How to increase power in body

You knew Megan Thee Stallion’s song “Savage” was a jam before Beyoncé jumped in on the remix, but combining the two queens on one track took the hit to a whole new level. And while you also know that strength training equals all sorts of benefits, add speed to the equation and you’ve got a whole new badass-making beast: power exercises.

When you think about power in a sport sense, what comes to mind? Basketball players jumping sky-high and sprinters exploding off starting lines? Well, truth is, you don’t have to be a pro athlete (we’re all athletes!) to reap the rewards of training this way.

Power Training, Explained

“Power training is essentially overcoming resistance as quickly as possible,” says Mel Herl, CSCS, performance center manager for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. This means that working to boost your power is less about what you do and more about how quickly you do it. Instead of teaching your muscles only to get bigger and stronger, power work enhances the neuromuscular system, which sends signals from your brain to your muscles so your body can respond to a stimulus and jump into action more efficiently, says Herl. When you work on box jumps, for instance, the message passing from your mind to the leg muscles that propel you up off the floor gets faster.

1. Add balance exercises
A good starting point to building power is to ensure you have good core balance and strength, so including some exercises using a “wobble board” or include moves which strengthen alternate between both sides of your body, including one-legged squats or yoga’s Tree Pose.

When beginning a new program, it may take a while for your body to gain the muscle control and strength to keep you steady. Take your time and be safe! This may include using the wall or holding onto a chair for balance when balancing on one leg initially before developing the strength and power to self-balance on one leg.

2. Leg Press
The leg press is a good exercise for people who may struggle with squat positioning. Work with your Personal Trainer to determine suitable weights, reps and sets based on your current exercise levels and plan to develop a very solid strength foundation.

3. Medicine Ball Squat Throws
This is a great exercise for building explosiveness. The important point is that you must THROW the medicine ball while transferring your body off the ground.

How to Perform It:
a. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while you are holding a medicine ball at chest level.
b. Swiftly squat down to parallel
c. Explosively jump straight up and explode the medicine ball above your head as high as you can.
d. Let the medicine ball fall to the ground, pick it up and repeat steps 1-3 for chosen reps.

4. Squat Jump
Squat jumping is a great exercise for developing lower body power and is excellent for athletes who need to improve their vertical ability.

How to perform it:
a) Load using an arm-swing while leaning your upper body down, though not as close to the top of your thigh as you would for a broad jump because too much lean will push your power forward.
b) Explode into movement with a powerful arm-swing upward leaving from your toes.
c) Shift by landing on your toes, absorbing contact with the ground through your entire body and then explode again into your next rep.

5. Barbell Curl
A great exercise to commencing to develop and build strength and power for your arms, specifically your biceps and forearms is barbell curls.

How to perform it:
a) To start stand up with your upper body upright while holding a barbell at a shoulder-width grip. The palm of your hands should be facing forward and the elbows should be close to your trunk.
b) While holding the upper arms static, curl the barbell forward while contracting the biceps as you exhale. Your forearms should only move.
c) Continue the exercise until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar reaches shoulder height. Hold this position for a second or two.
d) Gradually begin to bring the bar back to your initial position as your inhale in.
e) Continue for the recommended amount of reps and sets.

Credit:genesisfitness