A Discussion with Steve Hamson, Long time NRL Rugby League Trainer.

All too often those training for power sports focus on the strength aspect only, without considering the speed needed to develop it into an advantageous force.
If we are to analyse the scientific equation for power, it is a product of energy expended (or work done) divided by the time taken to do so. As time is the denominator, the longer we spend completing an activity the less power we eventually produce.


Where this conflicts with conventional gym wisdom is that hypertrophy (muscle growth) for aesthetic reasons often depends largely at maintaining force for an extended period of time.


A lifter who spends more time on the concentric and eccentric phases of a bicep curl will recruit more fibres and create more micro-tears, resulting in greater muscle development. Yet the power output will not necessarily be greater.


Picture the great Mexican, Cuban and Filipino boxers. Most hit like sledgehammers, yet the majority possess a body not dissimilar to a bag of bones. Their power is reliant on fast-twitch lean muscle and the jab reflex of a killer python, as opposed to pure bulk.


To maintain a high ratio of fast twitch fibres, Hampson constantly supersets exercises (two or more activities in succession without rest) and makes the most of the muscle whilst it is stimulated and warm.


"If you stop to rest, the muscle goes back to sleep," Hampson informs in machine gun fire bursts.

"You can actually de-train fast twitch muscle fibres and turn them into slow twitch fibres. Once you do that, you'll never ever convert them back to fast twitch again.


"This happens not only by training athletes to perform movements slowly, but also by giving them too much resistance. Run a fast guy in sand and yes you will condition him, but you'll also drop his speed.


"Rugby league is a fast, explosive style of sport. The smart thing is to excite the muscle and use it. Train the muscle with low reps - I never use more than nine - and then challenge it ballistically with something like a box jump or a sprint or a push-up jump-clap. Throw in a core exercise as well.