Research
Mixed
Explosive-type and heavy-resistance strength training can improve Rate of Force Development (RFD) in various populations, primarily by enhancing rapid muscle activation (neural adaptations).
You can improve your explosive power through either heavy resistance training or explosive-style training. The key mechanism for improvement is enhancing your nervous system's ability to activate muscles rapidly.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Rate of force development (2) can be improved by both explosive-type and heavy-resistance strength training in different subject populations, mainly through an improvement in rapid muscle activation
Why this rating
Supported by the review's synthesis of training studies, though specific protocols vary.
Source
Rate of force development: physiological and methodological considerations
Nicola A. Maffiuletti et al. · European Journal of Applied Physiology · 2016
DOI 10.1007/s00421-016-3346-6
narrative_reviewCited 1,321×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Rate of force development (RFD) in the early phase of a rapid contraction (first 50–75 ms) is primarily determined by neural factors, specifically the capacity for maximal voluntary activation and increased motor unit discharge rate, rather than intrinsic muscle contractile properties.Good
- Intrinsic muscle properties (such as fiber type and contractile speed) become the primary determinant of Rate of Force Development (RFD) in the later phases of a rapid contraction (>75 ms), whereas neural factors dominate the early phase.Good
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