usp124 principles and theories of strength and conditioning · progressive overload – achieved...

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USP124 Principles and theories of strength and conditioning

Unit reference number: K/615/6630

Level: 4

Guided Learning (GL) hours: 15

Overview

The aim of this unit is to provide the learner with the relevant knowledge and understanding of the principles and theories underpinning strength and conditioning. Learners will explore a range of relevant theories, concepts and techniques used in different strength and conditioning programmes and understand how to apply these to programme strength and conditioning routines.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit, learners will: LO1 Understand biomechanical demands of strength and conditioning

LO2 Understand the physiological responses to participation in strength and conditioning

LO3 Know how to undertake appropriate athletic pre-programme screening

LO4 Understand periodisation and how to plan a strength and conditioning pre-season mesocycle

LO5 Understand the role of nutrition within strength and conditioning

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Assessment requirements

Learners must complete the assessment requirements related to this unit: 1. Portfolio 2. External examination

1. Portfolio

Learners must produce a portfolio which contains assessed evidence covering all the assessment criteria in this unit. The portfolio of evidence may include:

Observed work

Audio-visual media

Evidence of prior learning or attainment

Written questions

Oral questions

Assignments

Case studies All evidence should be documented in the portfolio and cross-referenced to unit outcomes. The portfolio must be completed prior to learners undertaking the external examination.

2. External examination

Learners should use the unit content section of this unit to aid revision since exam questions will test the full breadth of this section. Theory questions will be set and marked by the VTCT.

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Unit content

LO1 Understand biomechanical demands of strength and conditioning training

Describe the biomechanical considerations of sport specific strength and conditioning:

Biomechanical demands of strength and conditioning

Planes of motion (frontal, sagittal, transverse)

Velocity, acceleration, deceleration

Muscle actions/joint movements and their relation to sport specific training

Joints involved – actions and range (sub-talar, ankle, knee, hip, shoulder girdle, shoulder joint, elbow, radioulnar, wrist, lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine)

Muscles involved – actions and range

Function of muscles involved – agonists, antagonists, synergists and fixators

Type of muscle contraction – concentric, eccentric, isometric

Neural control mechanisms – sensory, e.g. proprioception and motor functions

Range of movement – inner, mid or outer ranges

Levers – first class, second class and third class

Effects of gravity and other relevant forces

Relevance of all the above to programming strength and conditioning programmes Explain specific movements related to sport specific strength and conditioning:

Joint actions and muscles responsible for creating specific movements – flexion and extension, horizontal flexion and extension, adduction and abduction, lateral flexion and extension, internal and external rotation, circumduction, elevation and depression pronation and supination, plantar flexion and dorsiflexion, inversion and eversion

Plane of movement in which specific joint actions occur

Relevance to programming Explain the relevance of movement patterns and exercise selection when designing sport specific strength and conditioning training programmes:

Based on analysis of sports specific situations – type of sport/athletic event; individual or team sport/event; position played for team sports, movement pattern, energy systems used

Programming requires duplication of exact (specific) movement actions needed in sport or athletic skill

Functional movements of appropriate complexity for individual and sporting action, ability to stabilise the body’s core (trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle)

Exercise/training must involve same types of muscular contraction used in the skill execution

Develop strength and flexibility in same range of motion as the actual skill

Prepare the individual to handle the physical and mental stresses of the sport

Reduce risk of injury

Improve performance

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Explain the role of energy systems for different sports:

Systems – ATP, creatine phosphate, lactate system and aerobic system

Different system contribution towards energy needs for different sports and athletic events (intensity and duration)

Train the energy system(s) that will improve performance Explain the role of the nervous system in strength and conditioning:

Structural components and their specific functions, e.g. central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, autonomic nervous system (parasympathetic and sympathetic branches), somatic system (sensory and motor branches), motor units, neurons, reflex arcs, proprioceptors (golgi tendon organs, muscle spindles)

Adaptations – motor control, motor unit recruitment patterns, reflex activity and motor response, neural adaptations to different types of sport and athletic training, motor skill development (power, speed, balance, coordination, reaction time, agility)

Explain the effects of strength and conditioning training on the health and skill related components of fitness:

Health related components – cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition

Skill-related components – power, speed, reaction time, agility, co-ordination, balance

