These types of exercises actually guard against injury and increase the body's flexibility. Flexibility is paramount to the performance level of an elite athletes and should never be overlooked. Produces Significant Increases in Strength and Power Strength and power are often confused, but understanding the distinction between the two is very important to elite athletes. Strength is most commonly defined as the maximal force exerted during an isolated movement. Strength is best developed though a series of progressive weight training cycles.
Power is the extremely important to elite athletes.
A strong athlete can squat 800lbs. A powerful athlete can do comparable weight in point two seconds. Strength training can be a strong influence on power. Power is what no athlete can do without. A large number of athletes make the mistake of training for strength exclusively and have no idea how to develop significant power.