This programme provides learners with the knowledge and practical skills required to plan, implement and evaluate strength and conditioning programmes that support athletic performance, physical development and injury prevention.
Strength and conditioning plays a central role in preparing athletes for competition and supporting long-term performance development. Designed for part-time study, the programme combines scientific principles with applied practice, enabling learners to understand how training can be structured to improve strength, power, speed, endurance and overall athletic performance.
The programme is suitable for coaches, fitness professionals, sports practitioners, teachers and individuals seeking to develop expertise in athlete preparation and performance enhancement.
The programme explores the principles and application of strength and conditioning across a range of sporting contexts.
You will examine approaches to endurance training, including aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, interval training, lactate threshold training and sport-specific conditioning methods. Learners will develop an understanding of how training programmes can be tailored to meet the demands of different sports and athletes.
Topic
Detail
Endurance Training
Review and conduct training methods for aerobic and anaerobic endurance, lactate threshold training, including steady-state, fartlek, interval, model training, hill repetitions, and sport-specific drills.
Speed/Agility/Quickness (SAQ)
Science and application of SAQ training, sprint training, acceleration/deceleration, reaction/quickness training, and application of SAQ principles to different sports.
Strength/Power
Resistance Training: Sport-specific resistance training, advanced approaches (pyramid, supersetting, pre-exhaust), correcting imbalances, biomechanical principles (joint loading, forces, centre of gravity, levers, muscle action lines, force angle), analysis of exercises for load, technique, muscular development, and rehabilitation. Olympic Lifts: Teaching technique and progression. Plyometrics: Principles of plyometric training (stretch shortening cycle), basic exercises, medicine ball drills, sport-specific drills, safety considerations, designing programmes, complex and functional training.
Periodisation
Design of preparatory, competitive, and transition training programmes; practical application of macro, meso, and micro cycles; preparation for competition, peaking, and tapering.
Recovery Sessions
Scientific basis of recovery sessions and how to conduct them; injury screening and prevention including warm-ups, cool-downs, functional movement screening, stretching, and flexibility.
Fitness Testing
Appropriate testing methods for different athletes and sports.
Academic Writing
Academic writing skills, referencing, performing literature searches, reading and appraising journals, books, and relevant articles.
All applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Lifelong Learning reserves the right to require applicants to attend for an interview to determine their suitability for the programme
The programme supports professional development for those working in sport, fitness, coaching, physical education and athlete performance environments.
The knowledge and skills developed are relevant to roles in strength and conditioning, sports coaching, athletic development, fitness instruction, performance support and sports development. Learners will be equipped to design, implement and evaluate training programmes that support athlete development, performance enhancement and injury prevention.
The programme also provides a foundation for further study in strength and conditioning, sports science, exercise science, athletic performance, coaching and related disciplines.
Explore our Part-time Prospectus to see the range of flexible study options available, with detailed course information, entry requirements, and study formats. Download the prospectus to find a programme that fits around your work and other commitments.
