Strength and Conditioning Coach

Mike Dowd

About the career Coaches are similar

to personal trainers, but their main focus is with athletes

Their purpose is to build athletes strength, power, and speed This will improve the

team’s overall performance

GO DO LAPS!!

Requirements

Education At least a Bachelor’s in health field Master’s may be preferred

Certifications Must have certification Most respected is “CSCS”▪ Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Experience Gain valuable experience in college ▪ Internships, volunteering, assistant position

CSCS Certification

Cost For non-members: $395-$445 for

registration For NCSA members: $260-$310 for

registration Prerequisites

Bachelor’s degree or a college senior Must have current CPR/AED certifications

CSCS Exam Content

Science- 1.5 hours Nutrition- 29% (23 questions) Exercise Science- 71% (57 questions)

Practical- 2.5 hours Exercise Technique- 36% (39 questions) Program Design-36% (40 questions) Organization and Admin.- 10% (11

questions) Testing and Evaluation- 18% (20

questions)

Types of Working Environments Coaches may work in a plethora of

different places Schools▪ High schools, colleges

Fitness Centers Physical Therapy clinics Professional sports teams

Salary Ranges

Depending on where a coach is working, depends on the salary they make

Average in U.S. = $40K-$60K College coaches average = $45K-

$75K Some may earn as much as $200K

Professional team coaches average is $100K

Personal Skills

Must be able to educate Teach athletes how to train Teach them about nutrition Teach importance of training

Perception is key Identifying when an athlete is training to

their ability Looking for weightlifting errors, and

correct those errors

Job outlook

Very competitive May need connections in order to

work for schools and professional teams Although fitness centers are always

looking for coaches The American College of Sports

Medicine said it was one of the top 5 promising careers in recent years

Scope of Practice

Strength and Conditioning coaching falls comprises of two parts: Education▪ Educating the athletes about different

exercises ▪ How they effect their bodies▪ Explain the importance of proper nutrition

Scope of Practice (cont.)

Practical▪ Creating a program for athletes▪ showing proper technique before athletes do

the exercise ▪ Organizing time and space for activities▪ Supervising the workouts▪ Test and evaluate athletes regularly to ensure

program is working

Legal Issues Assumption of risk

Athletes must be aware of risks with strength and conditioning activities

Must sign statement to provide awareness Liability

Must take steps to prevent injury Act accordingly when injury occurs

I provided proper

care

Legal Issues (cont.)

Negligence Failure to act with proper standard of

care▪ May lead to injury or damage to an athlete

Standard of care The expectation of you based on your

certifications, training or education

Supplements Athletes may ask about supplements and nutrition It’s important to remember that coaches can’t

recommend harmful or illegal substances As long as they boost athletic performance, abide by

the law, and aren’t harmful can they be recommended

You guys should take this.

Dynamic Stretching

This type of stretching is important for pre-competition

Involves jumps, squats, lunges, and agility

Benefits before competition include: Warms body up Prepares muscles for contraction and

relaxation Increases heart rate Loosens joints to allow for full range of

motion

Static Stretching

This type of stretching is important for post-competition

This includes stretching and holding a specific muscle Usually 10-30 seconds

Benefits for this include: Increases overall flexibility Reduces recovery time for muscles

Sport Specific Warm-up

Should mimic game situations Benefits for sport specific warm-up:

Improved speed More power output Better coordination Overall better sports performance

Squatting Improperly

There are two improper techniques in squatting: The “Quad” Squatter▪ This squatter leans their weight on their toes

having their knees go past their toes ▪ This causes muscle imbalances and

unnecessary strain on the knees The Forward Flexion Squatter▪ This squatter drops their chest ▪ This will lead to lower back injuries

Fixing Bad Squatters The “Quad” Squatter

Place a box or bench a few inches in front of them after they un-rack the weight

As they go down the box will impede them from going lower if they continue the improper form

They will then adjust by dropping their hips, and leaning more on their heels

Ouch!! My

knees hurt!!

BAD FORM

PROPER FORM

Fixing Bad Squatters (cont.) The Forward Flexion Squatter

Place a PVC pipe or a broomstick a few inches in front of the person after they un-rack the weight

As they squat they can’t touch the pipe; ultimately not allowing them to drop their chest

BAD FORM

Ouch!! My

back hurts!!

PROPER FORM

Benching Tips Lifting butt off the bench

Although this can help you lift more, it will lead to lower back problems later

Putting feet up on the bench Some say it isolates the chest

better This isn’t true, but it can be

helpful for stabilizer muscles and people with back pain

Never progressing to heavier weights Doing this will you never gain

strength

References http://www.nsca.com/Certification/CSCS/ http://www.asap-pt.com/files/education/athletic_warmup.pdf http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&v

ed=0CD8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamivalleyhospital.org%2FWorkArea%2Flinkit.aspx%3FLinkIdentifier%3Did%26ItemID%3D50036%26libID%3D49944&ei=MU0VUbPHDe2I0QGljoDABg&usg=AFQjCNGixVBsnCGId7_PXO0L58C--9nDFQ&bvm=bv.42080656,d.dmQ

http://www.necc.mass.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ath-benchpress-mistakes.pdf

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.bodybuilding.com%2Fattachment.php%3Fattachmentid%3D2865671%26d%3D1290008940&ei=O5wSUezwLOjk0gGrr4DYBw&usg=AFQjCNHdONECV3qkIlr8MhxGiM515sOdTQ&bvm=bv.41934586,d.dmQ

http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/policy/scguidelines.pdf http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/strength-and-conditionin

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