Upper body power is essential in various sports, including those involving throwing, hitting, combat, or propulsion. The principles of power development for the upper body are similar to those for the lower body, but specific considerations are necessary when designing upper body power training programs. These considerations can vary based on factors such as sex, training experience, and the sport in question, making the programming of upper body power exercises a challenging task.

Special Aids for Upper Body Power Training:

To enhance power training and performance, coaches and athletes often seek specialized training devices and aids. In the context of upper body power training, various tools and products can be valuable:

1. Medicine Balls: Medicine balls are commonly used in plyometric training. They come in different variations, including those with handles, ropes, and non-rebounding capabilities. Medicine balls are versatile, available at retail stores and through fitness equipment manufacturers, and cost-effective. Many upper body power exercises described in this section involve medicine balls.
2. Resistance Bands: Some powerlifting training approaches incorporate resistance bands in bench press exercises to enhance the rate of force development (RFD). Resistance bands can improve eccentric loading, leading to increased power output during the concentric phase. However, the effectiveness of resistance bands in increasing strength and power remains a subject of debate in the research literature. They may be a novel addition to power training but should be used with caution.
3. Acute Performance Aids: Only limited research has explored specialized aids for enhancing acute upper body power production during individual training sessions. One study suggested that wearing a specially fitted mouth guard during bench press exercises increased power production. Compression garments, like compression sleeves or shirts, are another potential aid, though their effects on power performance remain unclear. Compression garments may provide proprioceptive feedback that could be beneficial for power and accuracy in specific sports. Powerlifters often use bench shirts, tight-fitting garments that may store energy during the eccentric phase of the bench press, enhancing the concentric muscle action.

Bar Speed and Power Measuring Devices for Monitoring Progress:

Various methods are available to monitor the progress of upper body power training. Field tests, such as a simple medicine ball throw for distance, can be used to assess power. However, these tests often lack normative data for comparing athletes within specific populations. Commercially available devices that measure power and velocity during exercises using barbells, medicine balls, or body weight are also used. These devices use tensiometry or accelerometry to measure bar speed or velocity, but they can be expensive, and normative data may not cover a wide range of populations. Coaches and athletes often use these devices during training sessions to monitor power and velocity, motivating athletes to maintain high power output. While kinematic software analysis has been effective in teaching complex movements, programming based on power output and velocity has not been extensively studied.

Upper Body Power Training Considerations:

When training to improve upper body power, several important factors need to be considered:

1. Transfer of Momentum: In upper body power training, ballistic exercises are crucial. These exercises involve the transfer of momentum through the upper body. For example, in exercises like the bench press, the bar must decelerate at the end of the motion. However, this eccentric deceleration can lead to potential injury. To address this issue, resistance bands can be used to increase external resistance throughout the concentric range of motion, allowing for more concentric muscle work and reducing the need for eccentric deceleration.
2. Influence of Lower Body: Upper body power is significantly related to lower body power. The use of lower limbs in movements can significantly increase the upper body’s throwing distance, velocity, and peak power output. Effective power transfer involves a ground-up sequence of activation, passing momentum from the lower body to the upper body, ultimately affecting the implement being thrown or moved.
3. Intensity: The optimal intensity for upper body power training varies based on factors like sex, sport, arm length, and training experience. Trained athletes often produce maximal power at a lower percentage of their 1-repetition maximum (1RM) compared to untrained individuals. Monitoring and adjusting training intensity based on bar speed and power output are essential. While various studies have reported different optimal power output percentages (e.g., between 15% and 60% of 1RM for bench press throws), finding the right intensity for an individual athlete is crucial.
4. Rotator Cuff Mechanics: The shoulder joint’s unique anatomy and function present challenges in upper body power training. The shoulder’s muscles primarily provide joint stabilization, and injuries are common due to the strain, impingement, and tendinitis. Training exercises should consider these issues by focusing on eccentric portions and incorporating resistance bands, partner-assisted loading, and rebounding exercises. However, the effects of these exercises on shoulder mechanics and injury prevention require further study.
5. Muscular Imbalances: Muscular imbalances can contribute to shoulder injuries. When programming upper body power exercises, it’s essential to consider muscle groups involved in pushing and pulling motions. Exercises should be balanced between these muscle groups, as unequal development can lead to rotator cuff injuries. Additionally, training the muscles involved in both internal and external rotation is crucial for shoulder health.
6. Rotational Exercises: Isometric core strength has been associated with injury prevention and athletic performance, leading to the popularity of exercises like planks. However, dynamic training of the lateral core muscles (e.g., obliques) can facilitate the transfer of forces from the lower body and enhance upper body power. When programming core exercises, it’s advisable to consider an athlete’s lower back injury history, training status, and the sport-specific pattern of momentum transfer. Addressing individual needs is crucial to improve power development and prevent injuries.

