Power & Strength Workouts

According to Gray Cook, founder of Functional Movement Systems in Danville, Virginia, strength is your ability to do work, while power is adding speed to strength. Both types of training increase muscle size, blood circulation, and storage for glycogen, which is sugar stored in your muscles for fuel. In order to develop power, you must have a strong foundation in strength. Otherwise, you can easily injur yourself by straining your joints and muscles. There are many ways to train strength and power, and you do not need a gym to train.

Power Leg Circuit

This exercise trains muscular strength, endurance, and power by doing the basic movement patterns of your lower body. According to Vern Gambetta, director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems, it builds a foundation for high-intensity strength and power training for your lower body and abdominals. The exercises in a power leg circuit include the squat, lunge, step-up, and vertical jump.
Do each exercise for one rep per second. Although you may not be able to do so with the step-up and lunge, do them as quickly as you can. Maintain your posture and balance for all exercises. Start with 10 reps of squats, five reps on each leg for the lunge and step-up, and five reps for the vertical jump. Work up to twice the number of repetitions by adding one extra rep per week. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds between circuits.

Medicine Ball Throws

Throwing a medicine ball develops explosive strength in your entire body, which is required in power sports, such as martial arts, gymnastics, baseball, and football. If you want to develop pure power and strength, use a heavier ball that you call throw for four to six reps without losing form and getting fatigued for three to four sets. If you want to develop endurance, use a lighter ball that you can throw for 10 to 12 reps.
These exercises include chest passes, overhead throws, rotation throws, ground slams, and underhand tosses. Do them--in no particular order--with a workout partner or against a wall.

Power Endurance Training

According to Gambetta, power endurance training develops stamina to resist fatigue and improve cardiovascular endurance. This method is similar superset training, where you do two exercises that train opposing movements or body parts without rest between sets. In power endurance training, do one power exercise followed by a low-intensity exercise.
A sample workout would be to do a dumbbell squat and overhead press followed by 30 seconds of rope jumping. Rest for one to two minutes between sets. During your rest periods, stretch and keep your body moving to stimulate your nervous system.