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What does a Strength and Conditioning Coach do?

An S&C coach is a fitness and physical performance specialist that uses exercise prescription to improve the performance and reduce the risk of injury specifically, but not limited to, athletes of all levels.

How does that differ from personal training?

Well effectively it is personal training but with a higher level of knowledge and a more detailed approach to the planning. All training programmes are designed in a number of cycles with specific performance goals in mind. Each cycle has its own goals leading to the bigger end goal. These goals are based on the results of assessments and also the demands of the sport in question. Key performance indicators taken from research into the given sport are also used to measure progress.

For example, if you want to run a marathon then the general feeling is that you need to run and log the 'hard miles'. However, while important this approach can often lead to injuries if not supplemented with strength training. On every foot strike the lower body absorbs nearly 10 times your body weight, if you are not able to absorb this force then the result can often be injury, leading to lost training time and reduced performance. With this in mind, an early period of work to develop lower body strength and power is essential in the cycle.