Combining Strength, Speed, Power, Endurance

Main thing

Combining strength, speed, power, and endurance refers to training the body to excel across multiple physical attributes simultaneously. An athlete who has achieved a high level combination of these qualities can generate a lot of force quickly and repeatedly over an extended period of time.

However, these attributes can sometimes interfere with each other if not trained properly. For example, too much endurance training can lead to muscle loss and reduced strength and power. Conversely, overemphasis on strength and power can reduce aerobic capacity and endurance.

The key is to structure training in a way that allows each attribute to complement the others. This can be done through periodization - strategically cycling between phases that emphasize different qualities. For example, an athlete might focus on building a strength base first, then transition to more power and speed-oriented training, followed by a phase emphasizing endurance.

Other practical tips include:

• Use compound, multi-joint exercises that train multiple attributes simultaneously, like Olympic lifts, squats, and deadlifts

• Combine power training with strength or speed training in the same workout, but separate endurance training by at least 3 hours to maximize adaptation to each

• Incorporate sprinting as a potent stimulus for developing speed and power

• Allow adequate recovery time between workouts to prevent overtraining and injury

• Fuel the body with proper nutrition to support intense training and optimize adaptation

Terms

• Strength: The ability of a muscle or muscle group to generate force against an external resistance. For example, how much weight you can lift in a bench press.

• Speed: The ability to move the body or an object rapidly. For example, how quickly a sprinter can cover 100 meters.

• Power: The ability to generate a high amount of force in a short period of time. It is a product of strength and speed. For example, how high a basketball player can jump.

• Endurance: The ability to perform an activity for an extended period of time. For example, how long a marathon runner can sustain their pace.

• Periodization: The strategic planning of an athlete's training program using cycles that focus on different attributes during specific periods of time. For example, a 4-week cycle emphasizing strength, followed by a 4-week cycle emphasizing power, and so on.

An analogy

Think of your body like a car. Strength is like the size of the engine - how much horsepower it can generate. Speed is how quickly the car can accelerate. Power is a combination of a big engine and quick acceleration - like a sports car that can go 0 to 60 mph very fast. And endurance is like the size of the fuel tank - how far the car can go before running out of gas. Training to combine all of these is like building a sports car with a huge engine and a large fuel tank.

A main misconception

Many people think you have to train these attributes separately - like bodybuilders focusing only on strength and marathon runners only on endurance. But the body is highly adaptable and with the right training regimen, it's possible to develop a high level of all these physical qualities together.

It's true that combining strength, speed, power, and endurance training won't allow you to maximize any one attribute to the same degree as if you focused on it exclusively. You likely won't squat as much as a powerlifter, run as fast as a sprinter, or cycle as far as a tour de France rider.

However, you can still reach an extremely high level across all of these attributes and become a very well-rounded athlete. You may never be world-class in a single sport, but you can develop a remarkable and versatile fitness that makes you highly capable in a wide range of physical activities. Crossfit is a great example of a training methodology that optimizes this kind of combined fitness.

The history

1. Pre-1900s: Physical culture focused on combining strength and muscle size. Circus strongmen and wrestlers were early examples.

2. 1920s-1950s: Rise of physical education. Programs started to incorporate more well-rounded fitness with calisthenics, gymnastics, running, etc.

3. 1960s-1980s: Sports science emerges. Coaches and researchers start studying how to best train athletes for their specific sports. Periodization and sports-specific training become popular.

4. 1990s-2000s: Functional training movement begins, emphasizing multi-joint exercises and combining strength with other attributes. Crossfit is founded in 2000.

5. 2010s-Present: Increasing mainstream popularity of functional fitness, Crossfit, obstacle course racing, and other sports/programs focused on combined fitness attributes.

Three cases how to use it right now

1. A basketball player could do plyometric box jumps to build explosive power, practice sprints to improve speed and agility, lift weights for strength, and do conditioning circuits to improve endurance. All of these would translate to better performance on the court.

2. A hiker could train with a weighted vest or backpack to build strength and endurance simultaneously. They could also do hill sprints to build power and lactate threshold for the demands of steep climbs at altitude.

3. The average person could use a circuit training workout alternating between resistance exercises and cardio bursts. For example: 10 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 box jumps, and a 250 meter row. Repeat for 5 rounds. This would build strength, power, and endurance in a very time-efficient workout.

Interesting facts

• Usain Bolt, the world's fastest sprinter, also back squatted over 500 lbs, showing his tremendous strength and power in addition to speed.

• In 2018, Eliud Kipchoge set the marathon world record with a time of 2:01:39, averaging a 4:38 mile pace for 26.2 miles, demonstrating superhuman endurance.

• Crossfit champion Mat Fraser can deadlift 500 lbs, run a mile in under 5 minutes, and do 50 pull-ups unbroken, showing elite strength, endurance and gymnastics skill.

• Decathletes are considered some of the best all-around athletes, needing to excel in 10 different track & field events requiring speed, power, endurance, and technical skill.

• Before the 1980s, most NFL players did not lift weights, thinking it would make them slow. Today, almost every player follows a year-round strength and conditioning program.