Strength & Conditioning

Build strength, power and physical capacity for sport and everyday performance

Strength and conditioning uses structured exercise to improve the physical qualities needed for sport, training and demanding everyday activity.

A programme may focus on strength, power, speed, endurance, balance and movement control depending on your goals. It can be suitable for athletes preparing for competition, people returning after injury, recreational exercisers and anyone who wants a more structured approach to becoming stronger and more physically capable.

The aim is not simply to lift heavier weights. Strength and conditioning should prepare your body for the activities you actually want to perform.

What is strength and conditioning?

Strength and conditioning combines different forms of physical training to develop qualities such as:

• Muscle strength
• Power
• Speed
• Physical endurance
• Balance
• Coordination
• Agility
• Running capacity
• Jumping and landing ability
• General conditioning

The exact programme depends on your starting point and goals.

For a runner, this may involve lower-limb strength and calf capacity. A football player may require sprinting and change-of-direction work, while someone returning to general exercise may initially focus on basic strength and conditioning.

Who may benefit from strength and conditioning?

A structured programme may be useful if you want to:

• Become stronger
• Improve sporting performance
• Return to sport after injury
• Prepare for a competitive season
• Increase running capacity
• Improve sprinting or jumping
• Develop power
• Reduce physical limitations after rehabilitation
• Return to gym training
• Improve general fitness
• Build confidence with resistance exercise
• Prepare for more demanding physical activity

You do not need to be a competitive athlete to benefit from strength training.

What happens during your first assessment?

The first session usually begins with a discussion about your activity, training history and goals.

You may be asked about:

• Current exercise
• Sport
• Competition level
• Previous injuries
• Previous surgery
• Current symptoms
• Gym experience
• Running or conditioning
• Training frequency
• Equipment available
• Activities you would like to improve

A physical assessment may then look at:

• Strength
• Balance
• Mobility
• Squatting
• Lunging
• Single-leg control
• Jumping
• Running
• Other sport-specific movements

The purpose is to establish an appropriate starting point rather than automatically giving everyone the same programme.

Developing a strength programme

Strength training involves progressively challenging muscles so that they adapt over time.

Exercises may include:

• Squats
• Split squats
• Lunges
• Step-ups
• Deadlift variations
• Calf raises
• Pressing movements
• Rows
• Pulling exercises
• Loaded carries
• Resistance machines

Exercises can be adapted according to your experience, mobility and available equipment.

The programme should gradually become more challenging as your strength improves.

Progressive overload

For strength to continue improving, exercises usually need to become more demanding over time.

Progression may involve:

• Increasing resistance
• Increasing repetitions
• Adding sets
• Increasing movement range
• Changing exercise difficulty
• Increasing training frequency where appropriate

This does not mean adding weight at every session.

Progress should be gradual and appropriate to how your body is responding.

Lower-body strength

Strong legs are important for:

• Walking
• Running
• Jumping
• Stairs
• Sport
• Lifting
• Changing direction

Lower-body training may include work for the:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Gluteal muscles
• Calves
• Hip muscles

Exercises can progress from basic bodyweight movements towards heavier resistance.

Upper-body strength

Upper-body strength may be important for:

• Contact sport
• Racket sports
• Swimming
• Throwing
• Lifting
• General gym training

Exercises may include:

• Pressing
• Pulling
• Rows
• Overhead movements
• Loaded carries

The selection depends on your sport, injury history and goals.

Single-leg strength

Many sporting movements take place predominantly on one leg.

This includes:

• Running
• Sprinting
• Kicking
• Jumping
• Landing
• Cutting

Single-leg exercises may include:

• Split squats
• Step-ups
• Lunges
• Single-leg calf raises
• Single-leg deadlift variations

These exercises can help develop strength and control that is relevant to sport.

Calf strength

The calf muscles tolerate high repeated forces during running and jumping.

Calf strengthening may involve:

• Double-leg calf raises
• Single-leg calf raises
• Bent-knee calf raises
• Loaded calf raises
• Hopping

Calf training can be particularly important for runners and athletes involved in field or court sports.

