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Strength training for sport:
A normal gym program just won’t do!
Dr Mark McKean PhD AEP CSCS RSCC*E
 Introduction
 What sciencey stuff do I need to know?
 A typical week
 My tips on sport specific strength training
Outline
Introduction  Differences in sport specific strength training
compared to a gym program:
 Many different types of strength needed
 Limited time allocation/priority to perform strength
training
 Impact of strength training on other training
 Training times allocated to strength not always ideal for
best results
 Gym may not have suitable space/equipment
Significant differences in sports
specific strength training
 You’ve heard these comments
 “I just want a gym program”
 “I just want to get stronger”
 “I’ve got a 6 week off season, what can I do?”
 “I’ve got a sore back/weak hammies/sore shoulder
(whatever), can you make it stronger?”
Most athletes don’t know what they
need.
The sciencey stuff
REQUIRED BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

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2 Goals of Strength Training
GOAL 1 - To improve Force output
 Absolute - % of 1 RM
 Eg - Olympic weightlifting
 Relative - % of effort regardless of reps
 performing 9 out possible 10 reps = 90% RI
 Eg - High jump, long jump
GOAL 2 - To improve Contraction speed
 Speed Strength
 Eg javelin, baseball pitching
 Strength Speed
 Shot put,
Why do Elite Weightlifters start the
barbell lift from the floor slowly?
Types of Strength (13)
 Maximal Strength – max force you can generate
 Concentric Strength – eg clean & jerk
 Eccentric Strength – eg baseball, tennis, sprinting
 Static Strength – eg rugby scrum
 Limit Strength – life threatening
 Optimal Strength – how much is enough for your
sport?
 Relative Strength – sports where body weight is
involved – kayak, boxing, rowing,
Speed Strength
 Strength/unit of time
 intermediate/high velocities
 Starting Strength - sprinting
 Explosive Strength – shot put, rugby tackle
 Reactive Strength – SSC, jumping, change of direction
Strength Speed
 Strength/unit of time
 low velocities
 Strength Endurance is the ability to be as strong as
possible, as long as possible.

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Aim to Influence F:V Curve
How/Why do Shot-putters and Javelin
throwers train differently?
Shot-Put V Javelin
 Shot putters spend 50% of training time on heavy weight
training whilst Javelin throwers spend 15-25%
 Implement weight
 Shot put – 7.257 kg males, 4 kg females
 Javelin – 0.8 kg males, 0.6 kg females
 Velocity of release
 Shot put – 14 m/s
 Javelin – 30 m/s
 Time for maximal force development (impulse time)
 Shot put - 0.15 to 0.18 sec
 Javelin – 0.16 – 0.18 sec
Many factors affect strength &
power
 Fibre type
 Age
 Gender
 Body weight
 Limb and muscle length
 Point of tendon
insertion
 Training potential
 Nutritional state
 Hormonal status
 Intra and inter muscular
coordination
Time for force development (TFD)
 Average person TFD measured 0.3 to 0.4 sec
 Time to develop peak force in sports often less
 Sprinting – 0.08 – 0.10 sec
 Long jump – 0.11 – 0.12 sec
 High jump – 0.17 – 0.18 sec
 Vaulting – 0.18 – 0.21 sec
 Shot put - 0.15 to 0.18 sec
 Javelin – 0.16 – 0.18 sec
 Therefore maximal force can never be applied due to
limited time available
Explosive Strength Deficit
Zatsiorsky & Kraemer
ESD
TFD
peak
TFD
50%

