Power Testing

Written by Colin Cartwright · Reviewed September 2026 · Research & methodology resources

Power testing measures how quickly an individual can produce force.

It is widely used in sports science, physical-performance assessment, rehabilitation, occupational fitness and human-performance testing.

Unlike strength, which focuses primarily on the amount of force produced, muscular power combines force and speed.

Cartwright Fitness provides professional assessment tools and equipment for measuring explosive physical performance and interpreting results consistently.

What Is Muscular Power?

Muscular power describes the ability to generate force rapidly.

In simple terms:

Power = Force × Velocity

This means two individuals with similar levels of strength may produce very different power outputs if one can generate that force more quickly.

Power is particularly important in activities involving:

Jumping
Accelerating
Sprinting
Changing direction
Lifting quickly
Explosive occupational movements

Why Measure Power?

Power testing can help practitioners:

• establish baseline physical performance
• monitor training adaptation
• assess explosive lower-body capability
• compare results over time
• support rehabilitation
• identify changes in physical function
• contribute to athlete profiling
• build wider physical-assessment batteries

The test selected should reflect the capability that needs to be measured.

Vertical Jump Testing

The vertical jump is one of the most widely used field assessments of lower-body explosive power.

A participant performs a maximal vertical jump using a defined testing protocol.

Depending on the system used, measurements may include:

Jump height
Flight time
Take-off velocity
Peak power
Relative power

The simplest form of assessment measures vertical jump height.

More advanced systems can provide additional force and velocity information.

Vertical Jump Assessment

A raw jump height becomes more useful when it can be compared with appropriate reference data.

Cartwright Fitness provides a free Vertical Jump Assessment that allows practitioners to enter a measured jump height and compare the result with published reference values.

The tool should be used alongside a consistent testing protocol because jump technique can materially affect performance.

Try the Vertical Jump Assessment

For horizontal explosive performance, use the Standing Long Jump Calculator & Protocol. It records jump distance and supports interpretation under a standardised standing broad-jump protocol. Vertical and standing long jump results are related expressions of lower-body power, but they should not be treated as interchangeable because technique and movement direction differ.

Squat Jump vs Countermovement Jump

Different vertical-jump protocols measure slightly different physical qualities.

Squat Jump

The participant begins from a static semi-squat position before jumping vertically.

This reduces the contribution of the stretch-shortening cycle and provides a more controlled measure of concentric lower-body power.

Countermovement Jump

The participant begins standing, performs a rapid downward movement and immediately jumps upward.

This allows the muscles and tendons to use the stretch-shortening cycle.

Because the two protocols are different, their results should not be compared as if they were the same test.

The test type should always be recorded with the result.

Standing Long Jump

The standing long jump, also known as the broad jump, provides another practical measure of lower-body explosive performance.

Rather than jumping vertically, the participant attempts to cover the greatest possible horizontal distance from a standing start.

It is commonly used in:

Sports testing
Youth fitness assessment
Physical-capability testing
Athletic development programmes

As with vertical jump testing, results depend on consistent technique and protocol.

Power vs Strength

Strength and power are related but are not the same measurement.

For example:

A strength test may ask:

How much force can this person produce?

A power test asks:

How quickly can this person produce force?

A practitioner may therefore combine both strength and power assessments to create a more complete picture of physical capability.

For example:

Grip Strength
Back & Leg Strength
Vertical Jump

can provide different information about muscular performance.

Explore Strength Testing

Power Testing in Sport

Power is particularly important in sports that involve rapid acceleration or explosive movement.

Examples include:

Football
Rugby
Basketball
Athletics
Combat sports
Racket sports
Cycling
Weightlifting

Power testing may be used to monitor:

training adaptation
fatigue
rehabilitation progress
return to performance
differences between athletes

The selected assessment should be relevant to the demands of the sport.

Power Testing for Occupational Fitness

Some occupations require the ability to produce force rapidly.

