STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

A strength coach is well-versed in anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics and uses scientific principles from these disciplines to enhance all physical aspects of an athlete's training regimen.

The strength coach has two primary goals when training athletes:

To improve athletic performance
To reduce the occurance of athletic injuries as a direct result of sport participation

Athletic performance is generally enhanced by improving upon an athlete's speed, strength, and power. Conditioning coaches generate methodical training programs for individuals and competitive teams, often with valuable input from coaches. This usually includes teaching proper lifting techniques, supervising and motivating athletes as they work through a program, and assessing their performance before, during, and after the program. The characteristics of the strength and conditioning program will vary depending on if the sport is in season as well as tournaments and other major events that the athlete is training towards. Conditioning programs can, and often do, differ by sport, and even by the position played within that sport.

In order to effectively reduce the incidence of athletic injuries, strength coaches often incorporate additional exercises to help strengthen areas that are prone to injury. By working these muscles through a properly designed program, the incidence and severity of common injuries are drastically reduced. To maximize the effectiveness of these preventative exercises, conditioning coaches must know the correct exercise to prescribe and how to properly execute them.

If you or your team needs a strength coach, contact the Sport Performance Manager, Adam Decker by e-mail at adam.decker@sportmanitoba.ca or by phone at (204) 925-5926.