explosive power

[The_dog_mom]

Pulled this out as a new topic from my BP video.

Is this something that should be trained for when you are starting out? I tried it today with my OH press with 45#. No explosive power there:-) I am wondering if getting explosive power now is a bit late and I should have trained this way from the beginning?
I just can't imagine getting explosive unless I drop down in weight and go back up?

[stuward]

Power can be developed as you go along. You don't have to change. For each rep try to maximally accelerate the bar, even for the warm up sets. Once you reach the intermediate stages, most people split their workout so they do a heavy and a light day each week. Some programs call the light day a speed day, since that's what happens. In short, control the descent of the bar, then explode it back up. Kenny Croxdale has posted before about this concept and it's worthwhile searching for his posts. It's sometimes referred to at CAT (Compensatory Acceleration Training). Here's an article about using that technique in squatting. It's pretty advanced but it will give you an idea. http://www.liftinglarge.com/kennysquatt ... osive.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[robertscott]

you might want to try messing about with cleans done from the hang position. They are good for explosive power. Clap push ups are good too. Do them with your hands up on a bench to make them easier, just be sure to use a sturdy bench!

[The_dog_mom]

I keep trying to find reasons to start over but you guys won't let me Appreciate the support!

[robertscott]

the whole thing about explosive power is the "release". Take a bench press for example, you lift it as fast as you can to develop power right? Wrong! Your body has a mechanism known as the Golgi Tendon Organ (bear with me here...) that actually limits the amount of power you can develop as a way of protecting yourself from injury. Your body doesn't want you exploding a bar up so fast it takes your arms out of your sockets, so it uses this mechanism to stop exactly that.

So to develop explosive power from your chest, the best way to do it are clap push ups (although I don't see the point in actually clapping...) or medicine ball throws (which'll get you kicked out of most gyms).

A good rule of thumb though is that if you can't bench press at least 1.25 times your bodyweight, do your clap push ups on an incline - that is, to have your feet on the floor and your hands up on a bench. Concentrate on really blasting yourself up, and when your hands come back into contact with the bench blast up again, don't hang about. Do not go anywhere near failure with these, no more than sets of 5, and I would keep it to sets of 3. 5 to 8 sets of 3'll be perfect. The minute the lifts stop feeling explosive - stop! You can do these inbetween sets of normal bench press to really fry those muscles, or as part of your warm up to get your nervous system ramped up. Doing a few sets of these before your bench workout can actually make you stronger through the effect on your nervous system.

However, just to confuse the issue even more, you should be lifting every rep of every set as fast as possible. For example if your max bench is 200k, when you're lifting less than 200k, you should still be applying 200k of force to the bar. This activates more motor units (a fancy way of saying muscle basically). Obviously the closer you get to your max, the slower the bar'll travel. That's ok, the point is you should still really try to lift fast.

I hope that helps and I didn't just bombard you with confusing info.

[The_dog_mom]

clap push ups

I worry about my wrist. I fell hard on the flat of my hand a few years back and to this day I will still be bothered at times.
I was trying yesterday with regular push ups (boy style)... to really pump them out. I surprised myself at how good I have become (I am sure due to the BP). My old push ups were slow and cumbersome these were pretty quick. My BP day is Thursday and I am excited to see how I do.

[robertscott]

push ups are great, you can do a few sets everyday and it'll do you the world of good

[KPj]

I would say keep it simple. Don't think about developing "power" right now, as it may just overwhelm you. Instead, think about the ability to explode, or, "lift fast".

First of all, it's not so much the speed of the bar but the intent of the lifter. You must TRY and lift fast but, the bar may still move slowly depending on the load. As long as the intent is there.

I like people to lift like this. However, I don't teach it straight away. It's the makings of a very messy set. At first, I teach a slow controlled tempo. Something I otherwise hate but, everything has it's uses. When the lifter feels comfortable with this, I then cue a slow eccentric (the way down on a BP) with an explosive concentric (the way up). I cue about 3 seconds down, and FAST up. So as they lower it, i'll say, "slow slow slow... FAST!". Basically, we're working on just the concentric part of the movement now, in terms of lifting fast.