Hamstring strength

The hamstrings contribute to:

• Running
• Sprinting
• Hip extension
• Deceleration

Training may include:

• Deadlift variations
• Hamstring curls
• Bridge variations
• Eccentric hamstring exercises
• Higher-speed running preparation

For athletes who sprint, gym-based strength should eventually be combined with exposure to faster running.

Hip and gluteal strength

The hips contribute to:

• Running
• Jumping
• Single-leg control
• Changing direction
• Lifting

Exercises may include:

• Squats
• Split squats
• Step-ups
• Hip-extension exercises
• Single-leg exercises

The aim is to develop useful force and control rather than simply isolating individual muscles.

Core and trunk strength

The trunk helps transfer force between the upper and lower body.

Strength and conditioning may include exercises involving:

• Rotation
• Anti-rotation
• Carrying
• Bending
• Trunk extension
• Abdominal strengthening

There is no need to keep the abdominal muscles permanently braced.

The trunk should be able to produce force when required and move freely during normal activity.

Power training

Power is the ability to produce force quickly.

It can be important for:

• Sprinting
• Jumping
• Throwing
• Accelerating
• Explosive sporting movements

Power training may include:

• Jumps
• Hops
• Bounding
• Medicine-ball exercises where appropriate
• Faster resistance exercises

Power work is generally introduced once there is enough strength and movement control to perform it appropriately.

Jumping and landing

Jumping and landing are important for many sports.

Training may progress from:

• Double-leg jumps
• Single-leg jumps
• Forward jumps
• Side-to-side jumps
• Repeated jumps
• Drop landings

The programme may focus on both producing force and controlling the landing.

Plyometric training

Plyometric training involves rapid movements where muscles produce and absorb force quickly.

Examples include:

• Hopping
• Bounding
• Jumping
• Repeated jumps

Plyometric exercises may help prepare athletes for the faster demands of sport.

The difficulty should increase gradually according to strength and experience.

Running conditioning

For running-based sports, strength training may be combined with structured running.

This can involve:

• Easy running
• Longer running
• Faster running
• Intervals
• Acceleration
• Sprinting

The type of running depends on the sport.

A distance runner requires different conditioning from a football player or sprinter.

Sprint training

Sprinting places high demands on the hamstrings, calves and entire lower body.

Athletes whose sport requires high-speed running may need progressive exposure to:

• Acceleration
• Faster running
• Near-maximal speed
• Repeated sprints

Simply being strong in the gym does not fully prepare the body for sprinting.

Acceleration

Acceleration is the ability to build speed quickly.

It is important in sports such as:

• Football
• Rugby
• Hockey
• Basketball
• Tennis

Training may involve:

• Short accelerations
• Resisted running where appropriate
• Strength work
• Explosive exercises

The programme can become more sport-specific as physical capacity improves.

Deceleration

Stopping quickly places considerable load through the legs.

Training may include:

• Controlled stopping
• Faster deceleration
• Landing into a stop
• Stopping before changing direction

This is particularly relevant for athletes involved in field and court sports.

Change-of-direction training

Sport often requires more than straight-line running.

Training may include:

• Cutting
• Side stepping
• Turning
• Pivoting
• Direction-change drills

Early drills may be pre-planned.

Later training may introduce more speed and reactive movement.

Agility

Agility involves changing direction in response to an external situation.

This may include reacting to:

• Another player
• A ball
• A visual signal
• A coach's instruction

This differs from simply practising a planned cone drill.

For athletes, reactive work may form part of later-stage conditioning.

Balance and coordination

Balance can be included where relevant to sport, injury history or physical goals.

Exercises may progress from:

• Supported single-leg work
• Reaching
• Stepping
• Dynamic balance
• Hopping
• Landing

For athletes, static balance is usually only the starting point.

Cardiovascular conditioning

Strength and conditioning may also include work on physical endurance.

