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How can you scientifically increase your muscle power? Larger muscles can lift more weight. Thus, they can grow faster. To develop muscle power, you must follow some fundamental principles of weightlifting. Besides following the right principles, you must also perfect your technique. After lifting weights for a while, it all comes down to who can do it better. Your technique must be perfect, or your growth will suffer.
What is the definition of muscle power, and how does it work?
Many people confuse strength and speed with power. Muscle power is more than the force generated to move an object. In sports, work done in a unit of time defines power. The formula used by experts to determine how much power a person uses is: (force x distance) divided by a unit of time.
Thus, the faster you move the weight, the more power. Conversely, the longer it takes to move weight reveals a level of weakness and is a sign that you will struggle with heavier weight. Sometimes people confuse muscle power with strength. While they are similar, experts calculate strength based upon a longer unit of time. Thus power builds muscle, not strength because power relies on speed and force.
The connection between muscle size and muscle power
Muscle power creates muscle size. Larger muscles need more fuel to work. The fuel of muscle – glycogen, ATP, CP is in the muscle cells. Muscles adapt to workouts by getting larger. Thus, muscle size correlates with muscle power. To increase muscle power, you must lift 70% to 75% of your one-rep max for 8 to 12 reps. The force and reps are ideal because they allow you to speed up through each lift while controlling the weight and slowly through the eccentric portion of the lift for better form.
How does muscle power work with an exercise?
For the bench press, you should first determine your one-repetition maximum (1RPM). Once you know your 1RPM, then multiply it by 70% to get the amount of weight you need to lift during each set. Again, it’s best to start at the lower end because you must increase the weight periodically.
Focus on your form because that is where you will make the gains. Keep the weight under control. Slowly lower the weight during the eccentric portion of each lift. Then speed up during the concentric portion of each lift. You can generate more muscle power by keeping the weight under control. Pause for a split second at the top and bottom of each lift. The pause allows you to control the weight and make a complete transformation from concentric to eccentric movement.
To maximize muscle power, perform 8 to 10 reps of 3 to 10 sets, depending on how many other chest exercises you included in your workout. For example, you can perform the bench press with three different grips and three different elevations, which gives you nine total variations.
Although you must perform each lift on its merits, the lift must also fit into the total workout. Using a comprehensive approach prevents you from running out of gas in the middle of a workout and not recovering before the next workout. Muscle power relies on a delicate balance between volume and recovery.
How to use progressive overload to max out muscle power
If you can complete all sets at 10 reps for the workout, then at the next workout, increase the weight lifted. Progressive overload calls for you to increase the weight continuously. Never add additional weight unless you completely mastered your previous workout. Progressive overload happens when you increase the weight, reps, or sets. Form and technique determine muscle power.
As long as you continue to use progressive overload, you will continue to increase muscle power and size. However, you will know when you hit a plateau because your progressive overload will come to an abrupt stop. A plateau is when you cannot increase the reps, sets, or weight from your previous workout. Thus supplements like creatine, amino acids, and protein powder become important as they help to break the plateau and allow you to continue to use progressive overload. Also, sleep and your diet, when perfected, can help you elevate your power and size.
