Power / Athletic Program
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A strength-base plus explosive plan — heavy lifts for force, ballistic/plyometric and speed work for velocity — sequenced so explosive efforts are always done fresh.
Detail
Power = force × velocity, so athletic programs develop both a strength base and the ability to express it fast. Power work is fatigue-sensitive and skill-heavy, so it goes first, fresh, in the session (see Exercise Order Within a Session, Integrating Power with Strength Training).
Components (per week):
- Explosive / power lifts: Olympic-lift derivatives, jumps, throws (see Programming for Power (Sets, Reps, Rest & Placement)) — low reps (1–5), maximal intent/velocity, long rest (~2–5 min), low total volume. Quality over quantity; stop before velocity drops.
- Strength base: heavy compounds (Back Squats, Deadlifts (bent knee), press) per the Maximal Strength Program — high force feeds high power.
- Plyometrics: progressed by intensity and contact volume (see Plyometric Progression, Plyometric Volume Guidelines (Foot Contacts)).
- Speed / agility (SAQ): sprint mechanics, change-of-direction, reactive drills (see SAQ Programming (Speed, Agility & Quickness)).
Session order (fresh → fatigued): dynamic warm-up → speed/plyometric/explosive → heavy strength → assistance → conditioning/core. Pairing a heavy lift with an explosive move (complex/contrast training) exploits post-activation potentiation.
Programming notes: power needs full recovery between reps and sets (incomplete recovery turns power work into conditioning and kills the quality); manage total foot contacts/throws as the volume currency, not just sets; and respect that the strength base and the explosive expression are trained concurrently but the explosive work is always prioritized when fresh. This is the programming wrapper around the manual's FSU Power Program.
Key facts
- Develop both force (heavy lifts) and velocity (ballistic/plyo/speed).
- Power lifts: 1–5 reps, maximal velocity, long rest (~2–5 min), low volume; stop when speed drops.
- Session order: warm-up → speed/plyo/explosive (fresh) → heavy strength → assistance → core.
- Complex/contrast pairing exploits post-activation potentiation.
- Volume currency = contacts/throws; full recovery between efforts is mandatory.
Connections
- Programming for Power (Sets, Reps, Rest & Placement), Integrating Power with Strength Training — the power-training core.
- Complex & Contrast Training — heavy+explosive pairing.
- Plyometric Progression, SAQ Programming (Speed, Agility & Quickness) — plyo and speed/agility.
- Maximal Strength Program — the strength base feeding power.
- Exercise Order Within a Session — why explosive work goes first.
- FSU Power Program — the manual's power template.
Sources
Exercise guides
This lesson is part of how a strength plan is built.
Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.