Resistance Training for Sport Performance

Table of content

• Bodybuilding vs Sport Performance

• Power - the missing link

• How to train Power

• Training implications

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Resistance training is a versatile and highly effective form of exercise that offers a range of benefits—from building muscle mass (hypertrophy) to increasing strength and developing explosive power.

Whether your goal is to achieve a sculpted physique or enhance athletic performance, resistance training can be tailored to meet specific needs.

However, it’s crucial to understand that training for hypertrophy and training for power require different approaches.

In this article, we’ll delve deeper into the specific techniques and approaches used to achieve power, providing a clear understanding of how to optimize your training for this goal.

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BODYBUILDING

vs

SPORT PERFORMANCE

Most people who step into the gym typically have one main goal: to improve their physical appearance. This might mean building a bigger chest, developing huge biceps, or, for women, focusing on glute development. For this reason, a bodybuilding approach is the most effective way to train when the primary goal is enhancing body composition.

Because building muscle requires training close to failure, repetitions are often performed at a slower tempo, especially towards the end of a set. While this approach is effective for developing general strength and muscle hypertrophy, it does not optimize another crucial physical attribute: power.

Power is the most critical attribute for athletes involved in team sports. Although strength and muscle growth are beneficial, power development is of paramount importance for peak performance in these activities.

POWER: THE MISSING LINK

Why is power so crucial for team sport athletes?

In team sports like football, matches are often decided by explosive actions. For example, scoring a goal is frequently preceded by a sprint, a header, a dribble, or a powerful shot.

All these actions have two things in common:

1. They require the athlete to generate force.

To sprint quickly toward the ball, the athlete needs to apply force against the ground in a horizontal plane to propel forward. To leap for a header, they must apply force vertically to reach maximum height and make contact with the ball.

1. They must generate force in a very limited amount of time.

Sports are inherently competitive, and every powerful action comes with a time constraint. If a player is not fast enough to sprint, their opponent will catch up. If they are not quick enough to jump for a header, the ball will be out of reach.

This is where power becomes critical.

Power is defined as Force x Velocity, which represents the ability to generate force as quickly as possible.

For team sport athletes, weight training isn’t just about increasing strength for its own sake—it’s about increasing strength to then convert it into power. The athlete who can produce force rapidly has a distinct advantage. All other factors being equal, they will be more explosive, faster, and more efficient on the field.

HOW TO TRAIN POWER

There are two primary methods for training power directly:

1. Plyometric Exercises

Plyometric exercises leverage the stretch-shortening cycle, which involves a rapid eccentric phase (muscle lengthening) followed immediately by an explosive concentric phase (muscle shortening). These exercises typically include movements like jumping and landing. They can be performed using variations such as box jumps or hurdle hops, depending on the athlete's experience level.

1. Resistance Training with 40-80% 1RM

Another effective method is using exercises like squats, jump squats, or step-ups, with weights set at 40-80% of the athlete’s one-repetition maximum (1RM). The key is to perform the concentric phase (the lifting or jumping portion) with maximal intent, meaning as explosively as possible. This approach helps recruit the maximum number of muscle fibers, thereby optimizing power development.

TRAINING IMPLICATIONS

As discussed in previous articles, strength is closely correlated with muscle mass.

This means that larger muscles have more muscle fibers available for producing force, enabling them to handle heavier loads and express greater strength compared to smaller muscles.

Furthermore, power is strongly linked to strength, as power is defined by the equation Power = Force x Velocity.

Consequently, power development is most effective when it follows a structured, periodized training plan that includes the following phases:

1. Hypertrophy Phase: Focused on increasing muscle mass.

2. Strength Phase: Aimed at enhancing raw strength.

3. Power Phase: Converts the raw strength gained into explosive power.

The typical training calendar for a team sport athlete is divided into three main periods: offseason, preseason, and competition phase.

• Offseason: This phase typically lasts 2-3 months and involves no competitive games, making it the ideal time to focus on building lean muscle mass and strength through dedicated hypertrophy and strength training phases.

  
  

• Preseason: During this period, the emphasis shifts to converting the strength gained in the offseason into power. This is achieved by implementing explosive movements and exercises.

  
  

• Competition Phase: Characterized by frequent competitive games and limited time for intense training, this phase focuses on maintaining muscle mass, strength, and power levels to ensure peak performance while avoiding fatigue.

By adhering to this periodized approach, athletes can optimize power development and maintain high levels of performance throughout the season.

Thanks for reading.

INTERESTING READINGS:

Functional Training for sport - Boyle (2016)

Periodization training for sport - Bompa (2015)

Strength training in soccer with a specific focus on highly trained players- J.Silva et al (2015)