Adaptations to specific sports and athletic training

Cardiovascular and respiratory system and its responses to different training stimuli (Acute responses to exercise intensity, cardiac output, rate of breathing, blood flow redistribution in response to exercise; long-term cardiovascular responses to different training programmes)

Describe plyometrics:

Exercise involving repeated rapid stretching and contracting of muscles (jumping and rebounding) to increase muscle power

Muscles exert maximum force in short intervals of time

Increase muscle power (speed-strength)

Workouts can be performed anywhere from 1-3 days per week

High intensity, low volume plyometric workouts, should be performed once or twice per week by well-conditioned athletes only

Plyometric exercises stimulate several different muscle groups at the same time; improve athletic performance, challenge fast-twitch muscle fibres, anaerobic energy systems, develop coordination and agility

Athletes must have a strength base (testing advised) prior to taking part in plyometric sessions due to the high eccentric/concentric loads

Explain the effects and potential indicators of overtraining:

Reduced performance with increased training load/volume and overtraining markers including

Physiological markers – muscle soreness (delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMs), fatigue, elevated resting heart rate, reduced heart rate variability, increased susceptibility to infection, increased incidence of injury

Psychological markers – irritability, depression, mental breakdown

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Explain the role of functional athletic screening and reconditioning:

Identify athlete needs and wants

Inform programming and establish goals

Monitor progress of athlete

Support programme modification, e.g. if goals not achieved, athlete injured, during different training seasons

Identify any need for referral and/or involvement of other professionals Identify appropriate information to gather from the athlete:

Personal details

Wants and needs analysis

Goals

Personal and/or team goals

Sport, activity or event goals - General health and fitness

- Physiological and structural

- Psychological and cognitive

- Performance and competitive

Injury history

Experience in the sport

Sport classification – maximal sprint sport, maximal strength sport, intermittent-sprint sport, transitional-game sport, endurance sport, aerial sport, aquatic sport, weight-bearing sport, non-weight-bearing sport, weight category sport

Training history

Position played – team sports or events

Performance level – recreational, competitive recreational, amateur, professional, Olympian, Paralympian

Commitment

Motivation

Attitude

Barriers to participation

State of readiness

Current and previous training regimes

Health status and history

Medical screening

Posture, mobility and stability

Movement competence

Performance data (testing and monitoring)

Training logistics - Time for training

- Availability of equipment

- Availability of facilities

- Training partners

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Recognise appropriate health and skill related tests:

Health assessments – resting heart rate, resting blood pressure

Fitness tests – all components of fitness; muscular strength/endurance, cardiovascular endurance, aerobic capacity/anaerobic capacity, flexibility

Skill-related tests – for all motor skills; power, speed, acceleration, agility, reaction time, balance, direction change, coordination

Other tests – gait, posture, mobility, movement efficiency, body composition Describe appropriate methods for recording and storing client information:

Methods of gathering information – interview/consultation using questioning and observation, questionnaire (PAR-Q), physical tests and assessments

Recording and storage – appropriate recording tools; accurate information; maintain client confidentiality and adhere to data protection guidance

Monitoring and recording – methods for monitoring performance and response to exercise training, monitoring session performance, use of sports-specific fitness tests, recording methods and evaluation of current performance against past training records and test results to aid planning and recovery strategies

Identify an appropriate professional referral base:

Physiotherapists or medics

Sports coaches or technical coaches

Strength and conditioning coaches

Sports psychologists

Sports scientists

Sports nutritionists and dieticians

Bio-mechanists

Performance analysts

Other support - Lifestyle support specialists

- Athlete's social support network (e.g. parents)

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Describe the principles of training in the context of strength and conditioning:

Principles of training – SPORT (Specificity, Progression, Overload, Reversibility, Tedium)

Progressive overload – achieved through applying FITT (frequency, intensity, time and type variables), the overcompensation process in response to training

Work/rest ratios

Recovery

Identifying the appropriate strength and conditioning programme for the athletic individual/team

Types of training - Resistance training

- Metabolic training

- Mobility/flexibility training

- Skill focused training

- Postural control and stability training

- Integrated methods Explain the health and safety requirements relevant to the environment and equipment:

