Training for POWER

In order to help prime our bodies for constant battering in a game, it is important to include power training in your weekly programming

What is power training?

Power is your ability to overcome a resistance in the shortest period of time. Think about an GK’s jump on the body to intercept the ball in the circle, that is a good display of power on the court. The GK’s lower body power allows them to transfer force from the ground in a vertical direction upwards towards the ball whilst resisting their body weight…and gravity. 

When we train to develop power, we force our neurotransmitters to adapt and to have a higher firing frequency. Essentially we force our muscle fibres to switch and develop more fast twitch muscle fibres which will allow you to exert maximum force in a shorter amount of time – think 100m sprinters for example. 

Why is it important for Netball?

Netball is a fast sport. The speed of the game means that we are constantly requiring our muscles to make explosive efforts to sprint, change direction, jump and even throw. In order to help prime our bodies for this constant battering it is important to include power training into your weekly programming. Doing this will not only help protect your body from injury but also help excel your game too. 

Power training does not have to be complicated either and you probably already do a lot of it. Any form of plyometric training such as bounding, sprinting and even high knees will be working toward developing th power in your muscles. However, as with anything, spending specific sessions on developing power with added resistance such as a weight will help you to push your performance onto the next level. 

How can you add it into training?

Plyometrics exercises should form the basis of any warmup routine for netball. Not only do they help you to raise your heart rate and prepare for the game but they also prime your muscles for the increased effort and force they will be put under in a game. 

Having a set warm up with some plyometrics built in can be a good way to make sure you are getting some power training in every week. 

You might like to give the following a go:

Complete over 1/3, walk back and repeat x 2

• Bound and Stick 
• Single Leg Bounds (both legs) 
• High Knees
• Pogos
• Squat Jump x 3 and sprint 

What about Training for Power in the gym?

This is where the real gains come! If you are looking to really push and excel your game, adding resistance in the form of weights is the best way to go.

Weights will help to excel your performance as you will be putting your body under extra load and resistance forcing it to adapt beyond the load of your bodyweight. This means that when the added weight is taken away, and you are just resisting bodyweight, you should be able to bound, jump, pass, change direction with more force and more power making you faster! Win! 

Supersets can be a great way for you to work on power development with added resistance. Do this by pairing a weighted exercise, such as a chest press, with a plyometric equivalent such as a chest pass or even a medicine ball press throw if you’re really chasing the burn. The extra effort your muscles are forced to make through the initial weighted exercise will allow them to work harder in the second  plyometric exercise, helping them to adapt. 

Take a look at this session and think about recreating it next time you are in the gym. As always, never attempt an exercise before seeking help from a professional first. 

Finally, getting more powerful will excel your performance, but only if it is balanced with traditional strength training too. The two go hand in hand and should be worked on together in order to improve performance. Try adding 6 sets of low rep power exercises at the beginning of each strength session  and sticking with these for a 3-4 week cycle. You won’t regret it. 

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