Strength and Conditioning is for everyone
A common misconception about strength and conditioning is that only elite, professional athletes can include this as part of their training. Many people do not understand that it is incredibly beneficial for anyone, no matter their level of fitness.
When the term ‘strength and conditioning’ is mentioned, it can be daunting. First thoughts are ‘I shall have to lift heavy weights’, but strength and conditioning is much more than that. It is a tool to help you lead a healthier more active lifestyle and S&C coaches are able to offer additional movement analysis and expertise than the average personal trainer.
The main focus of an S&C coach is to demonstrate exercises to improve mobility in common muscular imbalances and work on good movement mechanics, whether that be for an elite athlete or the average person who just wants to build strength to combat the negative effects of his job.
Research by the NHS (REF) has found that the average person in the UK is inactive for 7-10 hours a day from working at a desk job, commuting, reading and watching television (this does not include sleeping). So, for those living a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, exercise is important to eliminate the risk of death or illness associated with people who sit for long hours for work (REF).
So how can strength and conditioning help?
A key part of any S&C programme is to introduce training methods that allow you to remain injury free. Having a sedentary lifestyle of long seated commutes and hours behind a desk can make us more prone to injury caused by muscle tightness from bad posture and sitting, repetitive strain and the inability to engage muscles correctly. Building strength through correct training will teach the ‘desk worker’ to engage their muscles correctly allowing them to sit in a better position, improving their posture and decreasing the risk of a permanently hunched back and headaches.
Including strength and conditioning to your training programme will help you to improve your movement mechanics therefore decreasing the risk of injury. By increasing your mobility and building strength your body will be able to withstand high levels of stress from high intensity exercise or high physical demands from your sport. S&C is also a great tool to use as part of your rehabilitation programme after an injury. It is predominantly used in the later stages to build you back up to the fitness level you were before your injury. Get advice from your physiotherapist before introducing S&C into your rehab.
Strength and conditioning is completely tailored to you and what your goals are for your training; whether that is to be an Olympic athlete, run a marathon, improving your football skills or just to walk the dog further. Strength and conditioning is designed for everyone!
Aside from the benefits of decreased risk of injury and leading a healthier lifestyle, strength and conditioning is very versatile and allows you to be introduced to a whole new aspect of training that you might not get at a mainstream gym. Training such as Olympic lifting, plyometrics, developing power and speed whilst having fun and keeping your training exciting.
To find out more about introducing strength and conditioning into your training, I would be glad to help by offering you a free consultation.
Jemma Pemberton
Sports Therapist
Strength and conditioning Masters Student
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/why-sitting-too-much-is-bad-for-us/
https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736%2816%2930370-1.pdf
