This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction, Basic theories of strength and power training, Motor units characteristics and muscle activation level, Neural adaptations, Muscular adaptations, Conclusions, References. Although almost all sport disciplines involve the muscle to be successively stretched and shortened within a very brief period of time, only few studies have directly investigated the training effect on the "SSC" and the associated mechanisms. As a consequence, most of this chapter will be dedicated to the adaptations that occur within the nervous and muscular systems that underlie the improvement of strength and power in response to classical training programs. Such a review is nevertheless relevant as it provides the methods, and the associated adaptations, to develop strength and power from which the performance of SSC exercises can be maximized. We will describe successively: (1) the basic theories of strength and power training; (2) motor units characteristics and muscle activation level; (3) the main mechanisms for neural and (4) muscular adaptations.
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