Mike Dowd
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!!

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

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

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)

Coaches may work in a plethora of different
places
 Schools
▪ High schools, colleges
 Fitness Centers
 Physical Therapy clinics
 Professional sports teams



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

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


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

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
 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

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

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



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.



This type of stretching is important for precompetition
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


This type of stretching is important for postcompetition
This includes stretching and holding a specific
muscle
 Usually 10-30 seconds

Benefits for this include:
 Increases overall flexibility
 Reduces recovery time for muscles


Should mimic game situations
Benefits for sport specific warm-up:
 Improved speed
 More power output
 Better coordination
 Overall better sports performance

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

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

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
Ouch!!
My back
hurts!!
BAD FORM
PROPER FORM

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

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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&ved=0CD8QFjAA&
url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamivalleyhospital.org%2FWorkArea%2Flinkit.aspx%3FLinkId
entifier%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%3
D2865671%26d%3D1290008940&ei=O5wSUezwLOjk0gGrr4DYBw&usg=AFQjCNHdONEC
V3qkIlr8MhxGiM515sOdTQ&bvm=bv.41934586,d.dmQ
http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/policy/scguidelines.pdf
http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/strength-and-conditioning-coach