Thread: Training for Speed/Power

Nebraska has a program called "Bigger, Faster, Stronger" Check that out it has to be somewhere on the net.

Originally Posted by Metalzone

Hey guys, I play professional paintball in the CXBL league.

Anyways, I want to gain speed/quickness. For my sport I think that sprinting would be better than long distance running. What can I do at the gym to increase power output or improve quickness? Thanks!

Dynamic effort squats, plyometrics, sprints, and various stair work will all help your lower body speed and explosiveness.

How are your strength levels currently? It is important to have a decent strength base down first before worrying too much about power. As well, initial neurological responses to resistance training will lead to improve power output and rate of force generation.

Bigger, Faster, Stronger is a book written by Strength Coach Greg Sheppard. I wasn't aware that Univ. of Nebaska was using the program?

Anyway, to train for speed and power, you need to have a way to test yourself so that you can (a) establish a base of were you are currently at, (b) be able to measure results efficiently and (c) be able to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie so that you can come up with the proper plan of attack. Like pimp said, what are your current strength levels? If you test yourself and find that your strength is not that great then working to improve your power and speed isn't going to get you far. If your strength is already good then working on your quickness will be beneficial to you.

All you have to do is plan out what you need to work on and how you are going to do it. Blocks of concentrated strength loading with small amounts of power/speed training alternated with periods of high amounts of power/speed training (skill transfer) and lower amounts of strength loading (at retention loads) can be very beneficial. This is called the 'conjugate method' as desribed by Zatsiorsky....train for what you need and maintain what you have.

Or, you can try and train in a 'concurrent' fashion by training to improve multiple biometers in one block of training, in this case maybe strength and power (or power endurance). The concurrent method has been made popular by Louie Simmons with the Westside BB template and is discussed at length my Siff in Supertraining. This type of training (training multiple biometers) has been called undulating periodization in more recent publications as the intensity and volume 'undulate' between training sesssion. A typical lay out for this program might be beneficial to you. It would look something like this:

total body workouts:
day1- power
day2- strength
day3- endurance

you can then add a plyometric exercise (or a groupd of plyometric exercises) to the begining of the workout to work on your quickness and speed or you can do it on in between days. For a sample program, check out the thread I posted entitled "P-funk's training program".

Our Athletic program uses the Bigger, Stronger, Faster program.

Hey P, have you read that book? If so, what do you think?

I came across that book searching around a few times and it looked like it could be a good read.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

How are your strength levels currently? It is important to have a decent strength base down first before worrying too much about power. As well, initial neurological responses to resistance training will lead to improve power output and rate of force generation.

I've been lifting weights for 1 1/2 years now. I'd say im pretty strong for my size, I'm about 150 lbs well built. I have a low BF% so it's not fat. Bulkiness is not something I really want for my sport, mainly looking for a faster body overall. Movements similar to sprinting squatting and leaning are what is the norm.

http://media.putfile.com/HH1

That's a video of me in the blue mask with the blue marker. It takes a minute to load. I just want to train to be faster, and more flexible for the sport. I'm reading stretching scientifically right now. There is really no good training routines for Paintball so I am hoping I can get the help from you experienced people who study the body like crazy to help me put something together.

Any idea what your 1RM for the squat and bench press are? If you know a submaximal repetition maximum, then we can estimate with that.

Do you have any experience doing plyometrics or power training exercises? If so, what specific exercises have you done?

I can do 135 on the bench 13 reps. Squats probably a plate each side for 8-10 reps. DL probably 90lbs 10 times.

Plyos I've done the ab crunches and twists a long time ago. Haven't done many. Plyos are good for speed I take it? What are some good ones. I'd like to get some core and leg speed going.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Hey P, have you read that book? If so, what do you think?

I came across that book searching around a few times and it looked like it could be a good read.

I just bought it yesterday, oddly enough, to read on my plane ride out to AZ tomorrow. I will let you know this weekend (lol). I have heard good things about it though. From thumbing through it in the bookstore, it looks like it is pretty good and right up my alley.

Originally Posted by Metalzone

I can do 135 on the bench 13 reps. Squats probably a plate each side for 8-10 reps. DL probably 90lbs 10 times.

