ABSTRACT

This book takes a radically different approach to the challenge of coaching in strength and conditioning. In doing so, it addresses many of the paradoxes of strength and conditioning, providing new perspectives that shed light on to the many questions that challenge coaches.

Rather than focusing on methods, it delves into the questions of what makes a coach effective. It examines the conditions that are necessary for training applications to become optimal, and the skills necessary to create these conditions. It provides coaches with a flexible pathway towards understanding the challenges of strength and conditioning and by which they can develop the craft of coaching to maximise their effectiveness and potential.

The book is essential reading for anyone wishing to pursue a career as a strength and conditioning coach, acting essentially as a prequel to the many scientific and applied texts in the field. It will also appeal to more experienced coaches providing a wider perspective on the challenges they face and providing potential solutions not traditionally considered.

chapter |8 pages

Introduction

part I|59 pages

Finding the path

chapter 2|12 pages

Our knowledge illusion

The challenge of evidence-based practice

chapter 3|22 pages

Towards a new way of thinking

The training ecosystem

chapter 4|10 pages

Thriving in a performance ecosystem

The five minds of the modern strength and conditioning coach

part II|79 pages

Preparing the path

chapter 5|19 pages

Know thyself

The first step on the path to coaching success

chapter 6|17 pages

Building a successful ecosystem

The forgotten rock of effective practice

chapter 7|30 pages

Building the coaching toolkit

The personal skills needed for ecosystem construction

chapter 8|11 pages

Making effective decisions and generating workable solutions

Key tools for the modern coach

part III|72 pages

Planning the path

chapter 9|19 pages

Using the generally accepted training principles

The pillars of effective training

chapter 10|13 pages

Reverse engineering the path to success

chapter 11|18 pages

Where are we now?

Assessing performance

chapter 12|20 pages

Skill

The forgotten aspect of strength and conditioning

part IV|109 pages

Taking the path

chapter 13|24 pages

Developing gamespeed

Improving context-specific movement

chapter 14|36 pages

Developing gameforce

Improving context-specific force capacities

chapter 15|20 pages

Developing game-sustainability

Improving context-specific work capacity

chapter 16|25 pages

Developing your gameplan

Strategic and agile planning for performance

chapter 17|2 pages

The next steps

Moving towards mastery of the craft of coaching