Explosive power: exercises to boost mobility and prevent injury
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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What is explosive power and why is it important?
You're listening to Life Kit from NPR.
Hey, it's Mariel. So you've heard of strength training and you've heard of cardio, but have you heard of training for explosive power? Sounds kind of badass, right? And it is.
Explosive power is the ability to generate a lot of force very quickly. It is not necessarily lifting the heaviest load. It's about moving a lighter load very quickly.
Jessica Scott has her Ph.D. in cardiovascular physiology, and she's the director of exercise oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
How does explosive power training benefit daily movements?
She says you'll need to do explosive power training, which is also sometimes called ballistic power training or plyometric training, if you're an athlete and you're running, jumping, throwing, hitting, flipping. But you'll also use it if you're not. It's a component of our day-to-day movement.
It's used for mobility when you're walking up and down stairs. If you stumble or catch yourself while walking down the sidewalk, explosive power is what allows you to catch yourself and not fall.
You even use explosive power when you're doing things like standing up from a seated position. And here's the thing. As we age, our muscle mass declines. And training for these forceful movements becomes even more important to prevent falls and injury.
What age-related changes affect explosive power and mobility?
Starting at about age 40, we lose 1 to 2% of our fast twitch muscle fibers every year. These are a type of muscular cell that allow us to do these explosive movements. But even before you reach your 40s, adding explosive power training into your exercise routine can have a big impact. For instance, my nephew is a toddler and he's always running around, grabbing at things, quickly changing direction. And recently he tripped and almost face planted, but I was able to catch his face in my hand right before it hit the ground. That's a classic example of explosive power in action.
Explosive power is really about when you need to change direction very quickly. How quickly can you change your strength into movement?
On this episode of Life Kit, how to train specifically for explosive power and how it's different from cardio or strength training. Jessica tells me about specific exercises we can all try. And we also talk about how to start because you don't want to jump straight into jump squats. That's coming up after the break.
All right, so if you don't currently train for explosive power, how can you get started?
It's really important to start slowly, and it's not jumping straight into doing explosive power movement. You need to start by including aerobic exercise first and starting with strength training.
How can beginners start training for explosive power?
You need a baseline level of strength before you start layering in some of that quick training that we do for explosive power. How do you know when you're ready? Usually if you've had a consistent training for at least three months, so that can be three days a week of aerobic training or walking or cycling, and at least one day, maybe two days a week of resistance training or strength training. Once you've had at least three months of that, then you can start to layer in those quickness movements or that explosive power training.
Takeaway one. We tend to lose explosive power as we age, especially after 40. But training in your 20s and 30s is beneficial, too, because it can help you stave off injuries when you're playing sports or just doing life. And it can also help you run faster, jump higher and change directions quickly. Also, it'll help you preserve your power later in life. As for the how, it's not a good idea to jump right into the more intense explosive power training if you don't currently work out. You'll want to get into an exercise routine first, doing regular cardio and resistance training for three months.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:24
2
What is explosive power and why is it important?
0:24–1:06
3
How does explosive power training benefit daily movements?
1:06–1:50
4
What age-related changes affect explosive power and mobility?
1:50–3:17
5
How can beginners start training for explosive power?
3:17–5:35
6
What specific exercises can enhance explosive power?
5:35–7:12
7
What modifications can be made for those with limitations?
7:12–8:39
8
How can explosive power training be integrated into daily life?
8:39–18:26