When most people hear the word power, they think of elite athletes sprinting down a field, jumping for a rebound, or exploding out of the starting blocks. While power is certainly important for sports performance, it is also one of the most important physical qualities for everyday life and healthy aging.
What is power?
In exercise sports science, power is the ability to produce force quickly.
Power = Strength × Speed
Strength is the total force your muscles can produce. For example, lifting a heavy weight is strength. Power is how quickly you can produce that force. For example, catching yourself when you trip, jumping to reach something on a high shelf, or quickly standing up from a chair, all require power. Simply put, power is strength in motion.
Why does power matter?
Power is a key component of athletic performance. It allows athletes to sprint faster, jump higher, and quickly change direction. Whether you’re a runner, a cyclist, golfer, or a pickleball enthusiast, improving power can enhance performance and make movement feel easier. But athletic performance is only a small part of the story.
Power and healthy aging
As we age power declines at a far more rapid rate than strength. This is important because power is responsible for so much of our daily living. Power is responsible for helping us to catch ourselves when we lose balance, getting up from a chair or a seated position, climbing stairs, carrying groceries, and moving independently. In fact, the ability to generate power is strongly linked to functional independence and fall prevention as we age. While strength helps us to build a foundation, power helps us to react when life happens unexpectedly.
Training to improve power
Whether your goal is to improve athletic performance, stay active with your family, reduce your risk of falls, or maintain independence as you age, power is a quality worth training. Explore the workouts below to improve explosiveness, coordination, balance, reaction time, and the ability to generate force quickly. These workouts are designed to help you move better, perform better, and stay capable for years to come.
