SP7007 - Applied Strength & Conditioning

The taught content will be delivered and provided in a variety of formats, and you will be able to access materials on the eLP. There will be the opportunity to work in smaller groups with discipline specific members of staff who will facilitate context driven discussion and learning. You will also be set independent tasks informed by key literature to complete outside of class time to further develop your understanding of the taught content.



You will study the scientific underpinning to each topic during your independent study and classroom sessions, and then critically apply this knowledge in practical classes to foster an understanding of how to apply scientific evidence to practice. A range of material will be provided as required reading prior to each session, including original research, podcasts and web logs. Classroom sessions will work with this material and your existing understanding to engage you with the topic under study. During practical’s you will apply this knowledge to the prescription and instruction of training interventions aimed at enhancing athletic performance. The module will culminate in a practical assessment where you will be required to design and coach training interventions aimed at specific physical qualities for a specific sport/athlete. The nature of this assessment is similar to that required of the UK Strength & Conditioning Association accreditation process. You will also be expected to defend your coaching intervention, and answer questions on the scientific underpinning to the intervention/training in an individual viva voce.

Module information, assessment requirements and expectations, and important module announcements will be made through the eLP. Material to support your learning will be uploaded in advance of sessions. You will be provided with content verbally and guided through tasks during timetabled sessions. A dedicated assessment session will afford you the opportunity to ask assessment related questions in class. The Module Leader is there to support you with any queries that you may have about the module content, and all staff members provide tutorial time outside of class time. Module tutors will provide you with the necessary information on how to arrange a tutorial. You will have the opportunity to receive formative feedback on your development during the module, and you will receive feedback on summative work to help you identify areas of strength and areas for development. There will be the opportunity to discuss your feedback with a member of staff during a tutorial. There is also further academic skills support available from the University Library services.



You will be expected to engage with extensive independent reading and critical discussion with both their peers and members of staff. This will be supported both in-class and by online resources, and will include required reading prior to each session in a “flipped classroom” approach. An online community learning space will be provided for students to share resources amongst peers, which the module tutor will monitor and engage with to answer questions and prompt discussion outside of taught sessions. Throughout the taught content of the module, you will be challenged to defend your approach to strength and conditioning coaching, and answer questions on the scientific underpinning to training, to prepare you for the viva voce.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:

Critically analyse and evaluate the use, and importance of, athletic development strategies that aim to improve indices of sports performance.

Critically defend the application of science and evidence to practice in the context of strength and conditioning training.



Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Demonstrate professional standard practical competency in the coaching and/or technical knowledge of selected exercises including weightlifting.



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):



Communicate effectively in a professional context.

This module requires completion of one piece of summative assessment, being:

Individual Practical Assessment & viva voce (100% weighting, 45 min, K&U 1,2, IPSA 3, PVA 4):

This assessment considers the importance of practical competency and technical knowledge of specific activities which underpin the work of strength and conditioning professionals. You will be required to demonstrate and coach the key technical aspects of an exercise aimed at training for strength or power (10 min, 20% weighting), and design and coach an appropriate session utilising speed and/or plyometrics to enhance performance for a specific sport (15 min, including an appropriate warm-up, 20% weighting). Subsequent to this you will critically defend your delivery and articulate your understanding of the scientific underpinning to training in an individual viva voce (20 min, 60% weighting). The nature of this assessment is aligned with the requirements for accreditation as a strength and conditioning coach with the UK strength and conditioning association.

The lecturer will be responsible for guiding you in your pursuit of knowledge, providing formative feedback during this process. This will take the form of questions prompting you to question your new knowledge, and verbal feedback on the depth and criticality of your interactions with the topic under study. Written summative feedback will be provided. Both generic (posted to the e-learning portal) and individual summative feedback will be provided on assessment components.

Summative Feedback

You will receive written or audio feedback on your summative assessment to help you identify areas of strength and areas for development. There will be the opportunity to discuss your feedback with a member of staff during a tutorial.

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Applied Techniques in Strength and Conditioning will enable you to critically engage with the scientific underpinning and practical delivery of a range the module aims to enable you to demonstrate a thorough understanding of both the theoretical and practical basis of professional strength and conditioning strategies that are used with a view to improving athletic performance. This primarily practical module seeks to re-enforce your experiences in the fundamentals of strength and conditioning practice and is mostly delivered within the Sports Central facility. You wil study the scientific underpinning to a range of training modalities including; resistance training, plyometrics, endurance training, linear and multidirectional speed. and more. The module content is aligned with the requirements for industry (UKSCA) accreditation, and the content designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge required to achieve this standard.