The general goal of strength & conditioning (S&C) training is to improve the physical attributes that affect successful performance in an athlete’s sport. While the technical and tactical skills are developed through long hours of specific practice in the athlete’s main sport, the physical attributes are built and improved upon through other training means in order to allow for more effective application of sport skills by the athlete. Using a simple analogy, strength and conditioning training aims towards building a more powerful engine for a skilled race driver to race with.
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| It's the same driver in both pictures, but do you notice the difference? |
- increase max strength
- increase explosive power prodution
- increase the power capacity of the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems
- address any deficits in the movement mechanics of the athlete
- manage/help rehabilitate injuries
- achieve the above in a safe, measurable and time-efficient fashion while taking into account the specific physiological demands of the sport (and, when it comes to team sports, the position) and personal attributes (strong/weak areas, training history, injury history, psychological makeup, developmental age, etc.) of the athlete
For effective S&C program planning and implementation, coaches need to be fully aware of these goals and have the necessary knowledge base to tackle them properly. The athlete should also be aware of the basic facts surrounding the fundamental S&C training goals in order to be able to assess whether the services an S&C training center or professional is offering are of the proper quality that can produce the desirable results in the athlete’s sport performance.
...now let’s take a closer look at each of those specific targets of S&C training:
