When was the last time you moved as fast as you could — and not just on a brisk walk or a jog around the block?
We’re talking explosive, fast-twitch, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fast — like with the power of a boxer’s jab, a pickleball player’s overhead slam, or a bicyclist’s all-out sprint.
For many people, the answer is “So long ago I don’t remember it.”
That’s a shame, because the ability to move quickly is important — not just in sports but in daily life as well.
“The rotation in a golf swing, jumping for a rebound — those are aspects of power,” says USA Weightlifting senior international coach Wil Fleming. “Catching your balance when you stumble — that’s your body expressing power too.”
In sports science, this is called the rate of force development: the ability to go from stillness to top speed in an instant.
“A car’s zero-to-60 rating is a good analogy,” Fleming explains. “It’s one thing if a sports car can go really fast, but it’s no fun if it takes forever to go really fast. You want to zoom off. You want to feel that zoom.”
And to feel the zoom, you’ll need to build power — the combination of speed and strength working in tandem.
Fortunately, you don’t need to train hard or long to improve your power. You do, however, have to train consistently to avoid losing the gains you make along the way. Being able to apply those gains when it counts can make a world of difference in your overall health and well-being as you age. In fact, research shows that power training can be effective for fall prevention later in life.
So how do you train for power?
Move as fast as you can for short periods, using jumps, throws, and other explosive moves — ideally with something that feels relatively heavy — and stop each set before your movements slow down.
This approach will feel unfamiliar to people used to seeking a burn in their muscles or training to failure. But moving fast is the best way to train for power, and you can’t do that when you are exhausted.
The following full-body workout, designed by Fleming, can help you feel the zoom again.
The Workout
- Do this workout once a week in lieu of a regular strength or cardio routine — after a light warm-up but before any other type of exercise.
- Rest about 60 seconds between sets and exercises.
Pogo Jump
Perform five or six sets of 10 seconds.
Rest about 60 seconds between sets.
- Assume an athletic stance with your feet roughly hip width apart and parallel.
- Bend your knees slightly.
- Keeping your body rigid, jump repeatedly, thinking fast and high.
- Continue jumping for 10 seconds, trying to minimize your time on the ground between reps.
Dumbbell One-Arm Hang Power Snatch
Perform two or three sets of three to five reps per arm.
Rest about 60 seconds between sets.
- Assume a shoulder-width stance holding a dumbbell in your right hand in front of your thighs.
- Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, slowly bend your knees and fold your torso slightly forward at the hip joints, allowing the dumbbell to hang down to your knees or slightly below them.
- As fast as you can, extend your hips, legs, and ankles, slightly lifting your entire body off the ground.
- At the apex of your jump, pull the dumbbell upward forcefully, allowing momentum to carry the weight overhead.
- “Catch” the weight in the overhead position, right arm fully straight and the dumbbell overhead.
- Pause for a second or so, then lower the weight under control, first to shoulder height then back to the starting position in front of your knees. That’s one rep.
Med Ball Squat to Chest Pass
Perform two or three sets of five reps.
Rest about 60 seconds between sets.
- Grab a 10- to 20-pound med ball (the kind that bounces). Facing a sturdy wall, assume a shoulder-width stance 3 to 4 feet away from the wall. Hold the ball near your chest in both hands.
- Keeping your chest up, your gaze forward, and your lower back in its natural arch, sink into a full squat, thighs parallel to the floor (or as deep as you can squat without experiencing discomfort or losing your form).
- Reverse the move and stand fully, simultaneously thrusting the ball against the wall as fast and as powerfully as you can.
- Catch the ball on the rebound, allowing it to bounce once on the floor if necessary. That’s one rep.
Lateral Bound
Perform two or three sets of five reps in each direction.
Rest about 60 seconds between sets.
- Assume a shoulder-width stance with your feet parallel, knees slightly bent, and torso angled slightly forward.
- Keeping your feet parallel and swinging your arms for momentum, leap directly to your left as far as you can, landing as softly as you can on your left foot.
- Pause without placing your right foot down, finding your balance on your left foot.
- Without setting your right foot down, leap directly to your right as far as you can, landing softly on your right foot.
- Continue alternating feet until you have completed five reps on each side.
Barbell Push Press
Perform two or three sets of five reps.
Rest about 60 seconds between sets.
- Load a barbell with a medium weight and place it in a squat rack at shoulder height.
- Standing with the bar in front of you, take a wide, overhand grip on the bar, and walk forward until the barbell touches your clavicles.
- Unrack the bar and take a step or two backward from the rack. This is your starting position.
- Keeping your chest up, bend your knees and hips slightly.
- Explode upward and drive the barbell overhead as fast as you can.
- Pause with the weight overhead, lower the bar with control to the starting position, and repeat for five reps.
This article originally appeared as “Feel the Zoom” in the January/February 2025 issue of Experience Life. Photographer: Kelly Loverud, Model: Becca Rigg; Styling: Pam Brand.
This Post Has One Comment
This looks very doable…even for an old guy like me — thanks for the instructions.