Fit Fridays: Power Pairs & PAP

Fit Fridays: Power Pairs & PAP

The main goal of incorporating PAP (Post Activation Potentiation) is to increase force development (rate and quantity) to maximize explosive power for athletic performance. Whew that is a definition if I have ever seen one. Simply put it is about making you more powerful and explosive. It will help you explode past a defender or power your way up to snatch a rebound.

Studies indicate that Complex training is equally or more effective than strength training alone or plyometric training alone in increasing explosiveness. It is certainly not great for those that are trying to pack on the muscle as it may interfere with your ability to build muscle as effectively. It will increase power though and for basketball players looking pretty is not the goal. Or it should not be there goal, as it is not a beauty contest.

So your Power Pairs are exercises that would work well together that to include 1 heavy strength exercise with a plyometric movement.

Here is an example of a workout that would do just that:

Another article by Bret Contreras, titled Post-Activiation Potentiation: Theory and Application, explains the benefits in more detail. He states that PAP is a form of Complex training which “involves combining biomechanically-similar traditional heavy strength training and plyometric/ballistic training methods in an attempt to transfer strength into power.” The article puts together some ideal Complex-Training Scenarios and I listed the scenarios most relevant for basketball players below:

Heavy Bench Press — Med Ball Throws

Heavy Squats — Vertical Jumps

Heavy Deadlifts — Broad Jumps

It is always going to be important for basketball players to think not only about lifting weights, but about becoming more powerful and explosive.

“You are your only opponent”

Coach Thomas Wilkins

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Sources

http://bretcontreras.com/post-activation-potentiation-theory-and-application/