gaining explosive lifting/pushing power without mass

[chrisw08]

Im wanting to start doing a workout program to make me stronger but not become muscular including weighted pushups, pullups and mabye some simple lifts. Im working matenence and only do a workout on my last day after work. Ive been doing pushups but i did like 20 with a 20 lb backpack and then i did 35 without which caused me to gain body size and are supposed to barely increase strength and made me more cumbersome for my job which i dont want. I want to know how low reps i need to do to gain the most amount of strength with least body size. Will 5 or 6 be low enough or do i have to do like 3 or 4 or mabye even one or two. I know ive seen male and female power lifters that can lift incredible amounts but just look like average toned people.

Im wondering if im gonna have buy like a 60 lb weight vest to be able to do this

[Wastelander]

I'm afraid that what you're asking for isn't actually possible. Fast-twitch muscle fibers, which is what you need for explosive muscular power, are the largest form of muscle fibers. To become more explosive, you will have to build your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which means you will gain muscle mass. Even if you were going for endurance, which builds the smaller slow-twitch muscle fibers, it's likely that you would still build some mass over time.

All that said, you aren't going to look like a body builder unless you train like a body builder. To build the kind of strength you want, you need to move heavy weights through full ranges of motion as quickly as you can, while still doing the movements properly, for 8 reps or less, for 5 sets or less.

I will also point out that increased muscle mass doesn't automatically make you clumsy, stiff, and muscle-bound. If you balance out the muscles you are working, and stretch regularly to maintain flexibility, you will be just fine.

[sensei8]

I'm afraid that what you're asking for isn't actually possible. Fast-twitch muscle fibers, which is what you need for explosive muscular power, are the largest form of muscle fibers. To become more explosive, you will have to build your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which means you will gain muscle mass. Even if you were going for endurance, which builds the smaller slow-twitch muscle fibers, it's likely that you would still build some mass over time.

All that said, you aren't going to look like a body builder unless you train like a body builder. To build the kind of strength you want, you need to move heavy weights through full ranges of motion as quickly as you can, while still doing the movements properly, for 8 reps or less, for 5 sets or less.

I will also point out that increased muscle mass doesn't automatically make you clumsy, stiff, and muscle-bound. If you balance out the muscles you are working, and stretch regularly to maintain flexibility, you will be just fine.

Solid post, but, let's not forget "HIPS". No hips, no power, twitch or not!!

[bushido_man96]

I'm afraid that what you're asking for isn't actually possible. Fast-twitch muscle fibers, which is what you need for explosive muscular power, are the largest form of muscle fibers. To become more explosive, you will have to build your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which means you will gain muscle mass. Even if you were going for endurance, which builds the smaller slow-twitch muscle fibers, it's likely that you would still build some mass over time.

All that said, you aren't going to look like a body builder unless you train like a body builder. To build the kind of strength you want, you need to move heavy weights through full ranges of motion as quickly as you can, while still doing the movements properly, for 8 reps or less, for 5 sets or less.

I will also point out that increased muscle mass doesn't automatically make you clumsy, stiff, and muscle-bound. If you balance out the muscles you are working, and stretch regularly to maintain flexibility, you will be just fine.

Solid post, but, let's not forget "HIPS". No hips, no power, twitch or not!!

The muscles of the hips will improve along with the rest of the leg muscles if you do an exercise like the squat, with weight. A 5x5 or even a 3x5 program for squats would do you well. You will likely gain some size, but if you keep stretching, your flexibility will remain.

[scohen.mma]

Plyometrics and Olympic Lifting. For Plyometrics, be explosive with every exercise. For Olympic lifting, just put a focus on the Snatch and Clean Jerk, plus some of their other variations and keep the reps low so you can put on more weight.

For the Plyometrics, just design a few different full body circuits. For example:

- 20 Clap Ups

- 20 Box Jumps

- 20 Medicine Ball Slams or Pushups

Complete 3 Rounds through for time or mix it up however you'd like.

For the Olympic Lifting, which you could use in the same session as your Plyometrics (get your lifting done and finish your workout with a tough Plyometric circuit. Make it look something as simple as this:

- DB Snatch (5 sets of 3 reps EXPLOSIVE)

- BB Hang Clean (5x5)

- Deadlift or Squat Variation (5x5)

If your goal is to get powerful or explosive, that's just how you have to train in the gym. Lift lots of weight as explosively as possible. If you wanna make sure you don't add on mass, just take the number of sets you do for lifting, 3x3-5 reps instead of 5. Good luck!

[sperki]

scohen nailed it. If you want more explosive power, do explosive exercises. Just make sure you have good form. The Olympic lifts are awesome and will build great power, but have a coach to teach you the form, and watch you to make sure it's correct. Otherwise you run the risk of injury (I mean there's some risk anyway, but you signed a waiver when you joined the gym).

Clapping push-ups and leaping lunges are great exercises you can do at home, with just your body weight to develop some explosive power. Box jumps are another good one.

As has been stated, you may put on some mass, but you probably won't turn into Arnie. Do a little stretching, avoid the 'roids, and you'll still be able to comb your hair and touch hands behind you back.

[bushido_man96]

Putting on mass is going to be directly related to how much calories you take in. If you up the caloric intake, along with lifting, then you will add some size. If you don't up your calories, then you will probably not put on as much mass, but along with that, you won't gain as much strength, either.