Work smarter, not harder

Power training is bigger than ever, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some misunderstanding about it. Let us explain…

Not all trainers programme power properly. If a coach has you doing 15 box jumps or a minute of ball slams in a class (or in a personal training session) and calls it ‘power work’, be sceptical. If you do any move for much longer than six to 10 seconds, it’s just ‘fancy cardio’, Herl says. It’s not necessarily bad – these longer bouts of effort can boost your endurance – but this approach won’t help you to level up your jump height or slam with a little more oomph.

Then there’s the misconception that power training has to look fancy. ‘People see someone jump five hurdles before getting to a box jump and hop around like a bunny rabbit on Instagram, but it’s just too much,’ Herl says. The complicated stuff definitely looks cool, but it’s not necessary (or even advisable) for beginners. Simple body-weight movements – such as jumping rope or lateral shuffles – are your best bets to see results and, importantly, avoid injury from the start.