Power training focuses on explosiveness and mainly recruits type 2 muscle fibres (fast twitch). Men are naturally higher in type 2 fibres while it varies for women, depending on genetics. As a female athlete and having trained many female clients over the years, I believe that power is an extremely important skill to develop for women. With age, speed and power are the first to go so taking the time to develop those skills is crucial for maintaining athleticism and healthy movement.

A higher muscle mass is literally the fountain of youth!

Women are more prone to osteoporosis, especially after menopause, so by incorporating power training bone growth and density are improved. Power strengthens not only muscles but also tendons and ligaments, which can prevent injuries. Other benefits are improved reaction time, coordination, increased metabolic rate and improved muscle definition. 

After taking up kickboxing 5 years ago and Olympic weightlifting 3 years ago, and experiencing the benefits of power training, explosive movements have become a staple of my clients’ programming. Kick-boxing/ Muay Thai taught me how to be explosive in rotational movements and improve coordination and hip mobility. Olympic weightlifting has taught me how to vertically jump with a barbell without fear. Each discipline is unique yet shares the power element. 

The high demand on the nervous and cardiovascular systems has made me much more resilient and able to withstand high intensity training for prolonged periods of time. I believe adaptability to be a very important skill in life and being powerful and athletic definitely increases one's ability to handle life stressors. This is particularly beneficial for women as we often deal with high levels of stress from balancing professional and family life, as well as hormonal changes after 40.

So, ladies, let’s get powerful! 

Research sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5643776/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5650159/