Power training
Also called: explosive training, muscle power training
What it means
Power training is exercise that builds the ability to move weight or your own body quickly, not just strongly. It combines resistance with speed, like doing a squat and standing up fast, or a controlled jump.
Losing power with age often happens faster than losing muscle size, and power helps you catch yourself, react to a stumble, and avoid a fall-related fracture.
Power training is exercise that focuses on speed of movement, not just how much weight you can lift. It's often described as explosive training because the goal is to move a load quickly through a range of motion, such as rising fast from a squat, pushing a weight up quickly on a machine, or performing small hops. This differs from traditional slow, steady resistance training, which builds strength and muscle size but doesn't specifically train speed.
As we age, muscle power tends to decline faster than muscle strength or size, a pattern sometimes called dynapenia when it affects strength broadly. Losing power can affect how quickly you can react if you trip, step off a curb, or need to catch your balance, which ties directly into fall risk. Because falls are a major cause of fragility fractures, especially hip fracture, maintaining power as you age is considered a meaningful part of staying mobile and independent.
Power training is usually introduced carefully, often after a base of general resistance training and balance training, and under guidance from a qualified trainer or physical therapist, especially for someone with osteoporosis or a history of fracture. It may involve lighter loads moved quickly rather than heavy loads moved slowly, and can include elements of plyometric exercise or jump training for bone in people who are cleared for impact. Anyone with low bone density or spine fractures should discuss which movements are appropriate with their doctor or physical therapist before starting.
Power, not just muscle size, helps you catch yourself and avoid a fall-related fracture.
Where this leads
WordCurious how power training fits with lifting weights? This shows how muscles pulling on bone also keeps you steady on your feet.
Related words
Resistance training is exercise where your muscles work against weight or resistance, like squats, deadlifts, or…
Balance training is practice that improves your stability and coordination so you're less likely to fall — and falls…
Fall risk is how likely you are to fall, and it matters because falling—not just weak bones—is the most common cause…
Dynapenia is the age-related loss of muscle strength and power that isn't fully explained by loss of muscle size alone.
Plyometric exercise means quick, explosive movements like jumping or hopping that briefly load bones with fast,…
Rate of force development (RFD) is how quickly muscle force rises during a movement, like a fast push-off versus a…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
