A strength and conditioning coach (also known as an S&C coach) is a physical performance professional who uses

exercise prescription Exercise prescription commonly refers to the specific plan of fitness-related activities that are designed for a specified purpose, which is often developed by a fitness or rehabilitation, or Exercise medicine specialist for the client or patient. D ...

to improve the performance of competitive

athletes An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-develo ...

or athletic teams. This is achieved through the combination of

strength training Strength training or resistance training involves the performance of physical exercises that are designed to improve strength and endurance. It is often associated with the lifting of weights. It can also incorporate a variety of training te ...

aerobic conditioning Aerobic conditioning is a process whereby the heart and lungs are trained to pump blood more efficiently, allowing more oxygen to be delivered to muscles and organs. Aerobic conditioning is the use of continuous, rhythmic movement of large muscle ...

, and other methods. Unlike an

athletic trainer Athletic training is an allied health care profession recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA)"What is an Athletic Trainer?". The Board of Certification Website. 2003. Athletic training is also recognized by the Health Resources Serv ...

, a strength and conditioning coach is focused primarily on sport performance. The coach help athletes with injury prevention, through strengthening and coaching of movement mechanics within a

sport Sport pertains to any form of Competition, competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and Skill, skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to specta ...

. While a

personal trainer A personal trainer is an individual who creates and delivers safe and effective exercise programs for apparently healthy individuals and groups, or those with medical clearance to exercise. They motivate clients by collaborating to set goals, p ...

may work with individuals of all fitness levels and focus on health or fitness, strength and conditioning coaches focus on competitive athletes and improving performance in a specific sport. The qualifications for the three professions are not interchangeable, and both strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers have more stringent educational requirements than personal trainers.

Employment characteristics

Australian Opals in the AIS Strength and Conditioning Gym during day three of the Opals camp

Strength and conditioning coaches are often employed by

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...

institutions and professional athletic teams. In the private sector, strength and conditioning coaches can work in performance gyms or open their own practice where amateur and professional athletes can train. This is a popular option for athletes during their off-season when access to official team facilities is less convenient. Furthermore, strength and conditioning coaches can work remotely with clients/athletes of all experience levels through "online coaching" which is becoming increasingly popular. Strength and conditioning coaches have the option to specialize in a particular sports team, type of performance, training type, training philosophy, or work in the collegiate level, where they are assigned a sport. The general description and duty of a strength and conditioning coach is to develop an exercise prescription plan that modulates aerobic, resistance, and/or flexibility training to suit the metabolic and physical demands of the sport in question. With

aerobic exercise Aerobic exercise (also known as endurance activities, cardio or cardio-respiratory exercise) is physical exercise of low to high intensity that depends primarily on the aerobic energy-generating process. "Aerobic" is defined as "relating to, inv ...

prescription, strength and conditioning coaches determine the type, duration, and frequency of each exercise. For

resistance exercise Strength training or resistance training involves the performance of physical exercises that are designed to improve strength and endurance. It is often associated with the lifting of weights. It can also incorporate a variety of training te ...

prescription, the type of exercise, total session volume, rest period, frequency, intensity and

velocity Velocity is the directional speed of an object in motion as an indication of its rate of change in position as observed from a particular frame of reference and as measured by a particular standard of time (e.g. northbound). Velocity is a ...

are determined. They may also be involved in prescription of

stretching Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately flexed or stretched in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling ...

routines or other approaches.

Nutrition Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient n ...

and medical consultation are not within their scope of practice and training qualifications.

Qualification standards

United States

In the US, The

National Strength and Conditioning Association National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

offers a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) qualification that is often considered the gold standard for positions in the field. A

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

is a prerequisite for the CSCS and it is encouraged to attain such degree in majors that are related to

exercise science Exercise physiology is the physiology of physical exercise. It is one of the allied health professions, and involves the study of the acute responses and chronic adaptations to exercise. Exercise physiologists are the highest qualified exercise ...

due to the competitiveness of the field. The Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches association also offers certification exclusive to the collegiate and professional-level strength and conditioning coach. This certification is known as Strength & Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) and requires a bachelor's degree and a 640-hour internship in addition to passing the certification exam.

United Kingdom

Strength and conditioning in the UK is generally overseen by

The United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

(UKSCA) and The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) . Both organisations provide regulations and standards for employers and professionals. A UKSCA membership and Bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science are generally accepted by many professional sports clubs as prerequisites for strength and conditioning positions. As well as the UKSCA and CIMSPA, 1st4sport Qualifications offer standardised training in accordance with other official

National Governing Body A governing body is a group of people that has the authority to exercise governance over an organization or political entity. The most formal is a government, a body whose sole responsibility and authority is to make binding decisions in a taken ge ...

qualifications.

Worldwide

On a global scale, there are several recognized certifications.

The Australian Strength and Conditioning Association ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

(ASCA) offers a range of coaching qualifications that will be acceptable by most employers.

The International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

(IUSCA) also offers a Degree Accreditation, that is awarded by universities delivering Bachelor degrees in S&C and Sport Science.

Effectiveness

The implementation of effective strength and conditioning programmes has led to an increase in speed and strength. Research has demonstrated that not only does training improve performance but incorrect training (distance running, a

slow-twitch muscle Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as muscles) are organs of the vertebrate muscular system and typically are attached by tendons to bones of a skeleton. The muscle cells of skeletal muscles are much longer than in the other types of muscle ...

fiber activity, in football athletes with fast-twitch characteristics) can cause decrements to performance. Using techniques such as velocity based training and

plyometrics Plyometrics, also known as jump training or plyos, are exercises in which muscles exert maximum force in short intervals of time, with the goal of increasing power (speed-strength). This training focuses on learning to move from a muscle extensi ...

in some high-power athletes and sports-specific movements in others, strength coaches may improve physical function and athletic performance while potentially lowering the risk of some sporting injuries.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strength and conditioning coach Physical exercise Sports coaches