Risk assessment

Adhere to legislation - Health and Safety at Work Act

- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

- Electricity at Work Regulations

- First Aid Regulations

- Organisational policies and procedures

Follow emergency procedures

First aid

Insurance

Equipment checks – cardiovascular equipment, hurdles, ladders, balance discs, medicine balls, free weights and sport specific equipment, squat racks, suspension training kits and Olympic bars and discs (training plates); Timing gates, jump mat, plyometric platforms, harnesses

Environment checks – indoor, outdoor, different surfaces

State the advantages of strength and conditioning programmes:

Tapering

Peaking

Variation

Prevention of boredom and overtraining

Explain the value and importance of sport specific warm-ups and cool downs:

Warm-up – prepares athletes for demands of practice and competition, increases mobility and flexibility for skill execution, prevents injury, prepares physically and mentally for specific sport or athletic event

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Components warm-up – mobility, pulse raising, static/dynamic stretching, specific skill preparation and rehearsal

Motor skills – repetition develops motor skills, reinforced through correct practice, movement will become stronger, more fluid, co-ordinated, become automatic with lots of correct practice, individual sports will have own motor skills (gross, fine)

Cool down – aids in dissipation of waste products, reduces potential for DOMs, reduces the chances of dizziness or fainting (pooling of venous blood), reduces the level of adrenalin in the blood, allows heart rate to return to pre-exercising rate, stretching (reduces muscular tension, returns muscle to pre-exercise length)

Describe the specific phases of a periodised strength and conditioning programme:

Microcycles, mesocycles, macrocycles

General preparatory phase, specific preparatory phase, pre-competitive phase, competitive phase, transition phase, unloading periods

Off-season, pre-season, in-season and post-season

Key periodisation and planning considerations - Competition structure

- Implications of concurrency of different training methods

- Implications of ongoing volume and intensity of training

- The historical and current status of the athlete

- Research evidence and knowledge of athlete training responses

- Stimulus for adaptation provided by activity selected and dose delivered within training unit prescription

- Fatigue imposed risks from training activity

- Time taken by training activity

- Interaction of effects from chosen activities in short to medium term

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Explain the role of nutrition prior to, during and post training and competition:

Role of macronutrients on performance - Carbohydrates – energy

- Fats – energy

- Protein – growth and repair

- Micronutrients – fluid balance, nerve conduction, immune response, metabolism of macronutrients, tissue components, hormone and enzyme components)

- Fluids – hydration, solute for minerals and vitamins

Nutritional strategies - Timings and amounts of foods with different macronutrient compositions

- Fluids prior to, during and post training and competition

Prior to competition - Carbohydrates – slow release 2-4 hours before exercise, snack 30-60

minutes before exercise

- Avoid ‘slow to digest’ foods – high protein, fat or fibre content

- Aim to be fuelled and comfortable

- Can experiment with strategies during training

- Stick to planned strategies for competition

After competition - Replace depleted fuel stores – consume a fast release carbohydrate

snack/meal as soon as possible after exercise to exploit accelerated post-exercise glycogen synthesis

- Start recovery process – protein to repair damaged muscle tissue/develop new tissue, fluids and sodium to rehydrate

Explain the importance of hydration in training and competition:

Importance of hydration - Solution for chemical reactions, lubrication, nutrient delivery, waste disposal,

heat dispersion, temperature regulation

- Awareness of the effects of dehydration on performance – reduced attention/alertness lead to tactical errors, reduced co-ordination, endurance, impair physical performance

Prior to competition – hydrate to enable the body to cool itself; hydration may also offer a solution to providing micronutrients

During competition – hydrate to balance effects of sweating - Drinking during training/competition staves off performance-robbing effects of

dehydration

- For extended exercise/events – refuel with carbohydrates to maintain blood glucose and spare glycogen, refuel using liquid carbohydrates, e.g. sports drinks, cool and flavoured beverages lead to greater fluid consumption, sodium helps maintain the drive to continue drinking fluids during exercise (crucial to meeting fluid needs), small amounts of sodium and carbohydrate in fluids speed up fluid absorption, sodium helps retention of consumed fluids, drink small amounts (sips) every 15 minutes

Duration of exercise - <60 minutes – weather conditions (moderate), rehydrate with water

- Any length – weather conditions (high temperature or humidity), rehydrate with sports drink

- >60 minutes – all conditions, rehydrate with sports drink

After competition – fluids and sodium to rehydrate

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Assessment criteria

In order to pass this unit, learners must achieve all pass criteria. These criteria will be tested by an external examination.

