Introduction
No one questions the importance of generating force in athletics. Everyone wants to jump higher, run faster, throw harder. What often gets overlooked is the other half of the equation: force absorption.
Athletes don’t just need to produce power—they also need to absorb it. Doing so improves performance, reduces injury risk, and takes training to the next level.
Why It’s Important
Increase Agility
Think about the cutting motion: quickly changing direction on a dime. Yes, that requires explosiveness, but it also demands deceleration in the direction you were initially moving. Efficiently absorbing speed allows you to transition into a new direction faster and more effectively.
Reduce Injury Risk
Without training force absorption, the body compensates with unhealthy movement patterns. Force absorption acts as the body’s braking system, slowing rapid movements like landing a jump, absorbing a check, or changing direction in a sprint. If the body can’t brake effectively, other structures take the impact, increasing the risk of injury. Non-contact ACL tears are a common example of this.
Perform Stronger in Your Sport
Absorbing force isn’t just about slowing down—it’s about control, precision, and power. Soccer players can cut faster, hockey players become stronger on the puck, and volleyball players hit harder and jump higher. Mastering force absorption lets athletes control the game.
How to Train
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Eccentric Training
Eccentric contraction occurs when a muscle contracts while lengthening, like a rope slowly lowering a drawbridge. This is crucial for deceleration, as muscles slow the limbs down. In lifts, focus on slow, controlled movements—lowering a squat, controlling the weight in a bench press, or extending the elbow in a bicep curl. Greater control develops stronger, more resilient muscles and tendons. -
Isometric Training
Isometric contraction happens when a muscle contracts without movement. Isometric lunges, wall squats, and planks all improve neuromuscular control and muscle-tendon stiffness. This helps athletes “catch” and manage force efficiently. -
Landing Drills
Don’t just jump onto a box—jump off it and focus on a controlled landing. Variations include landing on two legs, one leg, laterally, or dropping down to absorb and immediately rebound into a vertical or broad jump. Practicing landings improves deceleration and reduces injury risk. -
Progressive Plyometrics
When performing plyometrics, increase intensity gradually, emphasizing both the landing and the takeoff. Jumping higher without proper landing control can do more harm than good. Prioritize technique over height to build safe, explosive power.
Conclusion
Force absorption is the often-overlooked counterpart to force production. By training to absorb and control force, athletes enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and gain precision and power in their movements. Control the force, and you control the game.