Training for Optimal

Power Development
Matt Van Dyke
Overview
• Introduction to power aspects
• Pre-cursors to power availability
• Maximal intent
• Creating high levels of readiness
• Optimal loading
• Quality training
• Maintaining velocity/minimizing fatigue
• RFD/RFA/transfer of training
• Athlete individualization
Introduction to Power
• Power = Force * Velocity
• Force-Velocity Curve (blue) is linear
• Power (red) is maximized with both
force and velocity
• Primary goal of performance coach is to
create “power” in competitive event
• Transfer of training key
• Strong athletes in weight room, but
not on field are not successful
• Goal is usable strength
Introduction to Power
• Same power can be realized in different methods
• Power (a) = FORCE x velocity
• Power (b) = force x VELOCITY
• Optimal Power = FORCE x VELOCITY

• Must understand goal of programming

• “Keep the goal the goal”
• Not only power, but how that
power was achieved in training
Pre-Cursors to Power
Availability
• Prior to creating power, must have certain qualities
• General/absolute strength
• Efficient/powerful stretch-shortening cycle
• “Athlete function”
• CNS readiness
General/Absolute Strength
• Foundation for all force production

• Power ultimately the expression of strength (force)

• Shift F-V curve upwards and to the right

Efficient/Powerful SSC
• Training must relate to performance requirements
• All dynamic movements require SSC
• SSC efficiency and power remains ultimate goal
• Strength work only  muscles are developed to a
greater extent than the tendons
• Truck with mountain bike shocks
• Tendon not able to maintain
• Speed/plyo work only  tendons more trained than
muscles
• Mountain bike with monster truck shocks
• Muscles eventually unable to keep up
 Determining Efficient/Powerful SSC

• Countermovement vs. static jumping

• Transfer of force through SSC vs. muscle
force production
• Prefer 10% difference personally
• If difference is less than 10%
• Relatively strong and weaker tendons
• Force of a truck, with bike shocks
• If difference is greater than 10%
• Springy athlete, but muscles relatively weak
• Mountain bike with monster truck shocks
• Know the goal of your programming
based on time of year
Athlete Function Intervention

• Without structure, body enters “protect” mode

• State of “explosion”
• Triplanar loading
• Foot function
• Hip Stability Progressions
• Direct relationship to CNS and
power availability

Athlete 1 Athlete 2
Average 32.5% 24.1%
Pre-cursors to Power
Availability – CNS Readiness
• CNS readiness
• Central governor of entire system
• Without it, maximal force and/or velocity decrease
• Place emphasis on quality training with
maximal intent
• Focus on “explosive” muscle development,
not as much hypertrophy
• Extent depends on sport requirement
• “Mass” based sport such as football will differ
• General to specific with programming (mass to power)
• “Quality” of training
 Maximal Intent
• Without intent (velocity), maximal power at any load is not possible
• Maximal intent is just as important as the actual velocity (1-4)

• Neural adaptations with intent (early phase of RFD)

• Goal is to create “power” at all points along the F-V curve
• Adaptations ultimately determined by effort exerted by athlete in
training
• If no intent, no/less stress experienced at all levels
• Always consider “quality” of training
• Intent is not available with sets to failure
• Driving wrong stimulus if going this far
• 20% cutoff vs. 40% cutoff (5)
• Same strength gains
• Reduced type IIx fibers in 40% group
• Capacity training leads to reduced power output potential
Maximal Intent - Measurement
• Velocity based training (VBT)
• Athletes are competitive, drives intent (6)
• Also provides feedback of CNS readiness for that day
• If “down” is it optimal to train power?
• Appropriate velocity measurement
• Non-ballistic exercises
• Both acceleration and deceleration in movement (typical barbell movements)
• Use mean velocity
• Ballistic exercises
• Concerned with exit velocity (jumps, throws, Olympic movements) (7)