Learning outcome

The learner must:

Pass

The learner can:

LO1 Understand biomechanical demands of strength and conditioning

P1 Describe the biomechanical considerations of sport specific strength and conditioning

P2 Explain specific movements related to sport specific strength and conditioning

P3 Explain the relevance of movement patterns and exercise selection when designing sport specific strength and conditioning training programmes


P4 Explain the role of energy systems for different sports

P5 Explain the role of the nervous system in strength and conditioning

P6 Explain the effects of strength and conditioning training on the health and skill related components of fitness

P7 Describe plyometrics

P8 Explain the effects and potential indicators of overtraining


P9 Explain the role of functional athletic screening and reconditioning

P10 Identify appropriate information to gather from the athlete

P11 Recognise appropriate health and skill related tests

P12 Describe appropriate methods for recording and storing client information

P13 Identify an appropriate professional referral base


P14 Describe the principles of training in the context of strength and conditioning

P15 Explain the health and safety requirements relevant to the environment and equipment

P16 State the advantages of strength and conditioning programmes

P17 Explain the value and importance of sport specific warm-ups and cool downs

P18 Describe the specific phases of a periodised strength and conditioning programme


P19 Explain the role of nutrition prior to, during and post training and competition

P20 Explain the importance of hydration in training and competition

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Resources

The special resources required for this unit are access to a real or realistic working environment which supports the instruction of strength and conditioning programmes. Best practice should be encouraged by giving learners the opportunity to access current research and guidelines that inform strength and conditioning.

Physical resources include: Lecture room and studio area for number of learners

High performance gym with a number of Olympic platforms, squat racks, suspension training kits and Olympic bars with Olympic discs ranging from 2.5kg (training plates) to 20kg

Functional athletic screening kits

Timing gates, jump mat, plyometric platforms, harnesses

Team drill equipment (hurdles, ladders, cones, benches, medicine balls)

Recommended text books:

ACSM (2014). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 9th ed. American College of Sports Medicine. Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia. USA

Baechle, T and Earle Thomas, R. (2008), NSCA Guide to Strength and Conditioning. 3rd Edition. USA. Human Kinetics

Bursztyn, P (1990) Physiology for Sports People. A serious user’s guide to the body. USA. Manchester University Press

Golding, L et al (1989) Y’s Way to Physical Fitness. The Complete Guide to Fitness Testing and Instruction. USA.YMCA

McArdle, W.D. Katch, F.I. and Katch, V.L (1996) Exercise Physiology. Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance. USA. Lea and Febiger

Mackenzie, B (2005), 101 Evaluation Tests. UK. Electric Word

Sharkey, B (1990) Physiology of Fitness. 3rd Edition. Champaign, Illinois. USA. Human Kinetics

NB: This list is not exhaustive. There are many other valuable text books.

Websites: American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM): www.acsm.org

British Association of Sports and Exercise Science (BASES) http://www.bases.org.uk

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology www.csep.ca

http://www.acsm.org/

http://www.bases.org.uk/

http://www.csep.ca/

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Delivery guidance

Teachers are encouraged to use innovative, practical and engaging delivery methods to enhance the learning experience. Learners may benefit from:

Using interactive information and technology, systems and hardware so they can learn about concepts and theories, research current trends and different approaches to strength and conditioning

Tutor led delivery – PowerPoint presentations and handouts

Use of intranet and student portals

The use of social media for closed study groups

Home assignments

Video presentations

Practical demonstrations and workshops - athletic screening, reconditioning and Olympic lifting.

Demonstration and participation in team assessments/drills.

Directed e-learning to support preparation for summative assignments

Independent study and research

Links with other units

This unit is closely linked and should be delivered in conjunction with the following unit:

USP125 Programming and delivering strength and conditioning

Learners will be required to use the knowledge and skills gained from the principles and theories of strength and conditioning unit when programming and delivering strength and conditioning. The content of the principles and theories of strength and conditioning unit can be integrated with the delivery of the programming and delivering strength and conditioning unit.

usp124 principles and theories of strength and conditioning · progressive overload – achieved...

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