Here’s some more planning considerations from a Strength and Conditioning perspective that should beacknowledged.
1. If you add something in you should take something out
Kelvin Giles put this well in his recent workshop at Leeds Beckett University (Formerly Leeds Met) stating thatbefore you add something in to the programme ask yourself the question, what do you need to sacrifice toaccommodate it?
So many times when things are going well we always look to add more. However when things do needchanging its got to be steadily introduced at the expense of something else. Consider the demands of thenewly introduced element from a fatigue perspective. Sometimes it’s better to wait until you have acompetition free period before adding anything in at all.
2. Periodisation has to fit the sport AND the athlete.
Everyone needs a range of qualities to compete at any sport and these should be all within the programme tosome degree. We know this. But novice trainees need to emphasise basic strength development over anyother quality. Forget power, specific strength, plyometrics etc. Have elements of all of these in the programmebut the emphasis has to be on basic strength. How do you know when you are a novice? When you can putmore weight on the bar every week in pretty much every exercise and still recover for your next session readyto go again!
Intermediate trainees can certainly include more power and specific work but the emphasis still needs to be ondeveloping basic and maximal strength.For me a 1.5x bodyweight squat and deadlift, bodyweight clean for a set of 3-5 reps, 5 good chins and 0.75xBW press are good measures of passing through the intermediate stage of training for female athletesobviously depending on your sport.
Male athletes more like 1.75x BW Squat/Deadlift, 1.2-1.5x BW Press, 5 chins with 0.5xBW, and a clean ofaround 1.2 x BW for 3 sets of 3-5 reps is a good range of strength.Once these are roughly achieved I tend to think a lot more about specific strength qualities.
3. Work Capacity VS Recovery Capacity
It really is not about the amount of work you can do in a given session, whilst this is a factor of course, asimportant is the ability to recover from the work.
I think a lot of us are or have been guilty of this at some time. Whether you prescribe it or witness it fromsports coaches you work with is irrelevant. If the athletes can’t recover from it you’ve done too much,irrespective of how they perform in that given session.
It doesn’t have to hurt to make you better, a little and often is generally better than a lot all at once!
Article by Brendan Chaplin, Founder of Strength & Conditioning Education
Brendan Chaplin MSc CSCS ASCC is a performance specialist and strength and conditioning coach. Currently he is the founder and managing director of Strength & Conditioning Education where he provides coaches with the tools and resources to develop themselves to their best and raise industry standard.Follow him on twitter @BrendanChaplin and checkout his website.
