Muscular Power
Overview
Muscle Power is defined as the total amount of work that the muscle can perform in a unit period of time1.
Strength vs Power
Strength
Maximal amount of force that a muscle can output
Power
Power is a measure of the total amount of work that the muscle performs in a unit period of time1
Factors
Power is therefore determined not muscle strength, the distance of contraction, and the number of times that it contracts each minute.
Measurement
Muscle power is generally measured in kilogram meters (kg-m) per minute. That is, a muscle that can lift 1-kilogram weight to a height of 1 meter or that can move some object laterally against a force of 1 kilogram for a distance of 1 meter in 1 minute is said to have a power of 1 kg-m/min. The maximal power achievable by all the muscles in the body of a highly trained athlete with all the muscles working together is approximately the following:”
| Time | \((\textrm{kg} \times \textrm{m}) / \textrm{minute}\) |
|---|---|
| First 8 to 10 seconds | 70001 |
| 1 min | 40001 |
| Next 30 minutes | 17001 |