Training for Strength vs Power: What’s the Difference?

One of the first questions a personal trainer asks a new client is their fitness goals. What is it that they hope to achieve with their exercise plan? Getting a clear answer to this question requires that the client understands what certain fitness terms mean. Two that are often confused are strength and power. Yet, they are two very different things. 

Defining Strength in Personal Training

Strength is the amount of force a person is able to exert to overcome some type of resistance. It is often referred to in terms of muscle strength. The greater a person’s muscular strength, the better their ability to move a heavy weight. Their force production is higher, enabling them to overcome a heavier load.

External resistance used in strength training can come in the form of free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, and more. All of these types of equipment are helpful for building strength. Bodyweight exercises can also be an effective part of a strength training program. 

What Power is in Fitness Training

Power also involves the ability to exert force against resistance, but there is a greater focus on speed. Having power means that you’re able to exert maximal force in minimal time. This results in more explosive movement.  

Some of the confusion between strength and power training is that several exercises can help build both. You can do a bench press to build maximal strength in the chest, for instance, but it’s also a power exercise. So, what’s the difference between the two?

Differences in Strength vs Power

We’ve already established one difference. While strength involves the ability to exert maximum force, power involves exerting that force with maximum movement speed. There are also differences in what each type of training does to the body physically, how it impacts performance, and even the training methods used.

Physical Outcomes

Strength training boosts muscle size. Working out with resistance causes the muscle fiber to break down. When it recovers, it gets bigger. Over time, this leads to an increase in muscle mass. 

Power training can also increase muscle mass. However, getting the muscle to grow isn’t the ultimate goal. Instead, exercises are chosen based on their ability to improve speed in the movements. So, people can build greater muscle power without dramatically increasing their muscle mass.

Performance Benefits

Another difference between strength and power is how each one affects athletic performance. This is important for an athlete when deciding what type of training can help them meet their fitness goals.

For example, sports such as wrestling and rowing require a fair bit of strength. So, athletes competing in them can benefit from traditional strength training. Conversely, those competing in sports that require explosive movements, such as basketball and track, may get better performance results by doing power training exercises.

Training Differences

Strength training generally involves lifting as heavy a weight as possible or using maximum resistance. This helps the muscle grow in size and strength. To maximize the muscle contraction, movements are often performed slowly. This forces the muscle to work harder, which aids in force development and leads to maximum strength.

In power training, because the focus is on speed of the movement, you can’t lift or move as much weight. So, it requires lighter levels of resistance. At the same time, each training exercise is completed faster. (Form is never compromised, even when increasing speed to build muscle power.)

Which Is Better: Strength Training or Power Training?

While each type of exercise has different impacts, neither is superior to the other. In fact, research indicates that training for both strength and power may be the best approach. 

As an example, a 2019 study involved 24 young female gymnasts. All the gymnasts engaged in training three days per week for 10 weeks, with half of the study participants also engaging in a strength and power training program. This program included plyometric training exercises for both the upper and lower body. The group that added strength training and power exercises to their workout improved their jump performance. They also improved their performance in gymnastic-specific movements.

Power training isn’t just for athletes either. It’s also beneficial as we age. In a 2022 study, 35 older men were split into two groups. One group engaged in power training with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The other group engaged in traditional strength training plus HIIT. The power training group had greater force development responsiveness. 

Guidelines for Training for Strength (Strength Training)

When training for strength, it’s important to overload the muscles. This forces them to continue to work harder. Over time, this increases muscle size and strength. 

A client new to exercise may start by using their body weight to begin to build their strength. They might do push-ups to increase their upper body strength or squats without weights to work on their lower body. Then they can progress to light free weights, followed by transitioning to machines once they’re ready for more resistance.

To maximize muscle mass, aim for heavier weights with fewer reps. Work the muscle to exhaustion with longer rest periods between each set. 

Incorporate compound exercises into the resistance training program whenever possible. This forces the body to use several muscle groups at one time, leading to faster gains. Examples of compound movements include the deadlift and squat.

Use isolation exercises to target specific muscles or muscle groups. This is helpful when working to correct muscle imbalances.

Tips for Training for Power (Power Training)

Many strength training exercises can also help boost muscle power. They just need to be adapted a bit. During the concentric or “lifting” portion of the exercise, use a fast and powerful movement. This helps lead to power increases. The eccentric or “lowering” portion of the exercise can remain slower.

Adding plyometric moves can further enhance a person’s ability to perform explosive movements. Jump squats are one type of plyometric exercise good for building power. Burpees are another. 

Ballistic exercises are beneficial as well. These types of exercises involve moving explosively during the entire movement. Olympic lifts fall into this category. So do bench throws.

As mentioned previously, because the velocity of the movement is greater in power training, lighter resistance is used. That said, it is still important (if not more so) to keep proper form. When moving quickly, poor form can lead to increased injury risk. 

This is where a personal trainer can help. By watching a client’s form, this fitness professional can correct any issues before they have the chance to lead to problems. 

Combining Strength and Power Training for Optimal Sports Performance

In the end, working on both strength and power offers benefits. Each one plays a role in an athlete’s sports performance. They also both contribute to healthy aging.

Thus, it’s important to include both types of training in a comprehensive exercise plan. Do strength training one day and focus on power training the next. Include warm-ups and cool downs for each to help all the muscles prepare and fully recover from the exercise program. Also, pay attention to form so that injuries don’t occur.

If you’re a personal trainer, you can help clients improve their strength and power—and take their physical function to the next level—as a Strength and Conditioning Coach. This ISSA certification course provides the information needed to devise personalized fitness programs that enable clients to reach their peak performance.