The Importance of Including Power in Your Exercise Routine

Did you know that power training isn't just for professional athletes like boxers or powerlifters? In fact, you've probably already incorporated some form of power training into your workouts, whether it was sprinting on the track or using battle ropes.

Power, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), is the ability to exert the most force in the shortest amount of time. In simpler terms, it's the amount of energy exerted during a shortened time period. So why is power important in workouts? Trainers explain that developing power can improve both your workouts and daily functioning.

Jacqueline Howard, a NASM-certified CPT, VKNJA steel mace and kettlebell certified coach, and Schwinn Stages certified trainer, explains that power is essentially about maximizing simple movements. Examples include taking a basic squat and adding a jump or box jump to it. By working at or close to 100 percent effort for a short period of time, you are building power.

It's important to note that power and plyometrics are not the same thing, although plyometrics are a type of power training. Plyometric exercises involve producing the maximum amount of force in the shortest amount of time, such as squat jumps or lunge jumps, while power training can include activities like cycling up a hill as fast as possible or doing high knees as quickly as you can for 30 seconds.

By incorporating power training into your workouts, you're improving your ability to work at 100 percent of your max capacity. This can come in handy in everyday situations where you need to generate power, like chasing after a runaway dog or moving heavy furniture. Additionally, developing power can increase your stamina, and improving your breath control can help with both power and recovery.

To increase your power, you'll need to train hard and push yourself to your max on a regular basis. One suggestion is to use a 2:1 or 3:1 work-to-rest ratio, such as working at max effort for 20 seconds and recovering for 10 seconds during a Tabata workout.

You can choose to complete specific exercises or workouts for power based on your goals. If you're aiming for more power in running, for example, try sprinting at your top pace for 20 seconds before taking a short recovery. To build power in a particular muscle group, try doing an AMRAP, which stands for 'as many reps as possible' within a certain time frame (think: as many squats as you can do in a minute). Finally, you can test to find your one-rep max (aka the most weight you can lift for a single rep), then train at higher and higher percentages of your one-rep max and for more reps. This training plan will give you the structure to increase your power progressively and minimize your risk of injury in case you're tempted to go too hard or too fast.

If you're not sure how to begin adding power to your workouts, start small, advises Howard. 'Go back to the basics with bodyweight squats and isolation exercises,' she advises. 'Don't worry about dynamic movements yet, because your body and breath patterns aren’t ready. Once you feel confident in balance and alignment, then you can start building power — but you have to start at the basics.'