,” he says. “You don’t have to be so fast that you’re not safe.”

Those who may be at greater risk of falling should approach power training with a simple principle in mind: strength first, then speed, says Sabrena Jo, senior director of science and education at the American Council on Exercise (ACE). 

Master foundational movements like sit-to-stands, step-ups, presses and light resistance-band rows with a slow and controlled technique. “Once the movement feels stable and supported, you gradually introduce speed only during the lifting, or upward, phase of the movement,” Jo says. This lets you train the velocity component safely without ever needing heavy resistance, she adds.

Choose movements that reflect real daily demands, such as rising from a chair or stepping quickly onto a curb, Jo suggests. “When we train for power in these familiar patterns, we get meaningful, functional transfer to the activities that matter most,” she adds.

Some safety tips:

• Go over your health history with a professional who can help you determine which exercises you may have to modify, based on your health status and any limitations.
• Stick with low-impact exercises, especially if you’re just starting out. Avoid jumping high and doing moves with challenging landings. 
• Use a spotter.
• Train in a clutter-free area.
• Work at an intensity that feels comfortable, not breathless.
• Don’t sacrifice form for speed.
• Use a countertop, chair or the wall for balance support.
• Not all machines are ideal for power training because of issues with momentum. Stick with resistance bands, free weights, your body weight or exercise in the water.
• Get the exercise down before revving up your speed, making sure you have the strength to do the moves and gradually increasing speed.
• Minimize inertia, which occurs when you start moving but have a hard time stopping.

How to start power training

Ready to try power training? Ronai and Signorile advise seeking professional support to evaluate your capabilities and determine what you need to do to bolster power. Everyone’s different, so a tailored approach is best, they say.

You can see a personal trainer at a gym or a physical therapist, Ronai says. Check out local colleges with exercise programs, as an exercise physiologist there may be able to advise you; if they’re doing research on power training, you may be able to get some pro tips free of charge by participating in a study, Signorile says.

Look for professionals with accredited organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine, ACE and the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Ronai suggests.

You can try adding more speed on your own, but a professional will be able to pinpoint what you need and give you specific moves to accomplish it, Signorile says. They also can ensure you’re safe when doing the exercises, he adds.

Essentially, any exercise can become a power training move, even walking, Signorile says. While power training revolves around weights or resistance, walking at a higher speed means you’re moving a load (your body weight) faster and may be a good start for those without access to personal trainers, Signorile says. 

Try exercises that work multiple muscle groups, like leg presses or squats, which work several muscles in the lower body. Likewise, chest presses work your pectoral muscles but also your anterior deltoids and triceps, Signorile explains.

If you use hand weights for home workouts, you can move them faster to create and work your power capacity, emphasizing the lift or push part of the move. If you opt for resistance bands, make sure the resistance level of the band provides enough of a challenge. 

Power training exercises

Here are a few exercises to try:

1. Bug stomps

This exercise is great for beginners, ACE reports. When you’re standing, step one foot out as if you’re stomping on a bug with force. Return to the position and repeat with the other leg. You can put your stomping foot in different places, so long as the weight goes on your stomping foot.

2. Sit-to-stand

Sit in a chair but not far back into it. Stand up as quickly as possible, then sit back down. Ronai suggests using a cushion or foam pad so you don’t have to go as far down as you would in a standard chair until you work up to that position. Or replicate the movement without a chair, crouching down as far as comfortable, then rising to stand as quickly as you can, Ronai says.

3. Medicine ball toss

Sit firmly in a chair with a back, with your feet straight out before you. Grab a weighted medicine ball and hold it, with your hands on both sides, against the center of your chest. Then throw the ball as far straight as possible while keeping your back against the surface. You can also do this standing up with the ball in front of your chest, then slamming or pounding it into the floor — that’s called a medicine ball slam, Ronai explains.

4. Trunk rotation

On a cable machine with pulleys, bending down on one side below your knees and lifting the pulley across your body and up over the opposite side shoulder can mimic lifting something. You can improvise at home with resistance bands secured at a lower point, or with free weights.

5. Overhead press

Stand on top of a resistance band, with the handles just above your shoulders. Press upward, lengthening your arms overhead. Return to standing position. You can do this on a cable pulley machine or with weights as well.

6. Chest press

On a cable pulley machine or with a resistance band or weight, stand up with the weights in front of your body at your chest. Press straight forward. Return to original position. You can do this lying on a bench too.

7. Scapular row

With a cable pulley machine or resistance band, stand up with hands at chest height and elbows fully extended in front of the body. Pull straight back toward the ribs rapidly, bending at the elbow. Return to original position slowly.

8. Power lunges

People with moderate to high power levels should try this move. Similar to the bug stomp, step farther away into a full lunge, pushing off the lead foot and then returning to the starting position. 

9. Lateral jump

This one may be best for those with moderate to high power levels or those who currently exercise. Stand tall with both feet together. Lift your right foot and jump to the right as if you were hopping over a dog bowl, letting the left leg follow. Go back and forth to both sides, Ronai suggests. You can use a nearby wall for support.

10. Red light, green light

This is ideal for all levels. Choose a starting point with space to run. Start running (“green light”) and stop suddenly (“red light”).