Power and strength are two components of fitness that inevitably decline with age. Power is said to reduce 6-11% per decade from adulthood to older age and is the first fitness component to decline, followed by strength. The definition of power (when it comes to biomechanics and physics) is the amount of work done in a certain period of time. You will notice the loss of muscular power in an aging individual whose walking stride is shorter, lower to the ground, and ultimately slower. Great news though! Add a little power training to your workout and this unavoidable descend can be slowed down dramatically.

These workouts are typically a bit more exciting and require more explosive movements such as medicine ball throws. While the whole body is engaged, majority of the effort comes from the lower extremities. Workouts should consist of exercises that focus on hip and knee extension and flexion such as ball slams and overhead, underhand and side throws. Start with few sets (3-5) of small amount of repetitions. Slowly increase the repetitions as you feel stronger. Of course, these aren’t the only moves to consider. So make sure your program is well rounded and filled with exercises that strengthen the body as whole from head to toe. *Explosive/Plyometric exercises should not be done until a strong muscular foundation has been established.*