Strength and conditioning are crucial to the success of athletes across various sports. By improving strength and fitness, athletic performance is enhanced and injuries are reduced. With setting clear goals and incorporating regular training sessions throughout the year, athletes can strive for progress and reach their maximum potential.

Achieving these goals, however, requires significant time commitment, appropriate workout facilities and strength and conditioning professionals. Athletes’ journeys are not only influenced by physical capabilities, but also by skill acquisition, since it allows them to effectively utilize strength and conditioning training.

These programming strategies will be discussed in the following blog post, along with some best practices.

1. Programming Seasons

Program goals should be based on the time of year and seasons of the particular sport. As an example, resistance training should be secondary to sport practice in season, as the athlete should concentrate on playing the specific sport. Therefore, the goal of in-season training is to help retain the strength and conditioning qualities built in the off-season while continuing to refine these attributes for optimal physical and skill performance. Training in the off-season prepares athletes for the demands of their sport. Off-season training is primarily focused on developing the qualities that will make the athlete successful in their sport.

2. Programming Goals

The programming goals, based on the conditioning season, influence how and when to implement certain training strategies. As a trainer, you may need to consider aspects of the training that may be hindering or counterproductive to the athlete’s goals. Aspects of training that may negate the attribute under development should not be prioritized.

3. Programming

Often overlooked but of vital importance is the facility in which the athletes train. Think about the layout or design of the strength and conditioning facility, how much space the room has, as well as the equipment available in the room. It is recommended to be efficient with programming and have the room flow well, meaning athletes are not waiting in long lines to use equipment or going across to the other side of the room.

4. Time of Programming

The frequency and length of time necessary to reach goals and monitor these metrics are also factors to take into account when conditioning athletes. Questions such as, “How many times per week will the athlete train?” and “How long will each session last?” are important to consider before program implementation. Another important consideration is when the training session will be conducted. For example, if conditioning after sport practice, it is important to account for residual fatigue and adjust programming accordingly. Answers to these questions will guide the exercise selection. A strength and conditioning professional must consider which exercises can help achieve the program’s goals.

5. Coaching Skills

An optimal conditioning strategy is to program based on expertise and knowledge. When strength and conditioning professionals ask athletes to perform exercises they cannot perform or coach properly, it will be difficult to correct the athlete’s form or technique to ensure an efficient and effective performance of the movement pattern. It is not possible for all strength and conditioning professionals to be experts on everything, but it is essential to demonstrate humility, understand one’s limitations, and seek assistance or learn new skills from others.

6. Programming to Abilities

The guiding principle of many strength and conditioning professionals is “do no harm to the athletes.” Therefore, it is imperative to assess each athlete’s fitness level, abilities, training age, and comfort level in the weight room. An athlete who is not ready for an advanced method can get injured and be prevented from playing sports. Therefore, assessments of abilities and movement patterns should be a major focus during yearly training programming.

Header photo by Anastasia Shuraeva