What is the difference between strength and power?

Strength is how much force you can produce. Power is how much force you can produce quickly. A very strong lifter can still be slow, which is why athletes train both heavy lifts for force and fast, explosive work for the rate at which that force arrives.

The distinction in practice

A heavy 1-rep-max squat may take two or three seconds to complete. A sprint step, a jump, or a punch has a fraction of that time to apply force. Being able to produce a large force is useless in those events if it takes too long to arrive. That is why rate of force development is treated as a separate quality from maximal strength.

How each is trained

• Maximal strength: Heavy loads, 1 to 6 reps, long rest, full effort. Think barbell back squats and heavy hinges.
• Power: Light to moderate loads moved with maximal intent, or bodyweight ballistic work. Think countermovement jumps, trap bar jumps, and medicine ball throws.
• Reactive power: Short ground contacts using the stretch-shortening cycle, such as pogo hops and depth jumps.

Why strength still comes first

Strength raises the ceiling that power is expressed against. An athlete who cannot produce much force has little to accelerate, so early power training on a weak base gives small returns. Once a reasonable strength base exists, explosive work converts it into usable speed. This relationship is the theme of Power Development and Explosive Strength.

Programming both

Place power work early in a session when you are fresh, since it depends entirely on quality rather than accumulated fatigue. Keep the volume low, rest fully between sets, and stop as soon as output drops. Follow it with heavy strength work in the same session, or separate the two across the week.

How to tell which one you lack

If your vertical jump is low relative to a strong squat, you likely need power and reactive work. If both are low, build strength first. Relative Strength and Power-to-Weight Ratio covers why bodyweight matters in that comparison.