Power
The rate at which the body produces mechanical work, defined as the product of force and the speed at which that force is applied.
Definition
In sports science, power is the amount of work done per unit of time, or equivalently force multiplied by velocity. A powerful athlete can apply large forces quickly, which is why power, rather than maximal strength alone, governs actions such as jumping, throwing, sprint starts and hitting.
Because power depends on both how much force is produced and how fast, it can be developed either by getting stronger or by moving loads faster, so most programmes train across the force-velocity spectrum. It should not be confused with strength, which is the ability to produce force regardless of time, or with explosiveness, which emphasises how rapidly force rises from a standstill.
Where you’ll hear “power”
Sports that use this term:
Basketball
A fast, dynamic team sport of running, jumping and quick decisions on court.
Volleyball
A non-contact team sport of rallies, jumps and teamwork — indoors or on the beach.
Football
The world’s most popular team sport — endless running, teamwork and community in one game.
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Power to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Movement patterns
- AccelerationThe athletic pattern of building speed from a standing or slow start by driving large horizontal forces into the ground to project the body forward.
- BoundAn exaggerated, horizontal springing stride that transfers from one leg to the opposite leg with a long flight phase, amplifying the mechanics of running.
- KickA ballistic single-support leg swing that whips force from the plant foot through the hip and knee to strike or propel a ball or target with the foot, distinct from the weight-bearing steps of locomotion.
- StrikeA ballistic, whole-body hitting action that channels ground-generated force through a proximal-to-distal kinetic chain to deliver momentum to a target via the hand, an implement or a body part at the moment of contact.
- ThrowPropelling an object by releasing it from the hand, driven by a proximal-to-distal kinetic-chain sequence that summates speed from the legs through the trunk and arm to the release point.
Sports science
- Force and powerThe difference between how much force the body can produce and how quickly it can produce it — the mechanics behind strength and explosiveness.
- The kinetic chainThe idea that the body’s segments work as a linked chain, passing force from the ground up through the hips, trunk and limbs.
- Energy systemsHow the body supplies energy for movement — the different pathways that power everything from an explosive jump to a long, steady run.
- BiomechanicsThe study of how the body produces and controls movement — the mechanics behind every technique in sport.
- Aerobic and anaerobic energyThe difference between energy the body produces with oxygen and energy it produces without it — a core idea behind why different efforts feel and last so differently.
Physical qualities
- PowerProducing force quickly — strength expressed at speed, as in a jump or a sprint start.
- Muscular strengthHow much force your muscles can produce in a single effort.
- SpeedHow quickly you can move your body or a part of it from one point to another.
- CoordinationGetting your body parts to work together smoothly and accurately, often with what you see.
- BalanceKeeping your body stable and controlled, whether still or moving.
Training methods
- PlyometricsPlyometrics are jumping and bounding drills that train muscles to produce force quickly, developing power and springiness through explosive movement.
- FartlekFartlek — Swedish for 'speed play' — mixes faster and easier efforts freely and by feel within one continuous session, blending steady and interval work.
- Progressive OverloadProgressive overload is the principle of gradually increasing the demand you place on your body so it keeps adapting and improving over time.
- Endurance Base TrainingEndurance base training is an extended phase of mostly easy, steady aerobic work that lays the aerobic foundation the rest of a training plan builds on.
Disciplines
- Breaking (Gyeokpa)Gyeokpa is taekwondo's breaking discipline, in which practitioners strike through boards or other objects to demonstrate accuracy, focus, and effective technique.
- Sprint (Flatwater)Sprint kayaking is flatwater racing over short, standardized distances in marked lanes, rewarding explosive speed and sustained boat-moving power.
- KumiteKumite is the sparring discipline of karate, in which two athletes exchange controlled strikes and kicks under judged rules.
- FoilFoil is a fencing weapon in which touches are scored only with the point on the opponent's torso, governed by right-of-way rules.
- SabreSabre is a fencing weapon scored with the edge and the point on targets above the waist, governed by right-of-way and known for its speed.