Strength training does not only improve your looks, but also your overall health (not too much of a secret, right?).
Especially the health part becomes significantly relevant the older we get. Fact is: Strength training is old-age provision. Strengthening your muscles, joints, and bones helps mastering everyday life tasks and prevents injuries into old age (cheers to every 40-plus men and women who already strength train regularly!).
However, too many middle aged and older people neglect one important subtype of strength – explosive or power strength. Understood as the ability to exert maximum force in minimal time, explosive strength is crucial for injury prevention as it helps develop the muscles and tendons needed to absorb shock and prevent strains.
Training your explosive strength you can catch yourself with your hands when falling or cushion a jump from a low to medium height with your knees – even up until your 60s and 70s.
A randomised controlled trial from 2013 proves the positive effects of High‐Speed Power Training on Falls and Fracture Risk Factors in Older Adults. ¹
But what does that mean for your training now?
First of all, you should start every workout with an extensive warm up (10-15 minutes) and a solid mobility routine (5-10 minutes).
After that, when your body is the readiest, you want to include powerful, explosive exercises. Slow rep count (3-7 reps), maximum speed, perfect form (if you are not sure if you do an explosive exercise right DON’T do it until a coach gives the green light!).
Simple and effective power exercises are:
- Kneeling Plyo Push Ups
https://youtu.be/axuZT8L0m0g?si=iWvDFttNb_ajk088 - Jump Squats
https://youtu.be/X36FML_DccI?si=TOfUVniLQb4Q2nFETRX - Power Pulls
https://youtu.be/16l7GrGXCUU?si=V6HB8tovTh19ogkX
Obviously there are many more but doing 2-3 sets of each is a perfect start.
After that explosive session you can go on with your regular workout routine (if you don’t have any yet, now is the time).
Finally, my guess why people over 40 tend to only do slow and controlled exercises: The acute injury risk. However, if you warm up properly and maintain good form while performing the exercise, explosive training is next-level old age provision. Who would not want that?
¹ Jenny Gianoudis, Christine A Bailey, Peter R Ebeling, Caryl A Nowson, Kerrie M Sanders, Keith Hill, Robin M Daly, Effects of a Targeted Multimodal Exercise Program Incorporating High‐Speed Power Training on Falls and Fracture Risk Factors in Older Adults: A Community‐Based Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Volume 29, Issue 1, 1 January 2014, Pages 182–191, https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.2014