• Determines distance traveled by projectile

• Use maximal velocity
Maximal Intent – VBT Measurement
• Ballistic exercises elicit greater velocities through nearly entire
ROM (8)
• Ideal for power production
• Not always safe as loads increase
• However, can utilize accommodating resistance
• Training at 55% 1RM is only 55% at weakest point, may
not be training power optimally through entire ROM
Athlete Readiness - PAP
• CNS drive is critical for optimal power development
• Pre-cursor of power
• “Ramp up” CNS through the use of post-activation
potentiation (PAP)
• Requires full engagement of the nervous system
• Must be implemented in a manner that does not induce fatigue
• Maximal intent in brief amount of time/reps and adequate rest
 Athlete Readiness –
Physiological Changes from PAP
• Increase in high threshold motor • Increased in rate coding (10,11)
unit recruitment (9) • Speed of signal being sent to muscle
• Greater utilization of explosive • Increased “doublets” or reduced time
muscle fibers between impulses sent during
• Allows greater force in a rapid contraction
fashion • Increases speed and power of
contraction
• Decrease in pennation angle (9)

• Smaller pennation angle allows for • Increase in central drive (12)

greater mechanical advantage for • Nervous system is “turned on” or
muscle to act upon the tendon “primed”
• Increase in calcium sensitivity (9) • Coordination of muscle activity by CNS
• Potentiation of subsequent muscular • High level force exertion is a skill in
contractions which muscles must be appropriately
prepared for
 Athlete Readiness – Exercise
Selection
• PAP exercises can be programmed to fit a desired
outcome
• Pair with major exercise of upcoming session
• Personally avoid axial loading due to maximal intent
• General strength
• Low position Iso work
• Improving strength at weakest point
• Critical joint angle
• Designed to optimize transfer of force through SSC
• Improve ballistic concentric power
• As competition phase approaches, increase specificity
• Depends on level of athlete
Optimal Loading
• Optimal load varies on exercise and athlete
• “Optimal” also depends on desired outcome
• Recall goal is to maximize power in the competitive movements
• More advanced athletes require higher velocity power for transfer
• Less advanced athletes need more force based power
• Can create this even in a team setting
• Elite group
• OC work, timed sets, lower %
• Advanced group
• OC work, timed sets, higher %
• Basic group
• Full range work, reps, higher %
Optimal Loading – Categorizing
• Base programming on desired outcome
• Strength-Speed
• Strength listed first, thus the priority
• Adaptations to “force” portion of F-V curve
• Speed-Strength
• Speed becomes priority, but still moderate force
• Speed
• Adaptations to “velocity” portion
• Most transferrable, but must have ability to produce
force
• Use of “Block” training to cover all aspects
and increase transfer when desired
Optimal Loading
• Regardless of load, still maintain maximal intent
• Early phase RFD adaptations max with intent
• Maximize power at each velocity trained
Quality Training –
Minimize Fatigue
• With fatigue accumulation, velocity decreases
• Must run fast in order to improve velocity

• Focus on quality of training

• Capacity training (energy system development) early
in annual plan
• Continue to “keep the goal, the goal”
• As reps increase, ability to recover decreases
• Particularly with repeated, maximal intent

• Dependent upon each athlete’s capacity

(energy system)
Quality Training –
Maintain Velocity
• By maintaining velocity:
• Explosive, type II fibers trained
• Energy systems trained similar to RSA sport
• Max intensity, recover, repeat
• Timed sets beneficial *Henk Kraaijenhof
• Maximal neural drive
• Weekly set-up
• Volume at end of week
• All allow maximal power at the
given load
Quality Training – Methods to
Maintain Velocity
• Cluster sets (13,14,15)