Depending on your goals, this may involve:

• Running
• Cycling
• Rowing
• Circuits
• Interval training
• Sport-specific conditioning

The aim is to prepare you for the duration and intensity of the activity you want to perform.

Conditioning for team sports

Team sports often involve repeated periods of:

• Running
• Sprinting
• Walking
• Changes of direction
• High-intensity effort

Conditioning may therefore use intervals or sport-specific drills rather than continuous exercise alone.

Training should reflect the demands of the sport and position where possible.

Strength and conditioning for runners

Runners may benefit from strength work involving:

• Calves
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Hips
• Trunk

Exercises may include:

• Calf raises
• Split squats
• Squats
• Step-ups
• Deadlift variations

The programme can be adapted around weekly mileage and race preparation so that strength training complements running rather than unnecessarily interfering with it.

Strength and conditioning for football

Football requires a combination of:

• Running
• Sprinting
• Jumping
• Kicking
• Cutting
• Repeated high-intensity activity

A programme may therefore include:

• Lower-body strength
• Hamstring strength
• Groin strength
• Calf strength
• Sprint training
• Jumping
• Change-of-direction work

Training should gradually become closer to match demands.

Strength and conditioning for rugby

Rugby places significant demands on:

• Whole-body strength
• Power
• Sprinting
• Contact
• Conditioning

Training may involve:

• Heavy resistance work
• Sprinting
• Jumping
• Change-of-direction drills
• Conditioning

Position-specific demands can also influence the programme.

Strength and conditioning for racket sports

Tennis, padel, squash and badminton involve:

• Short accelerations
• Lateral movement
• Rotation
• Repeated direction changes
• Upper-body activity

Training may include:

• Single-leg strength
• Calf strength
• Power
• Lateral movement
• Trunk strength
• Shoulder conditioning

The programme should reflect both lower- and upper-body demands.

Strength and conditioning for cyclists

Cyclists may benefit from gym work to develop:

• Leg strength
• Hip strength
• Trunk endurance
• General physical capacity

Exercises may include:

• Squats
• Split squats
• Deadlift variations
• Step-ups

Strength training can complement cycling rather than trying to copy the pedal movement exactly.

Strength and conditioning for teenage athletes

Teenagers can participate in appropriately supervised strength and conditioning.

Programmes should consider:

• Age
• Growth
• Training experience
• Sport
• Competition level

Early training may place greater emphasis on:

• Movement skills
• Technique
• Progressive resistance
• Jumping and landing
• General athletic development

The programme should develop with the athlete rather than simply copying an adult routine.

Strength and conditioning for recreational athletes

You do not need to compete professionally to train in a structured way.

A recreational programme can be developed around goals such as:

• Running a 10K
• Playing weekend football
• Improving gym performance
• Returning to tennis
• Becoming stronger for everyday activity

The level of training should reflect your own goals rather than elite standards.

Strength and conditioning after injury

Strength and conditioning often forms an important bridge between rehabilitation and full activity.

Early physiotherapy may focus on:

• Pain
• Movement
• Basic strength

Later rehabilitation may progress towards:

• Heavier resistance
• Jumping
• Running
• Sprinting
• Sport-specific movement

This helps close the gap between being comfortable in everyday life and being physically ready for sport.

Moving beyond basic rehabilitation

It is common for people to stop rehabilitation once pain improves.

However, pain may settle before full strength has returned.

If your goal involves demanding activity, rehabilitation may need to progress beyond:

• Resistance bands
• Light exercises
• Basic balance work

towards greater resistance, speed and sport-specific training.

Strength training after surgery

Strength and conditioning may form part of later recovery after surgery.

This depends on:

• Type of surgery
• Healing
• Medical restrictions
• Current movement
• Current strength

The programme should follow guidance from the surgical team.

Resistance can then gradually increase as recovery allows.

Returning to gym training

If you have been away from the gym after injury, illness or surgery, returning gradually can help rebuild tolerance.