Examples may include tasks involving:

rapid lifting
short bursts of movement
climbing
accelerating under load
jumping or stepping
emergency physical responses

Power testing may therefore form part of a wider occupational fitness assessment.

However, a generic vertical-jump test should not automatically be treated as evidence of job-specific capability.

The assessment should be linked to the actual demands of the role.

Explore Occupational Fitness Assessment

Standardising Power Tests

Explosive-performance tests are sensitive to technique.

A professional protocol should define:

• participant starting position
• warm-up
• arm movement
• countermovement or static start
• number of attempts
• rest between attempts
• footwear
• testing surface
• measurement method
• which result is recorded

Changing these conditions can make repeat testing less meaningful.

Measuring Vertical Jump Height

Vertical jump can be measured in several ways.

These include:

Wall or jump-reach methods
Jump mats
Contact platforms
Optical systems
Force platforms
Video analysis

The level of equipment required depends on the purpose of the assessment.

A simple field assessment may only require jump height.

A sports-science environment may require force, velocity and impulse information.

Absolute and Relative Power

Power may be reported as an absolute value or relative to body mass.

For example:

Absolute power = watts

or

Relative power = watts per kilogram

Relative measurements can be useful when comparing individuals of different body sizes.

However, practitioners should ensure that any equation used to estimate power is appropriate for the test and participant population.

Estimated vs Measured Power

Some field tests use equations to estimate power output from measurements such as jump height and body mass.

These values should be clearly described as estimated power.

Force platforms and other laboratory systems may provide more direct measurements of forces generated during movement.

The distinction between estimated and directly measured outcomes should always be clear in professional reporting.

Power Testing Equipment

Professional power testing equipment can range from simple field-measurement systems to laboratory-grade platforms.

Depending on the assessment, equipment may include:

Jump measurement systems
Force platforms
Contact mats
Timing systems
Measurement tapes
Performance software

The appropriate equipment depends on the required level of measurement and the environment in which testing is carried out.

Explore Professional Fitness Testing Equipment

Free Power Assessment Tools

Cartwright Fitness provides a free professional Vertical Jump Assessment for interpreting lower-body explosive-performance results.

The wider Professional Assessment Tools library also includes assessments for:

Strength
Aerobic fitness
Flexibility
Body composition

View All Professional Assessment Tools

Building a Physical-Performance Battery

Power testing is often most useful when combined with other physical measurements.

A performance-assessment battery might include:

Aerobic fitness
→ Strength
→ Power
→ Flexibility
→ Body composition

This provides a broader picture of the participant than any individual test alone.

Explore Professional Fitness Assessment

Recording Power Results

Professional organisations may need to record more than a single jump height.

A complete result may include:

participant details
test protocol
measurement method
attempts completed
best result
previous results
reference interpretation
assessment date

Consistent record keeping becomes increasingly important when participants are tested repeatedly.

Cartwright Assess

Cartwright Assess is being developed to bring professional physical assessments into one participant record.

Power assessments such as vertical jump testing will sit alongside:

Aerobic fitness
Strength
Flexibility
Body composition

within the same professional assessment platform.

The intended workflow is:

Measure → Record → Interpret → Compare → Report

Explore Cartwright Assess

Evidence-Led Power Assessment

A professional power result should explain how the measurement was obtained.

Where appropriate, Cartwright Fitness assessment resources identify:

• testing protocol
• equipment
• units
• calculation method
• whether power is measured or estimated
• reference population
• age and sex considerations
• limitations
• supporting evidence

This helps practitioners interpret results consistently rather than relying on arbitrary performance classifications.

Professional Power Testing

Cartwright Fitness provides assessment tools and professional equipment for organisations measuring explosive physical performance.

The starting point should always be:

What physical quality are you trying to measure?

From there, an appropriate protocol and measurement method can be selected.

The goal is not simply to record how high someone can jump.

It is to create a measurement that is standardised, repeatable and useful for the purpose of the assessment.