Why Power Training is Essential for Adults
By now, it is well-documented to expect a decline in physical function as we age. What is less often spoken about, however, is how quickly and severely we lose power.
We begin to experience a decline in strength and muscle mass in our 30’s. By age 40, this typically decreases by about 1% each year, whilst our ability to express power falls by over twice as much - with estimates to be around 2-4% annually.
As these fibers diminish, muscle composition starts to shift towards slower, endurance-oriented fibers that are not able to generate the same rapid force.
This is partly due to biology, but also because almost nobody trains any form of speed after the age of 30. Being active and doing regular strength and cardiovascular exercise (whilst still useful), will not be sufficient for staving off this decline.
Instead, we should focus on improving our ability to produce force fast.
Here are some of the most common exercises I use to address this issue:
✅ Jump variations - Vertical Jumps & Explosive Step Ups
✅ Plyometrics - Pogos, Bounds & Skips
✅ Medicine Ball Throws - Vertical, Horizontal & Rotational Throws
✅ Loaded Ballistics - Sled Sprints, Kettlebell Swings & Olympic Lifting Derivatives
Below is an example of a power circuit we may typically use within a session. It is performed at the beginning of the workout after the initial warm up and prior to moving onto our resistance training component.
We do this at the start of the session to ensure that we are performing these exercises with maximum intent - the key to training speed and power is to keep the weight low and move as fast as possible.
Our aim is to be able to improve our ability to express force quickly, and then continue to delay the decline of this property for as long as possible. This will not only result in greater health and longevity, but also higher cognitive function and physical performance.
I hope this article encourages you to start thinking about training for power. A great way to stop the body from becoming slow and uncoordinated is to actually train it not to be.
