Neuromuscular Factors of Power Development

Just like strength development, an player’s ability to produce power is influenced by several neuromuscular factors. Key contributors include motor unit recruitment, firing frequency and motor unit synchronisation. In addition, factors related to the muscle environment and the properties of tendons and elastic tissues also play important roles in maximising power output.

Motor Unit Recruitment

The ability of an athlete to produce power is highly dependent on the recruitment of high-threshold motor units, which control fast-twitch muscle fibres. Specific power-based training can lead to adaptations such as increased recruitment of high-threshold motor units and lowering of the thresholds for activation (Cormie, McGuigan and Newton, 2011). 

Firing Frequency

With an increased firing frequency, there is an increase in the overall rate of force development (RFD), which subsequently allows more force to be generated quickly. Power training can enhance the firing frequencies of motor units, especially at the onset of ballistic movements, which leads to an improvement in peak force production and RFD (Cormie, McGuigan and Newton, 2011). 

Motor Unit Synchronisation 

Motor unit synchronisation, which is the ability to activate multiple motor units simultaneously and in a coordinated manner, plays a key role in power production. Improved motor unit synchronisation leads to improvements in the efficiency and magnitude of the force production.

Muscle Environment Factors

The ability for athletes to produce force quickly can be affected by acute factors such as muscle fatigue, temperature and hormonal fluctuations (Cormie, McGuigan and Newton, 2011). This highlights the importance for coaches of female players to ensure that there is adequate monitoring of training and recovery strategies to reduce fatigue, while also having a good understanding of the menstrual cycle, hormonal changes, which could affect performance.

Tendon and Elastic Components

Tendon stiffness refers to the tendon’s ability to resist stretching, with stiffer tendons being able to transmit force more efficiently and quickly, leading to greater RFD. Performing power-based training, which focuses on the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) involving the pre-stretching of a muscle through an eccentric movement before the concentric contraction, can lead to increased power production, leading to greater performance during actions such as jumping and sprinting (Cormie, McGuigan and Newton, 2011).