These considerations provide a framework for designing effective upper body power training programs that enhance performance and minimize the risk of injury.

Upper Body Power Exercises

Description: The selection of exercises for upper body power training depends on various factors, including the athlete’s training experience, type of movement, and loading. In this comprehensive description, exercises for upper body power are categorized into three main types: ballistic, variable resistance (plyometric), and Olympic.

Ballistic exercises involve resistive force leaving the athlete’s hands or the athlete leaving the ground, eliminating the need for deceleration during the concentric muscle action. For example, the “Jump Push-Up” is a novice-level ballistic exercise where the athlete starts in a push-up position and explosively extends the arms to leave the ground and land in the same place.

Variable resistance exercises, such as those done with resistance bands, are included because they share enhanced eccentric loading with ballistic exercises. An example is the “Band Push-Up,” an intermediate-level exercise where the athlete holds resistance bands across the upper back and performs a standard push-up.

Plyometric exercises are often ballistic and aim to enhance the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) with an enhanced eccentric component. Exercises like bounding and depth jumps fall into this category.

Olympic lift progression exercises are variations or techniques used as part of the main Olympic lifts.

Within these categories, exercises are further divided into novice, intermediate, or advanced levels. Novice exercises have simple movement patterns and low intensity, while intermediate-level exercises have more complex movement patterns or increased intensity due to enhanced eccentric loading. Advanced exercises combine complex movement patterns with heavier eccentric loading.

Here are descriptions of specific exercises within these categories:

1. Jump Push-Up (Novice): This exercise involves performing a standard push-up with explosive arm extension to leave the ground and land in the same place. It’s ideal for novices to build upper body power.
2. Band Push-Up (Intermediate): In this exercise, the athlete holds resistance bands across the upper back while performing a standard push-up, introducing enhanced eccentric loading.
3. Bench Press (Intermediate): This exercise involves lying supine on a bench and pressing a barbell while maintaining five-point body contact.
4. Band Bench Press (Advanced): Similar to the bench press, resistance bands are added to provide enhanced eccentric loading and increased resistance during the concentric phase.
5. Bench Press Throw on Smith Machine (Advanced): This advanced exercise is performed on a Smith machine with safety locks. The athlete flexes the elbows to lower the bar, releases it, catches it, and repeats the movement.
6. Band Standing Row (Novice): Using a resistance band attached to a stable rack or wall hook, the athlete performs a rowing movement.
7. Swiss Ball Shoulder Roll (Novice): In this exercise, the athlete lies prone over a Swiss ball, flexes the knees, and extends the legs rapidly for abdominal work.
8. Bench Pull (Intermediate): The athlete lies prone on a bench, holds a bar, and pulls it toward the lower chest without letting it touch the ground.
9. Depth-Drop Push-Up (Advanced): This exercise starts at the bottom of a push-up position with hands on raised platforms and involves explosively extending the arms, with hands leaving the ground and landing back on the platform.
10. Chest Pass (Novice): A simple exercise where the athlete stands with feet shoulder-width apart, holds a medicine ball at the center of the chest, flexes the knees and hips, then throws the ball forward with a countermovement.
11. Scoop Toss (Novice): This exercise involves holding a medicine ball at hip level, flexing the hips and knees, then explosively extending them while externally rotating at the shoulders to throw the ball backward over the head.
12. Lateral Toss (Low Hold and High Hold) (Intermediate): In this exercise, the athlete holds a medicine ball at mid-torso level and throws it laterally.
13. Overhead Throw (Intermediate): The athlete holds a medicine ball in front of the body, flexes the shoulders to lift the ball over the head, and releases it to a wall.
14. Two-Handed Wood Chop Throw (Intermediate): This exercise involves rotating at the waist, flexing the knees and hips, and making an arc motion with the medicine ball, throwing it toward the ground.
15. Abdominal Crunch Ball Toss (Advanced): This exercise requires a partner. The athlete performs an abdominal crunch and explosively throws the medicine ball to the partner.
16. Ball Drop (Advanced): In this exercise, a partner stands on a box and drops the medicine ball to the athlete, who catches and throws it back.
17. Abdominal Twist (Advanced): The athlete sits on the ground, flexes the hips and knees, and explosively twists to throw a medicine ball left and right.

These exercises offer a comprehensive range of options for upper body power training, catering to athletes of different skill levels and training goals. It’s essential to select exercises that align with an athlete’s current abilities and progressively challenge them as they develop their power.