THE POWER PRINCIPLES: THE PROGRAM

Power. You want it, you need it—we are gonna show you how to get it. The five principles that we've outlined over the last five days put it all in perspective—if you want freaky power, you just have to train for it. In the highly unlikely event that you haven't been following along with us all week, here are the Power Principles recapped:

Click here to read our first installment, The Power Principles: Strength.
Click here to read our second installment, The Power Principles: Speed.
Click here to read our third installment, The Power Principles: Time.
Click here to read our fourth installment, The Power Principles: Plyometrics.
Click here. to read our fifth installment, The Power Principles: 100% Effort.

THE PROGRAM
The following is a sample week of power training combined with strength and hypertrophy training, broken down into a 3—day split—a push day, a pull day and a lower body day. Each workout can be performed either once or twice a week (we'd recommend once a week, so as to avoid overtraining). As you'll notice, power training is performed before all strength and hypertrophy training in each workout, when energy levels at their highest. Perform this style of training for no more than 3-5 weeks at a time, then go back to your regular bodybuilding-style training. For continual gains in muscle power, perform this type of routine 3-5 times a year.

Monday
Push Power Day — 
   Chest, shoulders, triceps
Exercise				Sets	Reps	Rest 
Speed/Power/Plyometrics
Medicine Ball Push-Up		        3	6	2-3 min
Medicine Ball Power Drop		4	6	2-3 min
Push Press 				4	6	2-3 min
Dip* 					3	8	2-3 min
Strength/Hypertrophy
Incline Dumbbell Press		        4	5-6	2 min
Barbell Overhead Press		        3	8-10	1 min
Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye		4	10-12	1 min
Cable Pressdown			        3	10-12	1 min

Wednesday
Pull Power Day — Back, biceps + abs
Exercise				Sets	Reps	Rest 
Speed/Power/Plyometrics
High Pull				5	6	2-3 min
Bench Pull				4	6	2-3 min
Single-Arm Standing Power Row	        3*	6 	2-3 min
Strength/Hypertrophy
Lat Pulldown				4	5-6	2 min
Barbell Curl				3	8-10	1 min
Alternating Seated Dumbbell Curl	4	10-12	1 min
Crunch					3	15	1 min

Friday
Lower Body Power Day — Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
Exercise				Sets	Reps	Rest 
Speed/Power/Plyometrics
Box Jump 				4	6	2-3 min
Split Jump 				4	8-12	2-3 min
Lateral Box Step-Over 		        3*	6	2-3 min
Leg Press 				3**	10	2-3 min
Leg Extension				3**	12	2-3 min
Strength/Hypertrophy
Smith Machine Squat			4	5-6	2 min
Romanian Deadlift			4	8-10	1 min
Leg Curl				4	10-12	1 min
Standing Calf Raise			3	15	1 min

POWER MOVES
Not all of these exercises are of the cookie-cutter variety. Use these descriptions to maximize your power output on some unfamiliar exercises.

Medicine Ball Push-Up
Movement Type: Plyometric
This explosive exercise requires balance as well as speed. Using two medicine balls spaced at least shoulder width apart, start in the full push-up position (arms fully extended) with one hand on each ball. In one continuous motion, drop off the balls and lower yourself between them on the floor into the down position of a push-up, then rapidly explode upward so that your hands leave the floor and land atop the balls. Extend to the starting position and repeat.

Medicine Ball Power Drop
Movement Type: Speed
Have a partner stand on a box or bench. Lie directly underneath on the floor on your back with your head at the base of the box or bench. Fully extend your arms over your chest and have your partner drop the ball down to you. As the ball reaches your hands, absorb the impact and bring it to your chest as fast as possible, then immediately push the ball upward, extending your arms and releasing the ball into the air for your partner to catch. An alternative method is to do the exercise standing (without a partner), facing a wall and doing an explosive chest pass into the wall without stepping in to it.

Push Press
Movement Type: Power
This movement requires simultaneous upper and lower body timing. Stand upright in a squat rack and grasp a barbell with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Remove the bar at shoulder height, step back and begin standing straight up with the bar at your front delts. Bend you knees about 6-8 inches, then, without pausing in the down position, immediately press the barbell overhead explosively. Slowly lower the bar back to shoulder height, reset and perform again.

High Pull
Movement Type: Power
Grasp a moderately weighted bar with an overhand shoulder width grip and deadlift it to your waist. Get set in the start position by leaning forward at the waist and bending your knees around 15 degrees. Bend over at the waist rapidly so that the bar goes down your thighs to just over your knees, then immediately pull the bar while extending your knees and hips as if to jump in the air. Pull the bar up to your sternum, allowing your elbows to bend, then allow it to come back to down to your waist under control.

Bench Pull
Movement Type: Speed
Set an adjustable bench to about 30 degrees. Lie facedown on the bench, extend your arms toward the floor and grab a barbell with an overhand shoulder width grip. Pull the bar as rapidly as possible to the back of the bench. Hold for a count at the top, then lower the bar back down under control and repeat for reps.

Single-Arm Standing Power Row
Movement Type: Plyometric
Adjust a single handle cable pulley to shoulder height. Facing the stack, grab the handle and step back so that when your arm is fully extended the weight is off the stack. Stagger your stance and bend your knees and hips slightly. In one continuous, explosive motion, step back and pull the handle to your body. Hold for a count and return to the start position under control. Repeat for reps, then switch arms.

Box Jump
Movement Type: Plyometric
Use a sturdy box or bench no higher then 24 inches (18 inches is ideal). Stand about one foot away from and facing the box. Jump up as rapidly as possibly to land on the box with only your toes touching (yours heels should hang off the edge). Once you've caught your balance, step backward off the box with both legs simultaneously. Immediately jump back up onto the box without hesitating on the floor at all. Use the first rep or two of each set to get the technique down, then jump back and forth for six fast reps.

Split Jump
Movement Type: Plyometric
This exercise is a lunge with an explosive jump. Start with your legs staggered about three feet apart front to back. Dip your glutes down rapidly about 12 inches to the lunge position, then immediately extend your hips and knees to jump into the air while scissoring your legs to land in the lunge position with the opposite leg forward. Repeat immediately for the next rep. Take a practice rep or two to get the rhythm down, then do 8-12 rapid reps.

Lateral Box Step-Over
Movement Type: Speed
Stand beside a 12-inch high box or step. In rapid fashion, perform the following steps: (1) step up laterally onto the box with your inside foot, (2) step up with the other foot, (3) step the first foot down to other side of the box and (4) step the other foot down so that you finish in the same position you started but on the opposite side of the box. Try for six fast reps to each side—that's one set.