Developing power and strength is a specific training goal that requires specific aspects of weight training. To achieve optimal results you will not see a great gain in muscle size or definition, but your strength and functional power will greatly increase. This is the type of training that athletes such as football players go through to increase performance.
Repetitions
Building strength is simple. High weight is the name of the game here. Most of your sets will be three or fewer, but the weight will be near your max almost every set. Aim for four to six sets of three reps or lower. This type of training requires a high level of intensity in order to handle the high volume of weight.
Olympic Lifting
Power is more than just strength. Strength is the ability to move an object. Power is the ability to move an object fast. Developing power requires fast movements of maximal effort. The best way to achieve this is through Olympic lifts such as the clean and the snatch. These lifts require a burst of high energy to complete the rep. If the lift is too slow, the weight drops. Because of this requirement for speed, cleans and snatches develop great power.
Plyometics
Plyometrics is not weight training, but develops explosive power that translates to success in the weight room. The repeated explosive jumping trains the legs to react quickly and powerfully. Muscles will not grow in size from these movements, but will generate more force quickly, which is beneficial when squatting. Perform plyometric workouts twice a week at most.
Exercises
You should lift upper and lower body twice a week each. To build strength, focus on compound exercises such as the bench press, incline press, military press, lat pulls, and bent rows. The biceps and triceps can be worked after you perform your compound exercises. On lower body days, focus on squats and leg presses as well as lunges. Isolate the calves with calf raises, and if your legs need more work to reach total fatigue, leg curls and extensions can be done.
References
- "Strength Training"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2006
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
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