Training
Maximising Athletic Performance: Understanding Maximal Versus Rate Of Force Production
Force production is essentially the ability to generate muscular force. It is a core component of virtually every athletic endeavour – it is what propels a sprinter off the blocks, powers a weightlifter through a snatch, and drives a swimmer through the water.
This article covers two critical aspects of force production: maximal force production and the rate of force production. By highlighting the difference between these two, you can further your ability to observe, prescribe, and adjust exercises more effectively, ensuring your clients can achieve peak performance, safely and efficiently.
Understanding Force Production in Fitness
Understanding athletic performance requires a distinction between two fundamental types of force production: Maximal Force Production (MFP) and Rate of Force Production (RFP).
Maximal Force Production
Maximal Force Production refers to the absolute maximum amount of force that an individual can generate, regardless of the time it takes to produce that force. This metric is crucial in powerlifting, heavy weightlifting, and other strength-focused disciplines where the primary goal is to lift as much weight as possible, irrespective of speed.
Rate of Force Production
Rate of Force Production, on the other hand, emphasises not just the amount of force generated but also the speed at which that force is developed. It’s a critical measure in sports and activities requiring quick, explosive movements, such as sprinting, high jumps, or fast-paced Olympic weightlifting moves.
Understanding these concepts is vital for you – as a Trainer – if you’re looking to enhance your clients’ performance across a broad spectrum of physical activities.
Examples in Barbell Training
When applying the concepts of maximal force production and rate of force production in training, barbell exercises provide clear and accessible examples.
Maximal Force Production
For Maximal Force Production, consider the deadlift. The deadlift requires the athlete to lift the maximum possible weight from the ground to a standing position. Here, the focus is on generating the highest force possible to move the weight, irrespective of how quickly this is achieved.
Rate of Force Production
For Rate of Force Production, power cleans offer a compelling illustration. This exercise demands not only a significant amount of force to lift the barbell from the ground but also necessitates that this force be generated rapidly to transition the weight from the floor to the catch position in a fluid motion. This showcases the need for explosive strength and the ability to produce force quickly, which is essential in many athletic endeavours beyond weightlifting.
The Importance to Fitness Coaches
Why must fitness coaches concern themselves with both MFP and RFP? The answer lies in the comprehensive development of an athlete. Different sports and physical activities demand varying balances of strength and speed.
By understanding and observing both aspects of force production as they relate to their clients, fitness coaches can tailor training programs that precisely target the needed areas of improvement. For instance, a rugby football player may benefit more from focusing on maximal force production to overpower opponents, until they are too slow, then increasing the rate of force production will help. A basketball player might need to focus more on RFP for quick jumps and sprints rather MFP.
Recognising the different focus of force production also prevents injury by ensuring that exercises are prescribed with an understanding of what the athlete’s body is presently capable of, and what it is being trained to accomplish next. This tailored approach ensures that every athlete can reach their peak performance, safely and effectively.
Training Methods for Adaptations
Maximal Force Production
For improving maximal force production, incorporating heavy resistance training is key. Exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, executed with high loads and fewer repetitions, force the muscles to adapt by increasing their maximal strength capacity.
Rate of Force Production
To improve the rate of force production, plyometric exercises, sub-loaded explosive tools like the medicine ball, or Sandbag, and weightlifting movements (like the snatch and clean and jerk) are highly effective. These exercises demand rapid force generation, enhancing an athlete’s explosive strength and power. Furthermore, integrating sprint drills and agility training can also improve an athlete’s ability to quickly generate force, crucial for many sports and physical activities.
Combining these training methods into a balanced program enables you to develop your clients and athletes so they can be not only strong, but also quick and agile, and capable of producing force in a variety of demanding scenarios.
Tim Sunderland
Tim is a fitness educator and author at the Functional Training Institute, which offers certification programs in functional and strength training.
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