Strength and Conditioning is the physical and physiological development of an athlete for sport performance.
A Strength and Conditioning Coach will use exercise prescription specifically to improve performance around competitions, improved movement mechanics and for injury prevention. The coach is there to bridge the gap between the theory of training and applied training, as the English Institute of Sport state:
“With a well-constructed programme a S&C Coach can help athletes to become faster, stronger and more flexible and to build their muscular endurance, so they perform better and remain injury free”
The principles of Strength and Conditioning can be applied to anyone who wishes to maximise their physical potential which means it does not necessarily need to be sports specific. Training for improved movement mechanics can mean anything, from something as simple as the ability to stand up from a chair without pain to improving a sprint start by a millisecond. And so, the benefits of working with a Strength and Conditioning Professional should not only be reserved for the elite athletes.
Strength and Conditioning within the UK
Only 20 years ago Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coaches were rare within the UK and were only seen to be working within some professional Sports Teams and Clubs. Now the opportunity to work with an Accredited Strength and Conditioning coach is possible within a multitude of environments including schools and some private gyms with specialist facilities such as Momentum.
As the profession grew, The UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) was established in 2004 as an independent voice to represent the profession and its accredited members within the UK.
The UKSCA’s ‘Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach’ (ASCC) standard is now a requirement for jobs in the UK and also overseas and is highly valued as it not only assesses in-depth subject-matter knowledge, but also practical coaching skills.
We are proud to say that all our coaches here at Momentum are UKSCA accredited coaches or are working towards accreditation and are following the UKSCA’s professional development model for continued standards and best practice.
Look out for the symbols ASCC (Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach – UK) or CSCC (Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach – USA) when searching for a Strength and Conditioning Professional to train with.
Strength and Conditioning….is it for me?
Whether you are a sporting professional, an aspiring athlete or an individual with set physical goals, following a training programme put together by a Strength and Conditioning Professional will only provide you with the benefits you’re looking for.
By using sport science knowledge to underpin the principles of training it will give you the individuality, specificity and progressive training programme required to achieve.
Here at Momentum we are one of few UK training and rehab facilities that offer the possibilities of working with Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coaches. Our client base ranges from aspiring athletes as young as 10 years old, professional/amateur athletes to our older clients who wish to continue moving well and stay active. We also work for improved performance on rehabilitation programmes and work closely with other medical professionals to ensure the best rehab pathway is followed.