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Explosive Strength Deficit (ESD)
 As load decreases and time to apply force becomes
shorter the difference between time to maximal force
(Fmm) and force applied in given time (Fm) increases.
 Difference between Fmm and Fm is known as ESD
 In takeoffs/releases in throws ESD = 50%
 Example – shot put Fm = 50-60 kg
 Fmm Bench press = 220-240 kg (1 arm 110 kg)
How can we increase force output in
explosive movements?
 Increase Fmm
 Decrease ESD
 Increasing Fmm works well with beginners up to a
limit.
 Increasing rate of force production better for
advanced athletes once optimal Fmm achieved.
Velocity
 Velocity decreases
as load increases
 Fmm is achieved
when velocity is low
 Vmm is achieved
when
load/resistance is
small
Power
 It is impossible to exert a high force in fast
movements
 An athletes maximal strength (Fmm) determines force
values that can be exerted during movement
 Maximal force and maximal velocity are two different
bio-motor abilities
 Maximal power achieved at approx 1/3 of maximum
velocity
What strength works best for
sprint kayakers?
Movement Direction (phase)
 During plyometrics (SSC) eccentric force is greater
than the athlete can develop isometrically or
concentrically.
 SSC increases mechanical power and decreases
metabolic energy expenditure
 Increased force in SSC occurs to:
 Develop isometric tension during transition of movement
phases eg stabilises movement
 Increase force in eccentric phase to provide more time to
develop force eg countermovement jumps
 Invoke muscle elasticity qualities for rebound effect
 Increase neural reflex activity to heighten reflex action

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A typical training week  Off-season athletes may allow 3-4 strength sessions
 In-season athletes may allow 1-2 strength sessions
 Typically allocated time in week/day that’s low priority
time
 last thing in the day,
 late in the week,
 immediately after hard sports specific session
How much time will you get?
17 year old male tennis player
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
EARLY AM
Dynamic
Warm up
Speed Agility
1
Dynamic
Warm up
Speed Agility
2
MID AM Hitting
Dynamic
Warm up Plyo
1 Strength 1
Hitting
Dynamic
Warm up Plyo
2
Strength 2
Hitting Hitting
LATE AM
Pool 1
Stretch 1
Stretch 3
Pool 2
Stretch 2
Strength 3
EARLY PM Hitting Hitting MAS 1 Hitting Hitting MAS 2
MID PM
Working
Stretch 2 Core
1
Working
Stretch 1 Core
2
Working Working
LATE PM Hitting Hitting
EVENING Recovery 1 Recovery 2
National high jump champion
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
EARLY AM Sleep in
Track 1
Stretch 1
Sleep in
Track 2
Stretch 2
Sleep in
Track 3
Stretch 3
Sleep in
MID AM
Dyn
Warmup
Strength 1
Work
Jump 2
Plyo 2
Work
Dyn
Warmup
Strength 3
Work
Jump 4
Plyo 1
MID PM Work Work Work
LATE PM
Jump 1
Plyo 1
Dyn
Warmup
Strength 2
Jump 3
Plyo 3
Cardio 1
Full
stretch
EVENING Recovery Recovery Recovery
USC Paralympic squad
USC - Plan/Calendar 2012-13
Months January February March April
Week Beginning 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29
Training Cycles:
Macro Macro 2
Mesocycle phase 3 - aerobic phase 4 - quality/speed phase 5 - competition
Microcycle (wks) 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Days
Phase:
Gen Conditioning
Aerobic
Quality
Speed
Race Specific
Competition
Training:
No of sessions 6 7 8 7 8 7 8 8 8 8 6 8 8 8 7 6
Training Vol (km's) 30 38.5 44 38.5 44 35 40 36 36 40 18 40 40 36 28 21
Av per session 5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5 5 4.5 4.5 5 3 5 5 4.5 4 3.5
Dryland 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Spin 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 1
Test Sets:
Standard 1 1 1
Lactates
Servicing:
Filming (Orca)
Strength & Cond 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1
Physio 1 1 1 1 1 1
Massage 1 1 1 1 1
 Can impact on value and implementation of strength
training:
 Want to back off too early in taper
 Think it can be done under fatigued state
 Want to tack it on to other training
 Have old fashioned beliefs about reps/sets/loads etc
 Worry about athletes getting big
 Want to keep weights light and build fitness(???)
Lack of applied knowledge of
coaches and athletes

