Power

Strength Endurance / Power Endurance Continuum

When you think of training for strength or training for power, the general periodization progression shifts from strength into power.  This transitions occurs after a basic hypertrophy phase and joint realignment phase has been established.  Once the strength phase is successfully completed based on the required goals, the training can shift to a strength power phase.  Then, the training shifts to a power phase before entering the strength endurance and power endurance continuum.  Keep in mind, when utilizing this continuum, there will always be a strength endurance and power endurance component to each exercise. The difference is the ratio for each component.

Once the continuum is reached within the periodization model, the athlete first trains for strength endurance.  In the diagram provided below, we laid out the continuum has it relates to sled pushing and pulling.  Here, we can easily understand how to move along the continuum, with the end result or goal being power endurance.  The continuum shows the progression from strength endurance to power endurance moving in order from push sled march, to bound, to jog, to sprint, to pull sled march, to sprint, to trainer resisted sprint, to light pulley resisted sprint.  Typically, the more sprint resistance the exercise is the more strength endurance. The lower the resistance the sprint has the more power endurance until you reach a body weight free sprint or over-speed sprint.

First, we begin with the push sled low straight arm position march.  This exercise is the most strength endurance exercise on the continuum, which is why it is the furthest to the left.  As the exercise progress towards the right the more the exercise shifts away from strength endurance into more power endurance.  For example, push sled bound mid height bent arm position is more strength endurance based than a push sled sprint high height straight arm position. In scientific terms, the longer the amortization phase the more strength endurance the exercise will be considered. In laymen’s terms, the less time the foot is in contact with the ground the more power endurance the exercise is considered.

When you consider the biomechanical differences between a push sled jog exercise where the hands are very mid or very high, you’ll find the foot is required to push longer on the ground in the low arm position than the high arm position.  This is due to the the extreme ankle of the shin to the ground.  Let’s say you take the same example and modify the athlete so his or her arms are either straight or bent.  You’ll find that the ankle of the shin to the ground is less in the bent arm position (~40*), whereas the shin ankle to the ground in the straight arm position is greater (~50*).

Once the athlete reaches the push sled sprint mid level straight arm position, we would classify this point as being about a 50/50 percent split between strength endurance and power endurance.  The training will now involve pull a sled in a slightly angled forward position.  The shin angle while pulling the sled is far greater than the angle experienced in the predominately strength endurance based phase.  As we move along the continuum towards the end, the resistance put on the sprinting motion decrease lighter and lighter.

The trainer is a type of pulley system that has a belt at both end of the rope.  The rope passes through a machine that can be adjusted to create heavy amounts of friction or light amounts of friction.  The machine can easily be adjusted to the desired resistance based on where the athlete falls on the continuum at that time.  Similar to this in the light pulley resisted machine.  This machine is designed to be used for over-speed (pulling the athlete as he/she sprints) or resisting a sprint with manual resistance. One end of the rope is anchored to a tree or pole, while the other end is secured to the belt that is around the athletes’ waist.  This pulley is lighter than the trainer because even though the manual resistance may be pulling really hard, half of the tension is going to the anchor and the other half to the athlete.  With this pulley, resistance can be very light which allows the athlete to have a small amortization phase, making it the most power endurance based exercise on our continuum.

SPEED BOX SQUAT – VARIABLE LOADING

There four primary variables of strength:  absolute strength, speed strength, reversal strength, and dynamic eccentric.  Speed Box Squat, especially with variable loading, will have heavy emphasis on 3 of the 4 primary variables.  This is why this exercise is a staple of the BPS strength program – there is so much that can be accomplished in a single exercise.

 

Double leg squat versus single leg squat

One important aspect to understand is the concept of the double leg squat.  Single leg versus the double leg squat could honestly be one of the most controversial subjects in the industry today.  When reviewing both sides of this “argument”, keep in mind one thing:  all of the properties of the muscle contraction. The dynamic eccentric load of a muscle is a trainable effect and extremely important factor to potentiate power. The reversal strength (deceleration mechanics) against the external load, plus gravity (plus the body in some regards) is a trainable effect and extremely important factor to potentiate power. Isometric strengthening under load at high thresholds after a dynamic eccentric load and reversal deceleration is a trainable effect and extremely important factor to potentiate power. Concentric power off of an isometric pause under load (with the added potentiation of the dynamic eccentric and reversal) is a trainable effect and extremely important factor in overall speed strength and power.