Plyos I've done the ab crunches and twists a long time ago. Haven't done many. Plyos are good for speed I take it? What are some good ones. I'd like to get some core and leg speed going.

from the looks of your numbers there, I would focus on training basic strenght levels right now and anerobic capacity through sprints.

Originally Posted by P-funk

from the looks of your numbers there, I would focus on training basic strenght levels right now and anerobic capacity through sprints.

Agreed, particularly with regard to lower body strength. You'll notice some excelent improvements in terms of the rate of force generation by just sticking to the basics for now.

If I get bulky won't I lose some speed and flexability though? I just don't understand how gaining a high BP weight will help me in my sport. I understand that the lower body workout is very important, I'm going to go pretty nuts on the legs.

Originally Posted by Metalzone

If I get bulky won't I lose some speed and flexability though? I just don't understand how gaining a high BP weight will help me in my sport. I understand that the lower body workout is very important, I'm going to go pretty nuts on the legs.

You can get stronger without getting bigger. Notice how when you first started lifting weights your numbers went up like crazy? That's the neurological improvement that comes with resistance training. It becomes harder to illicit as you become more advanced, but it can be done. That's how there are people getting deadlifts 4x their bodyweight.

However, at 150 pounds, you could definitely add some lean body mass without hindering performance. Adding mass to your lower body drops your center of gravity too, which helps with tasks that require agility.

work on your flexibilty and you will be fine. The 'big and bulky' matra is pretty lame and unsupported. As long as one maintains their flexibility and keeps it in their program they will be fine. Look at olympic lifters. Even the biggest guys can get down and do the splits.

Alright, I guess I'll give it a go. How do people like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan train? They are small but have incredible amounts of power. My Muay Thai trainer says quick positive movement, slower negative movement. Any truth to this?

Originally Posted by Metalzone

Alright, I guess I'll give it a go. How do people like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan train? They are small but have incredible amounts of power. My Muay Thai trainer says quick positive movement, slower negative movement. Any truth to this?

Well, I wouldn't base your training program off those who are genetically elite. Of course, I know that Bruce Lee did resistance training using a lot of basic compound movements.

Also, a slower negative and quick positive is always smart. There is no point in slow down the concentric part of the movement in my opinion.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

However, at 150 pounds, you could definitely add some lean body mass without hindering performance. Adding mass to your lower body drops your center of gravity too, which helps with tasks that require agility.

Wow, excellent info. I never even thought about that...

I'm going to keep that in mind for soccer.

Originally Posted by ST240

Wow, excellent info. I never even thought about that...

Likewise.

I was under the impression that the impulse to and from the nervous system to the abdominal muscles was so quick that the SSC doesn't work for those particular muscles unless the ROM is very short. Anyone clarify this?

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

I was under the impression that the impulse to and from the nervous system to the abdominal muscles was so quick that the SSC doesn't work for those particular muscles unless the ROM is very short. Anyone clarify this?

I've never read such a thing. Where did you read that?

NSCA Essentials of Strength Training yadda yadda and I think in Sports Power.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

NSCA Essentials of Strength Training yadda yadda and I think in Sports Power.

Interesting. They made no mention of it in the CPT variant of the NSCA textbook, at least I can't recall. Seems like a tidbit I would remember.

For holding squatting leg position, Where your upper leg is parallel to the floor, is it best to do that when squatting or just do the regular movement?

Originally Posted by Metalzone

For holding squatting leg position, Where your upper leg is parallel to the floor, is it best to do that when squatting or just do the regular movement?

I'm confused by this post. Rephrase that please.

One of the stances in paintball requires you to be in a squat position with your legs bent at 90 degrees. Would holding this position or increasing my squat weight help with this. Or both?

both, you could even use bands to make the resistance greater throughout the kinetic chain.

Originally Posted by Metalzone

One of the stances in paintball requires you to be in a squat position with your legs bent at 90 degrees. Would holding this position or increasing my squat weight help with this. Or both?

Ah, I see. Dale got you covered, but thanks for rephrasing, heh.

Squatting through a full range of motion means strengthening your ability to hold that position at any point during the movement. You could also implement some static holds in your athletic stance, but most likely improving your base strength is enough for right now.