You may initially reduce:

• Resistance
• Sets
• Training frequency
• Exercise complexity

These can then increase progressively.

The aim is not to remain on very light training indefinitely if your goal is to regain higher levels of strength.

Technique and strength training

Exercise technique is important, particularly when learning a new movement.

However, there is not always one exact movement pattern that every person must use.

Technique can vary according to:

• Body proportions
• Mobility
• Experience
• Goals

The main aim is to perform exercises in a controlled way that is appropriate for your body and allows safe progression.

Lifting heavier weights

Heavier resistance can be useful when the goal is to develop greater strength.

Progression should be gradual.

Before increasing load, consideration may be given to:

• Technique
• Current strength
• Symptoms
• Recovery
• Training experience

Lifting heavier weights is not automatically dangerous when the programme is appropriately planned.

Training volume

Training volume refers to how much work you complete.

This may include:

• Sets
• Repetitions
• Running distance
• Number of sessions
• Conditioning work

Increasing several training variables at the same time may result in a large jump in physical demand.

A structured programme helps organise progression more clearly.

Training intensity

Intensity can refer to:

• Heavier weights
• Faster running
• Harder intervals
• More explosive exercise

An athlete may tolerate a high volume of easier training but struggle when intensity increases quickly.

Training should therefore build both volume and intensity according to the required activity.

Training frequency

How often you train depends on:

• Experience
• Goals
• Sport schedule
• Recovery
• Other physical activity

More sessions are not automatically better.

A programme should provide enough training to create adaptation while allowing recovery between demanding sessions.

Recovery

Strength and physical capacity develop between training sessions as the body adapts to training.

Recovery may be influenced by:

• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Competition
• Work or study
• Other exercise
• Stress
• Illness

The programme may need adjustment during particularly demanding periods.

Strength and conditioning during competition season

Gym training does not necessarily need to stop once competition begins.

The programme may instead be adjusted by reducing:

• Training volume
• Number of exercises
• Frequency

while maintaining enough intensity to preserve strength.

The balance depends on the sport and match schedule.

Pre-season strength and conditioning

Pre-season can be used to progressively rebuild:

• Strength
• Running capacity
• Sprint exposure
• Power
• Sport-specific conditioning

Training can become increasingly similar to competition as the season approaches.

This may help reduce the sudden jump from off-season activity to full competitive demand.

Off-season training

The off-season can provide an opportunity to focus on physical qualities that are more difficult to develop during competition.

This may include:

• Strength
• Power
• Muscle development
• General conditioning

Training can later become more sport-specific as the season approaches.

Strength and conditioning for performance

Performance goals differ between sports.

You may want to improve:

• Sprint speed
• Jump height
• Strength
• Running economy
• Power
• Ability to repeat high-intensity efforts

Testing can help identify which physical qualities are most relevant to your goal.

The programme can then prioritise these areas.

Strength and conditioning for general health

Not every programme needs to be performance-focused.

Strength training can also help people who want to:

• Remain physically active
• Become stronger for daily life
• Improve confidence with exercise
• Maintain mobility
• Improve general fitness

The programme can be simpler while still being progressive.

Exercise selection

There is rarely one exercise that everyone must perform.

Exercise selection can depend on:

• Your goals
• Equipment
• Experience
• Injury history
• Mobility
• Sport

If one movement is uncomfortable or unsuitable, an alternative can often train the same physical quality.

Free weights and machines

Both free weights and resistance machines can be useful.

Free weights may provide more movement freedom, while machines can make it easier to target particular muscles or provide a stable training position.

Neither option is automatically superior.

The best choice depends on the exercise goal and individual.

Bodyweight training

Bodyweight exercises can provide an appropriate starting point.

Examples include:

• Squats
• Lunges
• Push-ups
• Step-ups
• Calf raises

As strength improves, additional resistance may be needed to continue progressing.

Bodyweight training does not have to remain the only form of resistance.

Resistance bands

Resistance bands can be useful during rehabilitation or for certain exercises.