 

These aspects of muscle contraction can be accentuated during double leg squatting.  Because of the numerous independent variables associated with balance and stabilization on a single leg, double leg squatting is far more superior to single leg when it comes to the overall potentiation of power – especially on aspects like dynamic eccentric loading.  Dynamic eccentric loading can be loaded heavy, loaded with heavy variable loading, and the threshold of the eccentric contraction into the potentiation of stored elastic energy at deep bending positions can be increased fast with double leg squatting.  It’s extremely difficult to add variable loading to a single leg squat to help accentuate all of the aforementioned factors.  And it’s almost impossible to hit an efficient reversal deceleration into an isometric pause off of a dynamic eccentric load that is necessary to raise the threshold for potentiation of power.

 

Single leg squatting for absolute strength is phenomenal.  It is probably used a lot more for absolute strengthening of the lower body for the majority of our athletes and general fitness clients. The phenomenon of the bi-lateral deficit is well documented and researched; and thus a single leg squat is a crucial aspect to absolute strengthening.  However when it comes to a dynamic day; and/or the dynamic eccentric, reversal strength, and speed strength aspects of muscle contracting, force loading, and raising the threshold – double leg squatting is far more superior.  Hence, we believe in the concept that both are extremely important and too valuable to be omitted.

 

Speed-Strength versus Strength-Speed

These are concepts that have been well documented and researched.  Vladimir Zatsiorsky has a ton of literature on the subject.  All of the aspects in above related to potentiation of power relates to both Speed-Strength and Strength-Speed:

  • Eccentric strength to optimize dynamic eccentric loading
  • Dynamic eccentric loading to optimize reversal strength
  • Reversal strength to optimize the isometric loading and raise the threshold for the potentiation for concentric power
  • Concentric power is a form of speed-strength and strength-speed
  • Speed-strength and strength-speed is a form of power
  • The success of each of these phases is predicated on the phase immediately before it

 

The main differences between these two aspects in terms of application methods are the loading and the speed of action.  There is standard loading and variable loading; and the combination of the two. From a practitioner’s standpoint, bar speed is a good measurable to ensure you are working in both ranges (Bryan Mann, University of Missouri, 2015):

  • Strength-Speed:75-1.0 m/s
  • Speed-Strength:0-1.3 m/s

 

Note in the videos that this athlete is predominantly working in the Strength-Speed zone.  Even on the upper levels.  This day’s primary focus was to build a foundation of Strength-Speed off of a dynamic eccentric loading, to raise the threshold for efficient Speed-Strength training in succeeding workouts.  Note the bar speed being between 0.8 m/s and 0.9 m/s.

 

Tempo

Building up tempos on a pure dynamic day is a very efficient way to get to the ultimate goal of a high-speed eccentric load; to reversal strength into isometric pause; to pure concentric power with potentiation (the X1X tempo).  Rest periods being between 45-60s.  In a 6-week cycle, and a dynamic day once a week each week in the cycle (off week 4), a tempo and volume might look like this:

  • Weeks 1-2: 5×3 (21X); 5×2 (11X)
  • Week 3:         7×3 (11X); 7×3 (X1X)
  • Weeks 5-6:   8×2 (X1X)

 

Variable load

The accommodating resistance of a variable load is advantageous in many aspects.  First is it will overload the intensity of the dynamic eccentric loading in weeks 3, 5 and 6.  This can be greatly enhanced with bands instead of (or in addition to) chains. It will also provide acceleration through the end range of motion during the concentric portion.  It will also provide for accommodating resistance due to the bar being lighter at the bottom of the squat (where there is a mechanical disadvantage) and heavier throughout the ascent of the squat as the mechanical advantage increases – hence increasing the neural component.  A variable loading mechanism might look like this:

  • Week 1: 5×3 (21X); 5×2 (11X); Single chains
  • Week 2: 5×3 (21X); 5×2 (11X); Double chains
  • Week 3:         7×3 (11X); 7×3 (X1X); Mini Bands plus Triple chains
  • Week 4: No Speed Squats; Download week
  • Week 5:         8×2 (X1X); Light bands + single chains
  • Week 6: 8×2 (X1X); Medium bands + single chains

 

 

 

POWER ENDURANCE / GRIP ENDURANCE

BPS NFL clients Darnell Dockett and Kendall Langford on battle rope training.  This is a great for all football lineman, as well as fighters, grapplers, wrestlers, and other combat sports.  This is great conditioning for the upper body, also strengthens the grip and works on endurance in the muscles of the hands, wrists, and forearms.

