💥Explosive power training: How to get started💥

Lay the groundwork ... “You need a baseline level of strength before you start layering in some of that quick training that we do for explosive power,” Scott says. 
 
That’s at least three months of regular aerobic exercise, like walking or cycling, as well as one to two days a week of strength training, she says. Then you can add in more intense explosive power movements, like those suggested in the 20-minute workout below. 

…  Or start right away with some lower-intensity explosive power exercises. Scott says as long as you’re pain-free and have full control of your movements, there are some low-intensity explosive power movements you can try today. 

Scott recommends a few exercises you can do at home or at the office, no gym necessary.  

Sit-to-stand. Try standing up quickly from a chair and then slowly sitting back down. “Repeat that three to five times. That starts to train explosive power,” she says. 

Wall pushups. For best form, push away from the wall quickly and then on the return, go slower and with control.

Heel raises. While standing, raise your heels quickly and then slowly lower them down onto the ground. 

Work your way up to a 20-minute explosive power workout. Once you have that baseline fitness, Scott recommends incorporating a 20-minute explosive power session into your workout routine each week. 

Aim to do five different types of exercises, she says. For example, you could do jump squats, jumping jacks, pushups, medicine ball slams and kettlebell swings.

Scott recommends doing three sets of each exercise and keeping repetitions low — around three to five. 

She says explosive power isn’t like resistance training where you’re trying to push yourself to your limit. "You want movements to be short and high quality and you do not wanna get to fatigue."

Scott says one explosive power training session per week is great for beginners. Then, you can build to the ideal, which is two 20-minute workouts a week. 

With time and consistent training, you might find it easier to chase after your kids, feel more steady on your feet and make some epic tennis shots.