I do this mainly because people don't understand lifting fast. When benching, I say, "throw the bar through the ceiling!!" (without letting go) but, I often need to get on the bench myself and show them what a fast rep with a light weight looks like for them to "really" get it. I suspect it's because we're always taught to lift slow in school etc and old BB books. Your mind just doesn't want you to do it, or something.

I also like to teach power via medicine ball drills as part of a clients conditioning. The classic is the overhead medicine ball smash. Get in a squat stance, lift the ball over your head, and smash it into the ground. Smash it "through" the ground. I tell my women if they break a floor board or a medicine ball, they'll get a free block of sessions. All of a sudden they "get it" (women and bargains lol).

Anyway, when they master a fast concentric, I then remove the tempo on the eccentric. This seems to be the most difficult part to master, which is why I leave it out at first and keep a tempo there. However what I find is after a few sessions using a slow eccentric with fast concentric, they just naturally start to lower it faster. You want to lower it fast but still under control - don't let it free fall. If you do it how I mentioned, it'll make sense. It's amazing how much this adds to a session, btw, when you get someone to just lift fast (who previously lifted slow).

KPj

[RobertB]

Wendler puts it quite well IMO - basically saying all work sets should be maximal effort, if you have been provided with the favor of a lighter load (i.e. progressive, lets say 50k 60k 67.5k) dont think "oh well at least it isnt 3x5 at 67.5k" think "50k must be much faster than 67.5k" - I wont exaggerate to prove a point, since clearly 67.5 would take more out of you than 50 despite the pace, but dont let yourself think like that, push/pull that 50k through the roof.

[The_dog_mom]

basically saying all work sets should be maximal effort

I have this bad habit of holding back. Not because I am lazy (trust me I am not) or because I think others will laugh at me (I could care less) it is like a "body "self protective kinda reaction to things (huge fear of getting hurt). It happens quite subconsciously and I am not aware of it until I am done then I say hmm I could have done more. Perhaps I really don't want to succeed?????

I know after the failed BP last week (not the one on the video) I dropped back to 45# and thought wow this is easy and it seems to give me a better perspective on what I can do. Evident in the video where 2 days later I lifted 57# with ease. I think that is why I keep wanting to drop my weight... to convince myself yea I can do that! Not sure what the best way around this is. I do the warm up and it feels easy so technically there should be no problem.

FYI: I am not a crazy person with deep emotional issues.

[mark74]

BTW have you a rough idea of how much your lifts are increasing on an average monthly or weekly basis?

[The_dog_mom]

BTW have you a rough idea of how much your lifts are increasing on an average monthly or weekly basis?

My squats increase 5-7# per week. I will consistently add 2-2.5# per workout
My BP, OHP I will add 2-2.5# per workout. If I struggle with the weight I will repeat. Until recently I have not been repeating.
My DL I was going up 5# per then recently dropped it back to 2.5# per workout.

The actual numbers I don't have with me, I keep my chart at the gym but if you need more I am going there tomorrow and will bring them home.

I have been doing the program since Mid April I think. I had a rocky start and was trying to add 5# each time to all of the lifts that did not work out so well so I got some smaller weights.

My squat started at 20# with a lot of difficulty on form and I am now at 67# with pretty good form and am getting lower.
My BP started at 20# I am now at 57#
My OH press started at 20# and I am at 45#
My Row started at 20# and I am @ 45# (I think)
My DL started at 45# I am now at 107#**** this seems to be the only lift I do with confidence.

[Oscar_Actuary]

I empathize with you Dog_Mom

The idea of lifting fast, makes me think, "elbow join will probaby break", or "shoudler will dislocate", "squatting explosively will sever the tendons"

I'm reading with high interest, as feelling old is not the path I want to continue on

[The_dog_mom]

I'm reading with high interest, as feelling old is not the path I want to continue on

I would love to know where you are at in the process????

[Oscar_Actuary]

which process??????????