From Ox to Dynamite: Turning Raw Strength into Explosive Athletic Power
Josh on explosive strength training:
We’ve all seen the world-class squatters who, when they sprint or jump, look like an inebriated walrus on a bulk gone too far. Strength without speed? Outside of powerlifting, in sport, it’s as useless as tits on a bullfrog.
Athletes who dominate don’t just have power; they use it like a stick of dynamite—explosive and unstoppable. That’s Rate of Force Development (RFD) in action. It’s not just about how much strength you’ve got; it’s about how fast you can express it.
Whether you’re bone crushing a linebacker, throwing haymakers, or outrunning your neighbor’s rabid rottweiler (long story), RFD is what separates the game-changers from the benchwarmers. Strength builds the foundation; RFD is the explosion that makes it matter.
Stick with me—we’re diving into the how-tos. No fluff, no filler. By the end, you’ll know how to turn raw power into unmatched athletic dominance. Let’s get to work!
Strength vs. Force
- Limit Strength: The peak amount of force you can generate in one all-out effort regardless of time.
- Force: Time-dependent strength, defined as mass x acceleration (F=m·a).
Outside of powerlifting, in sports, time is limited. The ability to apply strength rapidly often trumps sheer limit strength.
Understanding RFD
RFD is the ability to develop force quickly. It depends on:
- Contractile Components: Muscle contraction speed.
- Elastic Components: Contributions from connective tissues.
Training RFD focuses on rapid motor unit recruitment and synchronization, producing maximal force instantly. This is achieved without relying on momentum or counter-movements.
Training for RFD
Whether you’re yanking a bar off the ground, breaching a SWAT door, or firing off explosive moves on the Chippendales stage, let’s dive into how to train to improve Rate of Force Development (RFD).
1. Train Starting Strength
Big Tom Haviland dead bench pressing 617:
Starting strength is the ability to recruit muscle fibers quickly. It’s enhanced with “dead movements” that eliminate momentum, focusing solely on concentric action. Examples:
- Deadlift: Superior for concentric RFD.
- Step-ups: Highly effective for RFD after the deadlift.
- Dead Squats/Presses: Start lifts from safety pins.
- Paused Lifts: Pause Squats, Bench Presses etc
- Overcoming Isometrics Contractions
Johnny Jackson performing isometrics under Josh’s guidance:
Starting-strength exercises eliminate the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC), forcing the body to recruit motor units faster.
2. Train Explosive Strength
Explosive strength maintains high force output through an entire movement. Examples:
- Olympic Lifts: Clean, snatch, and their variations.
- Compensatory Acceleration Training (CAT): Lift submaximal weights with maximal intent, accelerating through the entire range of motion. Imagine “hitting the gas” rather than coasting to build explosive force (the brainchild of Fred Hatfield, RIP).
- Variable Resistance Training: Incorporate bands and chains for overload at different movement phases.
3. Train Triple Extension
Triple extension—simultaneous extension of the hips, knees, and ankles—is critical for athletic power. While traditionalists swear by Olympic lifts for this, other options with training economy are:
- Jump Training: broad jumps, depth jumps, box jumps, and bounding.
- Strongman Training: tire flips, log cleans, stone lifts.
- Weighted Jumps: trap bar jumps, dumbbell jumps, jump squats
- Medicine Ball Throws
Noah Bryant – medicine ball tutorial
Plyometrics are particularly effective as they’re less technique-intensive than Olympic lifts. Start with basic movements, progressing to advanced jumps.
Tom is the King of weighted jumps
Final Thoughts
Strength is your foundation, but speed is your weapon. RFD training turns strong lifters into explosive athletes, bridging the gap between the weight room and real-world dominance. Lift fast. Train smart.
Build excessive force! Tom and Josh’s game changing program HERE.
