Muscle strength is the ability to move a load, overcome resistance, lift a weight, work against gravity, or stretch a spring, overcoming the elastic forces arising in it. There are sensitive periods for developing and building muscle strength, that is, periods when the body is most ready and open to such activities. The development of muscle strength is provoked by prolonged high-intensity training (Behm et al., 2017). The external strength of the muscles is conceptualized through the visual perception of a person, for example, when someone sees a person in a developed physical form. That is, with large muscles, the absence of a large fat layer on the body. Inner strength is conceptualized through a person’s will and desire for something.
Optimally, the output power is estimated through the intensity of the load. At the same time, an ideal combination of load displacement and speed is achieved. Sarabia et al. (2017) argue that power output is a necessary detail in determining the abilities of athletes and is also important for achievements in various sports. Measurements are carried out by means of special devices that show measures in watts. This indicator helps athletes see how much work has been done.
Strength training is often assigned as a percentage of the threshold power, for which functional threshold power and critical power are often used to determine. Both indicators generally represent the maximum power that can be maintained for a long time – usually from 30 to 60 minutes. Above this threshold, fatigue accumulates much faster than below. Santos et al. (2021) recommend measuring the output power through vertical jumps and sprint performance. This will measure the maximum peak power output of an athlete.
In the field of sports, the term power is often misused. Winter et al. (2016) claim that the power is the average value for a particular duration. The wrong thing, in this case, is that power flows can vary greatly, and in order to calculate correctly, it is necessary to choose the suitable duration. In addition, Kreider et al. (2017) claim that through nutrition, with the help of which muscle mass is develop, the athlete’s power can be measured incorrectly. This example demonstrates the incorrect use of the term power in the sports field.
References
Behm, D., Young, J., Whitten, J., Reid, J., Quigley, P., Low, J., Li, Y., Lima, C., Hodgson, D., Chaouachi, A., Prieske, O. and Granacher, U. (2017). Effectiveness of traditional strength vs. power training on muscle strength, power and speed with youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(1), 1-423.
Kreider, R., Kalman, D., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candow, D., Kleiner, S., Almada, A. and Lopez, H. (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(18), 1-18.
Santos, L., Jagodinsky, A., Lagally, K., Tricoli, V. and Berton, R. (2021). Determining the peak power output for weightlifting derivatives using body mass percentage: A practical approach. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3(1), 1-88.
Sarabia, J., Moya-Ramon, M., Hernandez-Davo, J., Fernandez-Fernandez, J. and Sabido, R. (2017). The effects of training with loads that maximise power output and individualised repetitions vs. traditional power training. PLOS One, 12(10), 1-14.
Winter, E., Abt, G., Brookes, C., Challis, J., Fowler, N., Knudson, D., Knuttgen, H., Kraemer, W., Lane, A., Mechelen, W., Morton, H., Newton, R., Williams, C. and Yeadon, R. (2016). Misuse of “Power” and other mechanical terms in sport and exercise science research. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(1), 292-300. Web.