STRENGTH & CONDITIONING - ARE YOU DOING IT RIGHT?
Strength and Conditioning (S&C) has become a popular phrase banded around gyms and sports clubs alike. With the ever increasing coverage of elite sports, coupled with athletes continually praising S&C coaches for their improved performances, it’s no wonder that many fitness trainers are offering this type of training to their clients.
‘A misconception about S&C is that it only involves lifting heavy weights.’
Dr Spencer Brown
But what does it take to be a specialist in the field of S&C?
To answer this two-part question let’s first explore what S&C actually is. The UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) defines it as:
‘The specialist area encompassing the physical preparation of athletes for performance in sport, while aiming to prevent or minimise the risk of injury. It includes processes that result in physical adaptation.‘
A common misconception about an S&C training programme is that it’s just about lifting heavy weights…it’s so much more than this.
It encompasses the entire development of the athlete and the needs for their specific sports performance. Areas that are covered include:
Plyometrics
Metabolic Conditioning
Speed and agility
Sport specific fitness
Core stability
Strength training
Injury rehabilitation and prehabilitation
It is not enough to just train each of these areas and expect to become better at your sport.
Yes, initially you may see improvements in muscle strength, fitness and speed if you have minimal experience training, but this will soon level off. In fact, in the long-term your performances could worsen and the risk of injury through over-training will hugely increase.
‘As a coach, without a ‘needs analysis’ I’m just guessing.’
Dr Spencer Brown
How does a S&C coach know what exercises to give you, and when, to make sure you improve?
By using what we call a ‘Needs Analysis‘.
When I write a needs analysis for any of my athletes, it’s broken down into two specific sub-sections:
the needs of the athlete
the needs of the sport
As a coach, when I am analysing the needs of the athlete and sport, I consider the following list of variables:
How long does the athlete have to prepare for competition?
Football (soccer) typically has a 3-month preparatory period
Olympic sports have 4 years to prepare!
How long does the event last?
How much time is spent moving?
How much time is spent resting?
What is the nature of the rest?
Is only one energy system involved?
Does more than one contribute?
If more than one is used, what is the ratio?
What muscles groups are involved?
How are those muscles used?
Does the sport require exerting force against the ground or water etc?
Is it predominately bilateral or unilateral?
Does is it involve rotation?
What is the speed of movement?
Does my athlete’s playing position have specific needs?
i.e. Front row vs Fly-half vs Winger.
Are there more common injuries to specific joints?
What assessments and/or tests are most suited to the sport
‘A ‘periodised’ training programme will produce superior results.’
Dr Spencer Brown
What do I do with this information?
I create a long-term training programme based on scientific principles of progression. Put simply, a progressive overload in training volume and intensity over time. This can be broken down into smaller parts, this is called periodisation. There are many periodisation models you can use as blue print for an athletes training programme, however they all have three main components:
Macrocycle
Mesocycle
Microcycle
The macrocycle is the whole period of preparation and competition put together, in rugby it’s a one year cycle, for Olympic sports it’s four years. The mesocycle is usually a specific period of time, usually 2 weeks to a few months, focusing on smaller goals that will contribute to the long-term goal, in rugby the macrocycle can be broken down into three mesocycles; off-season, pre-season and in-season. This is one of many options for selecting your mesocycles, but not the only one. Finally, there is the microcycle that generally lasts up to 7 days, and it focuses on specific training sessions or a small number of training sessions and their goals.
So to summarise, a qualified Strength & Conditioning Coach will…
analyse the needs of your sport
design a long-term ‘periodised’ training programme that will systematically enable you to reach your performance goals
coach sound techniques in the gym and on the field/track to improve performance AND minimise the risk of injury
know when to push you with training and when to back off to prevent injury and to aid in recovery and performance.
All of the above combines to help you reach your long-term physical performance goals.
Do you play sport? Do you want to get to the best possible level? Are you fed up of getting injured whilst playing sport or when training? Maybe you don’t play sport, but still want this same care and attention with your training?
If the answer is YES book your ‘Needs Analysis’ today
Look for blog posts to follow ranging in topics from general fitness, strength training and CrossFit to knee problems,
reasons why people are in pain and why I don't recommend over-stretching the hip flexors.
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