Coaches and athletes must consider four elements when attempting to develop performance in high-power sports: muscle hypertrophy, neuromuscular activation, stretch-shortening cycle, and skill. Performance in high-power activities, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing are moderately related to basic measures of strength, such as the bench press and deadlift. Muscles hypertrophy when subjected to tension. The training program must be structured to maximize tension during workouts, which requires the proper combination of training and rest. High-power athletes should include presses, pulls, and squats in their programs. Neuromuscular activation training turns of larger, stronger motor units and activates them more quickly. This fitness component is best developed through plyometric and speed exercises. These training techniques transfer fairly rapidly to motor skills. Activation of the stretch-shortening cycle is central to performance in high-power sports. While elastic facilitation of movement can be developed through plyometrics, it is best made through proper execution of skills. Skill is an essential factor contributing to power formation. Skills are highly specific. Small improvements in technique can often result in large changes in power output on the playing field. This paper explores the association between muscular power and performance and reviews the research on how to train to improve muscular power expression in high-power sports.
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