Power, simply, is force times velocity. I’ve heard things like maximum power occurs at 30% and 70% of an individual’s 1RM. Unfortunately, following those training percentages may not always give you the outcome you are looking for. In a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, they tested collegiate athletes on their power clean to decipher at what percentage peak power was produced. The participants started at 30% and increased to 80% in increments of 10%. They found peak power was produced at 60% of the individual’s 1RM. Can you take this outcome and apply it to every athlete and train all athletes at the 60% range to maximize their power potential? That depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

My mentor, Mike Young, once said to me, “The expression of a physical quality does not always mean that it is the best way to train that physical quality. You have to take into account what is trying to be accomplished on that particular training day.” Training methods will differ from coach to coach. What does a particular day’s training looks like. On a top end speed day, do you train on the track, on grass, dirt? In sneakers? Spikes? If it’s a weight room day, do you train at 60-70% focusing on power or do you Olympic Lift at 80%+ weight focusing on maximal strength. Decide the best way to maximize your training and what will fit in your long term planning.

Bret Contreras has pointed out that “individual peak power production can vary considerably from one person to the next, so it’s unwise to generalize and assume that an individual falls in the norm when their anthropometry, physiology, anatomy, etc., could cause them to stray from the norm.” There is no magic number or percentage that will work for every athlete. We have guidelines but they are not absolute. That’s why we recommend training across the entire force-velocity continuum.

References:

Comfort, Paul; Fletcher, Caroline; McMahon, John J. Determination of Optimal Loading During the Power Clean, in Collegiate Athletes. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 26(11):2970-2974, November 2012.

Contreras, Bret. The Glute Guy. Should We Train at 30% of 1RM to Maximize Power Production? www.bretcontreras.com. September 22, 2010