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 Once you get athletes in the gym time is precious:
 Maximise time spent
 Deal with priorities
 Understand force development needs
 Exercise selection critical to maximise results
 If can achieve same result in less time – DO IT
Time is precious in the gym
My tips on sport specific
strength training
 Full body programs each workout
 Emphasise different areas if needed
Program styles
 Select exercise for maximal benefit
 most muscles used
 greatest loads per rep possible
 Avoid low force production activities**
 Bosu, swissballs, unstable environments
 Avoid needless supplementary exercises
 Avoid activity that includes other energy system
training**
Exercise selection
 Full body program
 4-6 exercises
 Superset appropriate exercises to reduce time taken
 Let athletes do core and stretching at home in after
hours time
 Don’t waste warm up time or cool down time
 Always use warm up sets
Typical program guide
 Select suitable rep range
 typically 1-6 best for athletes for major lifts
 Never let athlete use same loads, reps, tempos, etc
two sessions in a row
 Small progressions every time in the gym
Reps and sets

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 Experienced athletes adapt quickly so 3-4 week
mesocycles ( build for 3 and unload 1)
 Inexperienced athletes need more time to adapt so
use 4-6 week mesocycles (build for 4-5 and unload 1-2)
Length of program cycle
 Try and get main strength session in early in the week
when athlete is freshest
 Expect or allow for performance drop off over course
of the week by:
 allowing for reduced reps on same load
 Day 1 - 4/100kg, Day 2 - 3/100kg, Day 3 - 2/100kg
 or reduced loads on same reps
 Day 1 - 4/100kg, Day 2 - 4/97.5kg, Day 3 - 4/95kg
Weekly expectations
 Remember the gym is not where you develop specific
strength but it is where athletes develop foundation
strength qualities that can be transferred to sporting
environment
 Better to provide a solid strength foundation than
become too sports specific with exercises
Exercise progressions

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 Avoid trying to be too clever with exercises and
mimicking sporting actions – just make athlete strong
and stable
 Sometimes its better to allow athlete time to get really
good technique and lift bigger loads on a core lift.
 Change each 4 weeks
 Weeks 1-4 – pull ups – reach 4 x 6 x 90kg
 Weeks 5-8 – seated row – reach 4 x 6 x 80kg
 Weeks 9-12 – single arm DB row – reach 4 x 6 x 30kg
 No change for 12 weeks
 Weeks 1-4 – pull ups – reach 4 x 6 x 90kg
 Weeks 5-8 – pull ups – reach 4 x 4 x 105kg
 Weeks 9-12 – pull ups – reach 4 x 3 x 112.5kg
Don’t change too many exercises
each new program
 Most S&C coaches spend too much time on sports
specific training which leads to specialisation and
increases risk of injury. eg
 Single foot drills for high jump and long jump
 Throwing drills for overhead sports
 Rotation drills for golf, tennis on one side
Injury prevention
 Can you use a specific exercise to prevent sport
causing imbalances
 equal training for both arms in one arm dominant sport,
 eccentrically strengthening decelerators (hammies,
rotator cuff) etc
Injury prevention should be a top
consideration in every program
 Can you modify an exercise to create better control
 use tempos for longer eccentric phases
 4-6 sec eccentric
 Create mid phase pauses to establish positional control
 2 mid phase pauses in eccentric phase
 Hold finish position for increased stability/control
 Stick the landing in drop jump/hop/lunge etc
Modify exercises for improved
control
 Develop long term athletic ability with small
progressions:
 Eg first program include hinge movement using a stick
 Build up to hang deadlift with BB
 Develop hang pull
 Lead into hang clean
 Thus developing explosive leg drive and maintaining
lumbar posture
Develop athletic abilities/technique

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 Can you be more selective of exercise athletes do badly to
avoid injury
 Swap deep squats with split squats
 Swap bent over rows with seated rows

Be smarter about exercise choice
Use of currently accepted exercises
that may cause problems
 Teach athletes to absorb force as well as produce force
 landing technique before jumping before plyometric drills
e.g. for single leg work:
 Stand on one leg with hips level
 Hop on spot - land with hips level – stick the landing
 Hop 30 cm
 Hop 1 m
 Jump 2 feet onto low step land with 1 foot - land with hips
level – stick landing
 2 feet to one foot land on 30cm step
 2 feet to one foot land on 45cm step
 Drop jump 2 feet to land on one foot hips level stick
landing from low step
 Drop 30 cm 2 feet to one foot
 Drop 45 cm 2 feet to one foot
Final comment on force
Dr Mark McKean
University Sunshine Coast
mmckean@usc.edu.au
QUESTIONS?