Quickness and Power?

I’m a firefighter and I’m training for the firefighter combat challenge. I need to become more powerful and become faster. I was thinking of trying some new work outs, but everthing I read just tells you how to get bigger. I really don’t need any size. I just want more pwer and quikness. Is there any good excersizes I can try?

You forgot to tell them you’re a big dumb bastard with lifting experience already, you freak.

cleans. Power cleans. Clean and jerk. Snatches.

Actually, simply performing the same exercises, but at maximal speed will help you increase speed and power.

For example, you might normally work squats as a 2,1,2. Instead you could work 1,0,1.

Another good idea that I’ve seen floating around on this website is dragging a sled.

Specifically regarding fighting, something I’ve done in the past, in addition to heavy-bag work, is shadow boxing with small hand weights. It will help you both with extension and retraction speed. Plus the other people at the gym will look at you like you’re crazy :wink:

what’s the firefighter combat challenge? Is it a US thing?

Anyway, run a search for Christian Thibaudeau, and in particular check out his athletic pendulum.

Don’t shadow box with weights.

When you shadow box the only thing holding the humerous into the glenoid fossa are two tiny rotator cuff muscles that can easily be torn. Adding weights makes this even more likely. The amount of extension will not affect this either.

Try some olympic lifts instead.