Power vs. Fatigue: Stay Explosive All Game

You lock eyes. You take your position. You wait.

The ball comes. A defender closes in. No time to think. Just move. You drive off your back foot, explode forward, and break past the first tackle. For a split second, it feels effortless.

Then it hits you.

This isn’t just one sprint. One jump. One burst of power. This is 80 minutes. Play after play. Explosion after explosion.

How do you train power, not just to hit hard once, but to keep going, again and again, without losing energy?

In this edition:

•  ⚡ Why power isn’t just about one big hit but sustaining it all game.

•  💨 Why speed and strength alone won’t cut it (and what actually does).

•  🏋️‍♂️ Two exercises to build explosive power that lasts.

— Paco Raven, Editor & Founder

Before we dive in, a quick pit stop for two exciting updates:

• Starting Thursday: A new streamlined edition packed with news, insights, and three quick breakdowns of key performance concepts.

• Next month, we’re releasing something special, and our most dedicated readers will get early access. Stay tuned.

Now, let’s get into it.

The Secret to Staying Explosive All Game Long

You’re on the pitch. The ball shifts to your side. A gap opens. You launch forward. One explosive step and you break through the defense.

That first burst of power gets you past the defender, but the game isn’t over. The next play is coming. And the next. And the next.

Power isn’t just about that one explosive moment in a game. It’s about repeating it over and over again for a full match, a whole season.

In rugby, football, or basketball, you don’t just need power—you need repeatable power. The ability to accelerate, jump, and break through defense not just once, but when it matters most. The last 10 minutes of the game or race when everyone else is empty and tired.

Power is force times velocity. In simple terms: how much strength you can generate and how quickly you can use it.

Strength is your raw ability to produce force, for example, how much weight you can lift, and how much force you can drive into the ground.

But strength alone isn’t enough. If you're strong but slow, you're a truck with no acceleration. If you're fast but weak, you're a sports car with no horsepower.

Power is what happens when strength meets speed. It's the difference between a player who gets tackled on the spot and one who explodes through contact.

Between a basketball player who almost gets the dunk and one who throws it down with authority.

And here’s what most people don’t realize: power fades if you can’t sustain it. One explosive movement means nothing if your legs are dead by halftime.

Speed, agility, vertical jumps, first-step quickness. None of these skills happen if you don’t have any power.

But power isn’t just about starting fast. It’s about staying fast. You see it in the fourth quarter of a basketball game, who still has bounce in their legs?

Who can still accelerate to the ball? Who is still making explosive plays when everyone else is drained? That’s power endurance, and that’s what separates athletes at the highest level.

Without power, you’re playing catch-up. You react instead of dictate. You get beat to the ball. You get pushed off balance. You slow down before the game is even over.

If all you train is strength, sure, you’re strong, but can you use it? If you can’t turn that strength into action when it matters, is it really strength at all?

If you only train for speed, you might be quick off the mark but unable to sustain it. If you ignore power endurance, you’ll start the game strong and fade when it matters most.

Athletes who neglect power training get exposed in competition. You don’t notice it in the first 10 minutes.

You notice it when the game is on the line and when fatigue sets in. That extra step of explosion can be the difference between winning and losing.

Best 2 Exercises To Build Power That Lasts

Power isn’t just about being strong. It’s about making that strength count. Some athletes can squat a house but move like they’re stuck in cement. Others are quick but lack the force and power to break through.

The key? Knowing what you need. If you struggle to move weight, get stronger. If you’re strong but slow, train to be explosive. Power lives in that balance.

1. Trap Bar Jumps

Load up a trap bar with light to moderate weight and explode into a jump, focusing on max speed off the ground. This builds force production and trains your body to apply strength fast.

• For sprinters & endurance athletes: Use lighter loads and emphasize rapid ground contact. The goal is to improve reactive strength so every step wastes less energy.

• For combat sports: Go heavier to mimic driving force into an opponent, whether for a takedown or closing in on an opponent.

• For team sports: Moderate loads and repeated jumps help with sprint acceleration and quick changes in pace. Think about that first explosive step off the mark.

2. Isometric Overcoming Holds

Press or pull against an immovable object (like a safety bar in a squat rack) with max effort for 5–6 seconds. This teaches your muscles to fire harder, improving strength transfer to explosive movements.

• For sprinters & endurance athletes: Hold positions that replicate sprint angles, like a staggered squat or a mid-thigh pull. This is to build force at critical points in your stride.

• For combat sports: Focus on grip-heavy holds and pushing movements to enhance clinch strength and resistance against takedowns.

• For team sports: Isometric split squats or lateral holds help with stability during tackles, jumps, and sudden directional changes.

• For precision sports: A stable foundation is everything. Try isometric core holds (like a Pallof press) to improve balance and force control. This way you can keep your body still in the moments that matter for that decision-making shot.

The goal? Train power with purpose. Build strength if you're lacking it. Unlock speed if you’re strong but slow. Know what you need—and train like it.

Thank you for reading.

Next Monday, we are back with a new athlete portrait. This time, we will feature an athlete who has made his name synonymous with "the greatest." Do you know who it is?

Have a question of your own? We’d love to hear it! Just send it to [email protected], and you might see it featured here in a future edition.

And if you missed last Monday’'s Athlete Portrait on Usain Bol AKA the fastest man alive, read it here.

Until next week,
Paco Raven, Editor & Founder
The Stoiclete

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DISCLAIMER: None of the content provided in this newsletter constitutes medical, training, or performance advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not intended to be a substitute for professional guidance or personalized coaching. Please be mindful of your limitations and perform exercises at your own risk.