Strength is the ability to overcome resistance through muscle contractions and depends on the energy liberation process in muscles. There are different types of strength abilities important for sports. Maximum strength is the ability to generate maximum force against resistance. Explosive strength combines strength and speed to overcome resistance quickly. Strength endurance is the ability to exert force against resistance while fatigued. The type of strength required depends on the specific demands of the sport.

1. BY
DR PAWAN KUMAR
MMH COLLEGE GHAZIABAD

2. STRENGTH
Strength is a conditional ability i.e., it depends largely on
the energy liberation process in the muscle) Strength is
also perhaps the most important motor ability in sports
as it is a direct product of muscle contractions. All
movements in sports are caused by muscle contractions
and, therefore, strength is a part and parcel of all motor
abilities, technical skills and tactical actions. Strength
and strength training, therefore, assume high
importance for achieving good performance in all sports.

3. Strength is the ability to overcome
resistance or to act against resistance
Strength should not be considered a
product of only muscular contractions.
It is, infact, a product of voluntary
muscle contractions caused by the
neuro-muscular system.

4. In sports movements, strength always appears in some
combination with the duration and speed of movement
i.e., in combination with endurance and speed abilities
(fig.14). In each sports movement strength appears in a
different form. When we attempt to generalise the
forms in which strength finds expression in
movements, the strength ability can be divided into
three types described below

5. Maximum Strength
It is the ability to overcome or to act against maximal
resistance. It is measured by finding Out the
maximum resistance which can be overcome or the
maximum force which can be applied by the muscle)
The maximum strength is a motor ability and involves
force application during a voluntary movement. The
muscles normally are capable of generating higher
magnitudes of force if stimulated electrically. The
electrical stimulation causes maximal contraction of
all motor units in a muscle which normally cannot be
achieved voluntarily except under extreme emotional
state of fear, anger etc.

6. Maximum strength is not important in majority of
the sports. It is important only it1:hose sports in which
very heavy resistances have to be tackled e.g., weight
lifting, throws et In many sports, however, there are
phases of movement when th usdes, must apply
maximal or near maximal force e.g., cross position on
roman rings, start and acceleration phase in sprints,
take off in jumps. In such sports maximum strength is
important. The importance of maximum strength lies
in t fact that in majority of the sports it serves as the
basis for good explosive strength and strength
endurance.

7. Explosive Strength
It is a combination of strength and speed abilities. It
can be defined as the ability to overcome resistance
with high speed. Depending on the nature of
combination of strength and speed the explosive,
strength can be further sub-divided into start strength,
strength speed (power) and speed strength.
Start strength, is the ability to develop maximal
muscle force during the starting phase of the
movement e.g., sprint start, weight lifting etc. Strength
speed is the ability to overcome heavy resistances with
high speed e.g., throws, jumps etc.

8. Speed strength is the ability to overcome lower
resistances with high speed e.g., team games, combat
sports (lower weight categories). The explosive
strength is of different nature in cyclic and acyclic
movements.
It is a combination of strength and speed abilities.

9. A high percentage of movements in sports is of
explosive nature and involves overcoming of some
external resistance or of one’s own body weight.
Explosive strength, therefore, is important in most of
the sports. Even in endurance sports, explosive
strength is important for start s well as for ‘spurt’
phases.

10. Strength Edurance
Like explosive strength it is also a product of two motor
abilities. It is the ability to overcome resistance or to act
against resistance under conditions of fatigue. j Strength
endurance can be a form of static or dynamic strength
depending on the fact whether the movement is static
(iso-metric) or dynamic (iso-tonic Depending on the
nature of the combination of strength and endurance

11. Strength endurance can be further classified into
proper strength endurance and endurance strengths,
strength endurance is the ability to overcome high
resistance or to act against high resistance under
conditions of fatigue . In combat sports, long duration
events requiring strength for example Pole vault
.Endurance strength is needed for activities in which
low resistances are to be tackled like Swimming, road
cycling etc

12. In sports, depending on the nature of movements the
above mentioned strength abilities can appear in
complex form. In weight lifting and throws the
strength required is a combination of maximum
strength and explosive strength. This combination is
also known as power. In Volleyball explosive strength
appears in combination with strength edurance and is
popularly referred to as power endurance. In sports
where maximal resistances are to be tackled under
fatigue conditions the strength required is a
combination of maximum strength and strength
endurance.

13. Static Strength
It is the ability to act against resistance. It is also called
iso-metric strength.
Dynamic Strength
It is the ability to overcome resistance. It is also known
by the name of isotonic strength.

14. Relative Strength
It is not a strength ability. It is simply a ratio which we get by
dividing maximum strength with body weight In several
sports the strength ability of asportsman can be assessed
better if it is considered in relation to his body weight. This is
relevant in sports in which during The competition the main
resistance to be overcome is the body weight of the
sportsman e.g., Gymnastics, Jumps, weight category sports
like Weight lifting and Wrestling. The aim of strength
training in these sports is to improve the relative strength
either by reducing body weight or by increasing the
maximum strength without increasing the body weight. The
relative strength has a distinct relationship with body weight:
higher the body weight lower is the relative strength.

15. The aim of strength training in these sports is to
improve the relative strength either by reducing body
weight or by increasing the maximum strength
without increasing the body weight. The relative
strength has a distinct relationship with body weight:
higher the body weight lower is the relative strength.

16. General Strength
It is also not a separate strength ability. It is understood
to be a complex product of all strength abilities needed
for satisfactory tackling of normal resistances in
sports. It is impossible to define general strength. This
term, however, in general usage means general ability
to tackle resistances not specific to any sport. It is also
understood to be overall body strength generally
needed for training and sports competitions.

17. Special Strength
It is the ability to tackle resistance in a particular sport.
It is not a strength ability in itself. It can be any
strength ability (maximum strength or explosive
strength or strength endurance) required for a specific
sport The special strength in weight lifting is
maximum strength. Similarly, special strength in long
jump is explosive strength.