When you think about fitness, you may picture treadmills, weights, machines, pickleball or maybe even some jazzercize!
But there’s another key piece of training that often gets overlooked: explosiveness — your ability to create force quickly!
Explosive movements aren’t just for athletes or high-performers. In fact, they’re incredibly valuable for anyone who wants to stay strong, steady and capable in real life — especially as the years go by!
Movements like medicine ball stomps, rope slams or box jumps might feel advanced, but even simplified variations that are joint friendly for cranky knees, backs and hips help train your body to react, push, lift, and stabilize with power.
Why does this matter?
Adding explosive exercises to your workouts isn’t about becoming an athlete — it’s about staying capable, resilient and ready for whatever life throws your way as you age!
It helps you stay agile, protects your joints and maintains the muscle power that naturally declines with age by building strength you need and use every day:
- Catching yourself if you trip on the sidwwalk or slip on ice.
- Lifting something heavy off the ground – Amazon boxes, shovel of snow, kids and grandkids.
- Getting up quickly from the floor after you fall or been playing with the kids / grandkids.
- Moving with confidence and control as you get out of bed, use stairs, step out of the car, push that lawn mower, grocery cart or suitcase through the airport!
Let’s break down how these movements work, why they matter and how they can support you for the long haul!
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WHAT ARE EXPLOSIVE MOVEMENTS?Explosive movements are exercises that help your body learn to move quickly and powerfully. Think of them as training your ability to “get up and go”. As you age, this quick reaction ability naturally slows down — which is why practicing it in a safe way is so important!
Here are some easy-to-understand examples:
Medicine Ball Stomps: Picture smashing a cardboard box with your feet or stomping snow off your boots. During a medicine ball stomp, you lift the ball and drive it down with power and purpose. It’s a great stress reliever and trains your core and arms to react quickly—helpful for real-life moments when you need fast strength!
Rope Slams: Think of shaking out a heavy rug or pulling on a stubborn garden hose. Rope slams require your whole body works together to move the ropes. This wakes up a lot of muscles at once and builds coordination—without any jumping.
Box Jumps or Step-Ups: Think climbing onto a porch, stepping into an SUV or going up basement stairs. Jumping onto a box builds power, but stepping up works just as well! This improves leg strength, balance, and confidence in everyday movement.
Kettlebell Swings: Imagine pushing a playground swing or lifting a heavy bag of groceries from the floor. The power comes from your hips—not your knees—making it joint-friendly. This helps with standing up quickly, picking things up and protecting your back.
Squat Extensions: This is like standing up from a chair with a little extra intention at the top – no jumping required! It trains your muscles to react faster and stay strong for daily tasks.
And if jumping isn’t for you?
You can still build power safely using triple extensions—which just means straightening your hips, knees and ankles together. Think about rising up onto your toes to reach something on a high shelf. That’s it. You’re training strength and quickness without ever leaving the ground.
___________________________________________________________________________________ WHAT DO EXPLOSIVE MOVEMENTS TRAIN? Explosive training primarily develops power, which is the bridge between strength and speed! You might be strong, but if you can’t apply that strength quickly, you’ll struggle to move; whether that’s sprinting, jumping or even reacting to catch yourself when you trip. Here’s what explosive movements specifically train: Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers (Your “Quick-Action” Muscles): These are the muscle fibers responsible for quick, powerful actions like sprinting, jumping or lifting heavy weights. With age, you naturally lose fast-twitch fibers — which is why older adults feel “slower” or less steady. Training explosively helps keep these fibers active and strong.Brain–Body Connection (Balance & Reaction Time): Explosive movements teach your brain and muscles to talk to each other faster. This strengthens your neuromuscular connections, improving balance, agility and reaction time. Essentially, you’re training your nervous system to “fire” faster and more efficiently.
Core Stability & Energy Transfer: Most explosive movements, like rope slams and medicine ball throws, require a strong, engaged core to transfer power between the upper and lower body. This improves functional strength, making movements like lifting groceries, shoveling snow or playing with your kids/grankids safer and easier. Elasticity & Force Absorption: Jumping and landing drills teach your muscles and joints how to absorb force safely. This is crucial for injury prevention, particularly in the knees, hips and lower back, especially if you ever misstep or lose your balance. ________________________________________________________________________________________ WHY EXPLOSIVE TRAINING MATTERS AS YOU AGE Most people think explosive training is only for athletes, but it’s actually one of the most important training styles for adults over 40. Explosive movements help your body react faster and move with confidence. They train your muscles to work together, improve balance and coordination and build strength you use in real life. Strength + speed = power! Here’s why explosive training matters as you age: #1. Slows Down Age-Related Decline: As you age, your muscles lose strength and power, a process called sarcopenia. Power declines even faster than strength, meaning that even if you can still lift heavy weights, you may struggle with movements requiring quick reactions- like stepping off a curb or catching yourself after slipping on ice. Explosive training helps combat this decline by keeping your muscles strong and responsive. #2. Enhances Daily Function & Independence: Daily tasks such as climbing stairs, rising from a chair or throwing a kid over your head all rely on power. By regularly incorporating exercises like box jumps or medicine ball slams, you build the strength and coordination to perform these tasks with ease and confidence. #3. Boosts Bone Density & Joint Health: The impact and intensity of explosive movements stimulate bone growth and density, helping to ward off osteoporosis. The rapid muscle contractions strengthen connective tissues, helping both your joints and connective tissues become more resilient which means fewer aches and injuries! #4. Keeps You Active in the Things You Love: You don’t need to be an athlete to benefit from power. It helps you stay active longer and enjoy your favorite hobbies without feeling slow or stiff! Explosive training improves performance in activities like pickleball, tennis, golf, skiing, and hiking to name a few! ________________________________________________________________________________ HOW TO DO EXPLOSIVEMENT MOVEMENTS SAFELY If you’re new to power training, start small. The goal isn’t to go full throttle on day one — it’s to develop control and quality movement!#1. Work with a Coach: Training with a certified coach—like every coach at Results Fitness—ensures explosive movements are performed correctly, safely, and with confidence. Our coaches tailor every exercise to your fitness level, movement history, and injuries, so you can build power without unnecessary risk. Even with limitations, we always provide smart modifications that keep you progressing safely and effectively.
#2. Warm Up with Purpose: A proper warm-up prepares your muscles, joints, and nervous system for higher-intensity work. That’s why every Results Fitness workout starts with a thoughtfully designed warm-up—focused on mobility, activation, and injury prevention—so your body is ready to move powerfully and pain-free.
#3. Start Simple and Progress Smart: Foundational movements like medicine ball slams, low box jumps, and mini-band exercises are ideal entry points for building power safely. These are staples in our Small Group Personal Training session where exercises are intentionally progressed based on your ability—not your age.
#4. Prioritize Proper Form: Good technique maximizes results and protects your joints. That’s why coaching matters! At Results Fitness, our coaches cue, correct, and coach every movement so you learn how to move well—and continue moving well for years to come.
#5. Respect Recovery: Power training is effective because it’s demanding, which means recovery is essential. Our programs are designed with built-in recovery so you can train hard, heal well, and keep making progress without burnout or injury.