OnFitness Magazine - November/December 2021 - 48

WWW.ONFITNESSMAG.COM | VOL 22 NO 3 | 2021 48
Smart Training
STRENGTH
ANDPOWER
DISTINCTIONS
Steed Kyle
Strength is the ability to exert a great
deal of force into an object without
regard to speed. Ironically, a great
example of this is what we see in
powerlifting, such as the bench press,
deadlift, and squat. Generally, these lifts
are extremely heavy but also slow.
Contrary to its name - power-lifting -
the slow speed means that the sport does not require much power.
If we compare these exercises to Olympic liftings, such as the
clean & jerk or snatch, we see a significant difference in technique.
Olympic lifts are among the most powerful movements in sports.
The defining characteristic of power is time or lack of it.
Great forces that are exerted over a short period in Olympic
lifting produce extremely high values of power. This is why these
lifts are used as training for almost all power-based sports.
Understanding this concept of speed leads to some simple rules
about developing power versus strength. To develop strength, we
need to use heavy loads and slow motor speeds. If we want to target
power, the speed of movement must be much faster. To accomplish
this, the load must be reduced.
In the general progression, we need to first build strength before
proceeding to movements and motor speeds that emphasize power.
And there are several reasons why.
Having more base strength will influence how much power we
can produce. The slower movement speeds associated with strength
exercises help us identify weaknesses, tightness, and imbalances that
could otherwise be hidden by the momentum present in a more
power-based action.
Keeping the speed slow at first is especially important with new
exercises.
Moving through a large, integrated action teaches us to stabilize
joints and neutralize the forces that are experienced during the
exercise at a slow speed. This creates the motor learning base
necessary to progressively do the same action at faster and more
challenging speeds that begin to represent the actual speed of the
movement being trained.
As movement speed increases in training, it's important to make
sure that compensations that were corrected earlier don't reappear.
This can happen as a result of increased complexity and external
forces associated with moving faster. Ensuring a high quality of
movement at every stage of the exercise will produce great
performance results in activity at the other end.
Now that we understand the difference between training for
strength and training for power, and how to progress from one to the
other, the next component of our equation is function. What is it
and how do we go about training it?
" Function " has been a major buzzword in our industry over the
last few years. Almost everything in use is being touted as
" functional, " as the industry attempts to market itself around what
will sell.
What functional means depends on the individual you're
referencing. Function for an average person is significantly different
from function for a Cirque du Soleil (acrobatic) performer.
When you're referencing function, you first need to discern what
you're training for. What does the action you're trying to achieve
look like? If the exercises selected look the same way as the one we
are training to achieve, we'll be training " functionally, " and these
movements will carry over into performance easily.
Here are some basic guidelines.
What will the basic body position be in the action? Ninety-nine
of all activities happens from a standing position.
Our training needs to mirror that if we want it to translate to
performance. Considering that the vast majority of strength-training
equipment comes equipped with a padded seat and, in some cases, a
seat belt, training from a standing position will be a shift for many.
It's safe to say that unless you're someone who is restricted to a
wheelchair, an exercise that has a seat is not functional. The seat that
most exercise equipment has eliminates opportunities for other
muscles in your body to aid in exercise movement. Life and sport
occur in an unsupported, unrestricted, and, in many cases, unstable
environment. Traditional, machine-based, and bench-assisted
exercise occurs in a supported and restricted environment.
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OnFitness Magazine - November/December 2021

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