Today, I want to talk to everyone about physical training.

Physical training is a broad concept encompassing any exercise related to human movement capabilities. Take basketball players as an example: shooting, dribbling past defenders, and pick-and-rolls are specialized basketball skills, while strength, agility, endurance, flexibility, and explosiveness fall under physical training.

Today, I want to discuss something both familiar and unfamiliar within physical training—explosive power.

1. Why Train Explosive Power?

Many guys build muscle using slow-motion exercises, which target specific muscles more precisely. However, doing this long-term trains the nervous system to activate isolated muscles more efficiently, weakening the body's ability to coordinate whole-body power. This quickly leads to a plateau where strength and muscle growth stall, and the developed muscles fail to translate effectively into other athletic activities.

Explosive power refers to the body's ability to exert maximum force in an instant. For men, explosive training helps break through muscle-building plateaus while making gains more functional. For women, it enhances overall coordination, enabling powerful athletic performance without excessive bulk, and boosts fat-burning and body-shaping results.

Explosive power training has three defining characteristics:

Maximum force and speed achieved instantaneously;

Engaging the entire body's muscles to complete the movement;

High energy expenditure, making sustained bursts impossible.

2. Specific Exercises for Explosive Power Training

Exercise 1: Clap Push-Ups

To execute the “clap” action, you need to maximize airborne time. This requires greater force and speed during the push-up, aligning with explosive power training principles. However, note that the “clap” itself isn't the key focus—the priority is lifting your body as high as possible. Once you can easily perform the clap, aim to raise your body higher rather than increasing repetitions.

Recommendation: 3-5 reps per set, 4 sets total, with 2 minutes rest between sets. Ensure full recovery before starting each set.

Exercise 2: Box Jumps

Box jumps look effortless, right? That's precisely because they demand coordinated whole-body power.

Yet many perform them stiffly—with uncoordinated arm swings or crashing landings on the box. This happens when the jump relies solely on leg power, which gets partially counteracted internally, causing form breakdown and reducing effectiveness to 60%.

If the legs, glutes, core, and arms all generate force simultaneously at takeoff, it creates immense instantaneous power. This force generates upward momentum, making the body feel more “thrown” onto the box than actively jumping onto it. This lightness is precisely what box jump training aims to achieve, making it appear effortless.

In principle, men should prioritize explosive power development, continually increasing jump height or speed. For gym training, maintain speed while adding resistance. Women should focus on coordination and lightness, refining movements for greater fluidity before increasing repetitions.

In summary, any jumping exercise can build explosive power when adhering to the three principles outlined above.

Exercise 3: Standing Long Jump

Recommendation: 5 reps per set, 4 sets total, with 2 minutes rest between sets. Rest when you feel your body losing lightness; don't force the number of reps.

3. How to Structure Explosive Power Training

While explosive training is crucial, it shouldn't dominate your routine due to its high energy cost, which can hinder other workouts. Even elite athletes limit their volume.

Recommendations for Men:

• Perform explosive exercises first after warming up to fully activate your nervous system.
• Limit explosive training to no more than twice a week.
• In gym settings, keep explosive exercise weights below 40% of your maximum lift.

Recommendations for Women:

Focus on utilizing core and arm strength to reduce strain on the legs. Rest when movements feel heavy.

In summary, men seeking to break through muscle-building plateaus and women aiming for greater physical coordination—desiring powerful athletic performance and enhanced fat-burning/body-shaping effects without bulking up—are encouraged to incorporate explosive training.