Making much sense of the graph? In a previous musing "Effects of rebound, ballistics and load on power output" I showed some power outputs (PO) from a bench press where the load that optimised PO was around 60% 1RM regardless of technique. The data on this graph is for a seated row of Olympic rowers.
What are you seeing?
· The load that optimised PO was ~81% 1RM.
· When you fit a curve, there looks very little difference between 50 to 100% %1RM.
· In fact, if you go 10% 1RM either side of the 81%1RM, there is only a 1.8% change in PO.
· If you go ~20% 1RM either side of the load that optimised PO, there is only a 7.3% change in PO.
Take home messages.
· Power profiles and the load that optimises PO will be movement (e.g., bench press and seated row) and sport/athlete specific.
· Finding the load that optimises PO, and training using that loading, may not be good use of time given the plateau effect observed in the Olympic rowers.
· Training using a bandwidth approach and bringing in variability – (speed strength-strength speed) may be a better approach.
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