 

As lineman, the need for muscular endurance in the trunk/spine, and all upper body is just as important as standard cardiovascular conditioning.  Combat athletes (and lineman are considered versions of combat athletes) don’t move that far, but they need to be well conditioned when they engage their opponent.  This is a standard for many forms of conditioning for these athletes.

 

EXERCISE 1:  ALTERNATING ARMS

For overall general conditioning

 

EXERCISE 2: DOUBLE ARM

Note the engagement of the hips to create momentum

 

EXERCISE 3:  CROSSOVERS

Movin the shoulder through various planes targets different muscles.  This is also the best grip training out of this standard rope series

 

EXERCISE 4:  WINDMILLS

Definitely a favorite if Defensive Lineman, as they have to be well conditioned and strong in their pass rush moves as they dip and rip under their opponent

Combat Strength/ Endurance

At BPS combat athletes can be defined as any athlete that has to compete against another athlete with intense physical contact.  For example, wrestlers, boxing, all forms of martial arts, NFL lineman, and military/law enforcement personnel.  There are many facets of training that apply to these combat athletes.  It’s important that their training focuses on dynamic strength, power endurance, grip endurance, and reactive neuromuscular training (RNT).  The example program script is strength endurance, which starts with slower controlled variably loaded work with a strength focus. Then, we increasingly shift the focus to high volume endurance work with more advanced power endurance, grip endurance, and RNT.  Keep in mind, prior to this strength/endurance phase the athlete would have completed a general preparatory phase, intensification phase, and a dynamic strength/power phase.  The end goal is to have an athlete, from top to bottom, which is capable of great range of motion mobility, superior strength and power, and the capability to maintain all motions they perform for an extended amount of time.

FOOTBALL COMBINE PREPARATION

Given our success with the NFL Draft Preparation, one of our most common requests is preparation for football combines.  Obviously speed is a premium for any type of testing – as the 40yd dash has become the ultimate standard of speed in this country, specifically for football players.

 

The BPS philosophy has always been very simple – build a solid foundation of general strength and power, transfer it to more specific forms of dynamic strength and power and rate of force development.  This in itself is the best form of “speed training” there is.  In a sense, we’ve always had success in “training muscles, not motions.”  Build a foundation of muscle strength and power, transfer it, and then utilize it.

 

Building the foundation of strength and power is all of the work in the weight room.  The “transfer” is the drills that are found throughout the movement training database – like A-Skip Series, Moving claw series, wall drills, etc.  These drills are not so much form running, as they are taking the strength and power base of the muscles that was built in the weight room and overloading the threshold of the muscles at various dynamic speeds.  The utilization is obviously the sprinting and agility drills at full speed.

 

 

Building a solid foundation of Strength and Power in the Weight Room

Taking an athlete at a standard of 8 weeks of development to prepare for a testing day or combine requires very specific forms of periodization.  This will obviously change for each athlete depending on the individual situation – injury history, injury status, all-star game status, strengths, weaknesses, neurological deficiencies, asymmetries, etc.  Keep in mind that these will obviously directly correlate to the bench press rep test and the jumps.  But this is one of the MOST IMPORTANT aspects of getting athletes faster and more agile.  The following general periodization plan is a good place to start, with an understanding that modifications must be made:

 

WEEK 1:                GPP (General Preparation Phase)

WEEK 2:                Intensification

WEEK 3:                Conjugate Dynamic 1

WEEK 4:                Download

WEEK 5:                Conjugate Dynamic 2

WEEK 6:                Strength/Power Split

WEEK 7:                Power/Strength Split

WEEK 8:                Taper, mock tests

WEEK 9:                Combine

 

There are examples of each phase listed below.  Be sure to contact us directly or jump on our forum with questions and feedback.