Sports Conditioning Needs Analysis

Sports Requirements

Consider all activities when selecting exercises for a strength and conditioning program

• Specific activities
  • Jumping, leaping, squatting, lifting, pushing, climbing, running, cutting, blocking, etc.
  • Other sports-specific training or motor skills
• Fitness Components
  • Cardiovascular Endurance
  • Speed & Quickness
    • Acceleration
    • Flying Speed
    • Speed Endurance
  • Strength
  • Power
  • Agility
  • Flexibility & Mobility
  • Balance
  • Motor Skill
• Movements
  • Muscles used
  • Joint Angles
  • Contraction type
  • Unilateral and transverse movements
• Energy Systems Utilized
  • Estimated Contribution from Aerobic/Anaerobic
  • Work-rest cycle
  • Intensity
  • Performance duration
  • Frequency
• Injury Prevention
  • Most common injuries
  • Player’s history of injury

Individual Fitness Assessments

Periodically collect data for needs assessment and tracking of progress

• Fitness Assessments
• Motor Skills Assessments
• Dietary Analysis
• Sports Psychological Assessments

Weight Training

• Relevant to most conditioning goals
  • Injury prevention (prehab)
  • Strength
  • Muscular Endurance
  • Power
  • Speed
  • Agility
  • Body Composition
    • Increase muscle
    • Decrease body fat
• Utilize Periodization techniques for progressive adaptation
  • General to sports-specific training
  • Also see Example Power Training Progressions
• Also see
  • Weight Training Template
  • Squats and Sports Performance
  • Resistance Training for the Reduction of Sports Injury 

Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic weightlifting may benefit athletes of many sports

• Implement only after adequate general conditioning and strength training phases

Olympic Weightlifting may be excluded from certain sports conditioning programs

• Golf
• Baseball
• Tennis
  • A variation, one-arm snatch was found in two source, online and in coaching book (Kavacs 2016).
• Boxing
  • Most punches should have a slight downward motion to increase power.
  • The expression of power transfer in Olympic lifts goes the opposite direction.
• Distance Running
  • Use running based program
• Swimming
  • Use swimming-based program: 
• Lacrosse

Sports that appear to have a benefit from Olympic Weightlifting

• Soccer (Studwick 2016)

Plyometric Integration Ideas

• Implement plyometric exercises only after adequate general conditioning and strength training phases
• On Mon, Wed, Fri weight program, replace Wed with plyometric
• Choose month where more plyos are performed instead of Olympic Lifts

Sports Specific Speed Drills

Progression of Drills

• Slow and stable to fast and explosive
• Simple to complex
• Single direction to multidirectional
• Closed skill to open skill
• Body weight to external resistance

Cardiovascular Endurance

• Sports Conditioning Running
• Short Sprint Interval Training
• Ultra-Short Race-Pace Training (Swimming)

Chamari K, Hachana Y, Kaouech F, Jeddi R, Moussa-Chamari I, Wisløff U (2005). Endurance training and testing with the ball in young elite soccer players. Br J Sports Med. 39(1):24-8.

Chu DA, Myer GD (2013). Plyometrics, Dynamic Strength and Explosive Power, Human Kinetics, 195-225.

Foran B, Chu DA (2001). High-Performance Sports Conditioning, Human Kinetics, 215-266.

Gatz G (2009). Complete Conditioning for Soccer, Human Kinetics, 87-129.

Kovacs MS, Roetert EP, Ellenbecker TS (2016). Complete Conditioning for Tennis, Human Kinetics, 99-126, 181-192, 215-238.

McNeely E, Sandler D (2007) Power Plyometrics: The Complete Program, Meyer & Meyer Sport

Mellion MB, Walsh WM, Shelton GL (1997). The Team Physician’s Handbook. Hanley & Belfus, Mosby.

National Basketball Conditioning Coaches Association (2007) Complete Conditioning for Basketball, Human Kinetics, 127-184.

NSCA (2013). Developing Speed, Human Kinetics, 79-194.

Strudwick T (2016). Soccer Science, Human Kinetics, 238, 267.

Tamborra S (2008). Complete Conditioning for Baseball, Human Kinetics, 87-114, 147-198.