Why We Need to Train Power as We Age

When we talk about exercise as we get older, we often focus on strength.

And strength is incredibly important.

But there's another physical quality we need to pay attention to: power.

Power is one of the first physical qualities that tend to decline with age, which is one reason why intentionally training it can be so valuable.

Strength vs. Power

Strength is essentially how much force you can produce.

Power is how quickly you can produce that force.

And that difference matters.

Think about getting up from a chair. You need enough strength to stand, but you also need to be able to produce that force relatively quickly.

The same is true when you're climbing a step, reacting to a change in balance, or catching yourself when you stumble.

Life doesn't always give us time to slowly produce force.

We have to react.

Why Train Power?

1. It helps us practice producing force quickly

As we age, we don't just want to maintain our ability to produce force. We want to maintain our ability to produce it quickly.

This is often referred to as rate of force development (RFD).

Power training gives us an opportunity to practice recruiting our muscles and producing force at a faster rate.

2. It can help us stay reactive

Imagine you trip over a curb.

You don't have several seconds to think about what you're going to do. Your body needs to react quickly.

Training movements that require you to produce force quickly can help maintain that ability to respond to unexpected situations.

This is one reason power, and reactive training can be valuable as part of a broader approach to reducing fall-related injury risk.

3. It can support bone health

When appropriate for the individual, resistance training and impact-based activities can provide mechanical loading that supports bone health.

But power training doesn't always have to involve jumping.

For someone who isn't ready for impact, we can start with movements like a fast sit-to-stand or a quick step-up.

The goal is to train the ability to produce force quickly while choosing an appropriate level of challenge.

Power Doesn't Have to Mean Jumping

When you hear "power training," you might immediately think of box jumps or explosive athletes.

But power training can be scaled to almost anyone.

For example:

Beginner:

• Fast sit-to-stand

• Fast heel raise

• Quick step-up

More advanced:

• Faster step-ups

• Low-level hops

• Jumping variations

The appropriate exercise depends on the person's strength, balance, training history, joint health, and goals.

The goal isn't to make every older adult jump.

The goal is to continue training the ability to produce force quickly.

Don't Just Train to Be Strong

Strength and power aren't competing qualities.

We need both.

Strength: How much force can you produce?

Power: How quickly can you produce it?

As we age, maintaining both can help us continue doing the things we want to do, from getting off the floor and climbing stairs to traveling, hiking, playing with our grandchildren, and responding when life throws something unexpected at us.

You don't have to be an athlete to train power.

You just have to start where you are and progressively challenge your ability to move with intent.

Don't just train to be strong.

Train to use your strength quickly.

References

Reid KF, Fielding RA. Skeletal muscle power: a critical determinant of physical functioning in older adults. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. 2012;40(1):4–12.