• Small rest between reps

• Target velocity sets
• Determine aimed velocity
• Start at weight that this speed is easily reached
• 2 reps and keep fastest speed
• Goal is to create new 1RM at desired speed
• Cutoff/drop-off sets
• Ultimate goal: maintain quality training
Quality Training –
Measurement
• Target velocity sets
• Goal of 1.0 m/s (example)
• Increase until goal not met
• Allow adequate rest
• Between reps and sets
• Depends on desired adaptation
• Continue until first set is below
desired velocity
• Know desired speed and maximize force
production at given velocity
• Leads to optimal power at that moment
at specific point on F-V curve
Quality Training –
Measurement
• Cutoff/drop-off sets
• Set cutoff based on quality
• Velocity or % change
• Set cutoff: -0.10 m/s
• Series cutoff: -0.05 m/s
• Within first two reps of set
• Can use jump mat also
• Difficult because only
testing at the end of the set,
not actual movement
Quality Training –
Measurement
• Long-term trends become available through tracking
• Athlete 1 vs. Athlete 2
• Same relative load
• Reduced intent from
athlete 2
• Reduced adaptation
realization
• Begin to predict
training effects on
a micro and macro
level
• Good for in-season
Rate of Force Development
(RFD)
• Ultimate goal is the production of power in the competitive event
• Sports occur at the highest velocities available
• Maximize the force production in the minimal time available
• Maximal force requires 0.3-0.4 seconds
• Elite sprinters ground contact time is 0.08-0.12 seconds
• Strength is great, but if it doesn’t translate to
the field then it is useless
• Must train with maximal intent at high
velocities
• Strength production gains are velocity specific (16,17)
RFD Adaptations Based on
Training
• Must be trained for in biphasic manner
• Early phase
• Neural drive
• Maximal intent
• “Speed”
• Late phase
• Force producing capabilities of muscle
• Cross-sectional area
• “Strength”
• Need both for success
RFD Adaptations Based on
Training
• Early phase RFD linked to
skill acquisition
• Motor unit recruitment
• Maximal intent
• Rate coding
• Increased doublets with increased
velocity of movement (18)
• Muscle synchronization (18)

• Appropriate exercise implementation

• Transfer of training
• RFD Adaptations
RFD Training Options
• French contrast
• Considers speeds at, just above, and just below competition movements
• Increases motor learning at velocities when programmed correctly
• Running progressions for transfer of training
• Oscillatory training
• Disadvantageous vs. advantageous positions
• Partial training
• Specific joint angle – Peaking back squat
• Accelerated movements
RFD Training Options
• French Contrast
• Transfer of Training
RFD – Accelerated Movements
RFD Training Outcome
• RFD through each phase
• SSC addressed
• “V” of athlete
RFD Training Outcome
Rate of Force Absorption
(RFA)
• Force absorption just as critical for athlete
success
• Reduced injury likelihood
• Lower force production = slower athlete
• Lower force absorption = injured athlete
• Must have ability to “throw on the brakes”
• Further enhances SSC power and efficiency
• Addressed through OC, AFSM (push-pull), and other “rapid
eccentrics”
• “pulling-in” on jumping leads to greater SSC utilization and efficient power
Athlete Individualization

• Know athlete’s needs

• Ask the vital questions?
• What are the requirements of their sport/position
• O-line vs. DB
• Are they “strong enough”? Relative and absolute?
• Training age?
• Response to previous training?
• Why long-term tracking is beneficial
• Allows efficient programming on F-V curve based on needs
Athlete Individualization
• F-V profiling (if an option)
• Determines slope of an athlete’s production
capabilities (17)
• Train the “missing link”
Athlete Individualization –
Autoregulation (In-Season)
• Jump mat testing
• Quick and easy
• Athlete grouping based on “fiber type” or individual basis
• All about appropriate stress
• Autoregulation article
Conclusion
• Create usable strength for athletes
• Strength lays foundation, but not end goal for elite athletes
• Complete quality programming
• Energy system development early in off-season
• More specific to requirements of RSA sports
• Maintain velocity by minimizing fatigue
• Understand your athletes needs on an individual/group basis
• Autoregulate to attain desired stress/adaptation
• Prepare athletes to WIN, at macro and micro levels
• Keep your goal, the goal
• On-field performance and efficiency
• Maximize power at desired velocity
• Work general to specific
References
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