However, an athlete preparing for demanding sport may eventually require greater resistance than bands alone can provide.

Bands can form one part of a programme rather than being the only form of strength training.

Monitoring progress

Progress can be measured in several ways.

This may include:

• Increased resistance
• More repetitions
• Improved jump performance
• Faster sprint times
• Better conditioning
• Increased training tolerance
• Improved confidence

Objective testing may be useful where performance goals are more specific.

Re-testing

Selected tests can be repeated after a period of structured training.

This may include:

• Strength tests
• Jump tests
• Hop tests
• Running tests
• Sprint tests

Re-testing can help determine whether the programme is producing the intended changes.

Training can then be adjusted accordingly.

More is not always better

A good programme does not need a large number of exercises.

A smaller number of well-chosen movements performed consistently and progressed appropriately can be more effective than completing a long routine without clear purpose.

The programme should fit around:

• Sport
• Work
• Recovery
• Other training

so that it remains practical.

Strength training and soreness

Some muscular soreness can occur after unfamiliar or demanding exercise.

This may be more noticeable when:

• Starting a new programme
• Increasing resistance
• Returning after time away

Soreness should generally settle.

Sharp, severe or progressively worsening pain should not simply be assumed to be normal training soreness.

What if an exercise hurts?

Not every sensation during exercise means something is being damaged.

However, an exercise may need modification if pain is:

• Severe
• Increasing
• Affecting normal movement afterwards
• Persisting for longer than expected

Resistance, technique, range or exercise selection can often be adjusted.

Persistent symptoms may require further assessment.

Strength and conditioning alongside physiotherapy

Strength and conditioning can work alongside physiotherapy.

Individual physiotherapy may initially focus on:

• Assessment
• Pain
• Movement
• Injury-specific rehabilitation

As recovery progresses, strength and conditioning may develop:

• Higher-level strength
• Power
• Running
• Jumping
• Conditioning
• Sport-specific capacity

This provides a clearer progression towards full activity.

Strength and conditioning alongside sport

Gym training should support the sport rather than leave you too fatigued to perform it.

The programme should consider:

• Training days
• Match days
• Running sessions
• Recovery

Heavy lower-body training immediately before an important competition may not always be appropriate.

Weekly planning can help balance physical development with sporting performance.

Strength and conditioning alongside running

Strength training and running can be combined.

The schedule may need to consider:

• Long runs
• Speed sessions
• Recovery runs
• Heavy leg training

The aim is to obtain the benefits of both without consistently completing every demanding session at the same time.

When individual assessment may be needed

A general strength programme may not be the appropriate starting point if you currently have:

• A new injury
• Significant pain
• Major joint swelling
• Significant weakness
• Repeated joint instability
• Recent surgery with restrictions
• Unexplained loss of physical function

An individual physiotherapy or medical assessment may be more appropriate before higher-level training begins.

When further medical assessment may be needed

Seek appropriate assessment if you experience:

• Severe or rapidly worsening pain
• Significant swelling
• Inability to put weight through a limb
• New significant weakness
• Persistent numbness
• Chest pain during exercise
• Fainting
• Unexplained significant breathlessness
• A major new injury

These symptoms should not simply be trained through.

Training based on your goals

Strength and conditioning should be built around what you actually want to achieve.

Your goals may include:

• Becoming stronger
• Running faster
• Jumping higher
• Returning to sport
• Improving gym performance
• Preparing for competition
• Increasing running distance
• Improving physical confidence
• Returning after injury
• Maintaining general fitness

The programme can be adjusted as those goals change.

How long does a strength and conditioning programme take?

There is no fixed duration.

Strength and physical capacity develop gradually.

The length of a programme depends on:

• Starting level
• Training experience
• Goals
• Sport
• Previous injuries
• Training frequency
• Competition schedule

Some people may use structured coaching for a short training block.

Others may continue strength and conditioning as part of their normal long-term training.

The programme should continue progressing rather than remaining unchanged indefinitely.