A description of power, strength and muscular endurance in sport

The topic of power definition in sport is hot. Understanding the subtle differences between strength, power and endurance is a key skill that will help you write and deliver your training program.

Every athlete produces power to perform. However, the speed and duration of power delivery can have an impact on its definition.

Competitors, scientists, commentators, and armchair analysts all use the term Power in sport. All sports use phrases like "they can’t deal with his strength" and "that’s a phenomenally high power output." What does this actually mean? Power can be used in sport to refer to a range of actions. Can all these uses be true? What does the term power actually refer to? This article will explain how power can be defined depending on its context. This article will cover the various factors that influence its production, as well as sporting examples. It will also discuss how it can be improved and measured.

Sport: Power Definitions

In its simplest form, power is simply the sum of distance divided by force. Force can be used to replace strength in a sporting context. Time/distance is indicated by speed of movement. Because power is an indicator of the body's energy production, it can be applied to produce some type of output. This could be anything from a pedal revolution or a vertical leap. While power output is the main element of most athletic activities, it can also refer to the same thing. However, the specific sport and its requirements will dictate how power is applied. The type of sport and duration of the action will determine how power is understood.

You can also use power output to drive a car, for example. When power is applied to the pedals, it can be accurately quantified in watts to show how hard an athlete works. Other actions, such as running, jumping, throwing, that don't require input from equipment, are harder to assign power values to. They also require more specialised equipment, such force platforms and position transducers, to calculate power based on force applied and speed of movement.

Comparing the power output of different sports activities is meaningless because it is impossible to measure the internal energy produced for running, throwing and jumping. Variables like duration, resistance, and muscle group utilisation all affect the output. We can only give arbitrary power classifications to actions. Throws and jumps need explosive power. Sprint events require high power outputs over short time periods. Endurance events are more dependent upon maintaining a low average power output over longer periods.

Endurance Events: Power in the Making

Power is what a cyclist or rower calls metabolic energy. It's the energy that's used to produce a mechanical output. The aerobic energy system is primarily responsible for the application of this energy to turn the pedals or move the oar. It has a limited yield and a sustained supply. This 'type of energy' is produced largely by slow-twitch muscle fibers that are dependent on oxygen and fuel delivery. This is because power output is only one aspect of the task at hand.

Think about the Grand Tour riders. A cyclist could produce 200 watts of power over the course of a five hour stage. Egan Benal, the 2019 Tour de France winner, is a mountain climber who will probably use more than 7 watts per kg (350W on average) to try and put 40 minutes between himself and his competitors. Mark Cavendish, a sprinter, depends on his ability produce 1500W watts of peak power during the stage finale, which lasts approximately 10-15 seconds. These two examples show how power can be used to produce impressive results in different situations.

Explosive Events are Powerful

Power is most commonly used as a component or strength. We will be focusing on this explanation as it has been the source of most confusion. This definition of power refers to the ability to convert physical energy into force quickly, with an emphasis on the speed of the action. These actions are dependent on anaerobic energy systems, fast-twitch muscles fibres, and high yield, short-term energy production.

Rapid force development is required to launch a javelin and clear a bar 2 metres high. Hockey, rugby, and football are team sports that have many demands. Players must be able to execute explosive actions during key moments of play and have the endurance to deliver repeatedly throughout a game. Powerful skills such as jumping, tackling and striking a ball are all important to games' success.

Training for power

Force-velocity is a tool that describes the interaction of strength and speed. It can be visualized graphically in figure 2. This relationship explains the inverted relationship between factors that influence 'power'. It is crucial for improving performance. This relationship can be experienced by riding a static bike, which provides power and output. You can choose the highest gear or resistance setting, and aim for 100 watts. Also note your cadence. Reduce the resistance, and then note the cadence required to produce the same wattage. This is the force-velocity relation. The same power can be achieved using different tactics, such as high force, low cadence or speed, and low force, high cadence.

Power training is the ability to develop force, velocity, or both, to shift the force/velocity curve to the right. This means that you can have more force at a given velocity and the same force at a lower velocity. We will examine these determinants more closely to see the many ways this is possible.

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