Strength & Conditioning — all lessons
Coaching and Assessment
Fundamentals of coaching in strength and conditioningAthlete assessment and evaluationPlanning and Periodisation
Periodisation and long-term athlete development (LTAD)Macro-, meso- and microcycle planningPlan, prepare and deliver S&C for sportDeloading and fatigue managementProgramme Design
Progressive overload and programming variables (sets, reps, tempo)Program design for resistance trainingCompound lifts: squat, deadlift and bench variationsPlyometrics and explosive power trainingSpeed and agility program designAerobic endurance trainingAgility, speed and endurance protocolsDesigning individual S&C sessionsPosition-specific drills: team vs individual sportsRecovery
Nutrition, sleep and regeneration strategiesOvertraining: recognition and load monitoringSpeed and agility program design
Developing acceleration, maximal speed and change of direction — sprint mechanics, training methods, agility with decision-making, and programming principles.
Learning objectives
- Describe phases of sprinting and their determinants
- Design acceleration and maximal-speed sessions
- Distinguish change-of-direction speed from agility
- Programme speed and agility within a week
Before this lesson
Why this matters
Speed decides many moments in sport. It is trainable, but only when trained with maximal intent and quality.
Phases of sprinting
| Phase | Key features |
|---|---|
| Acceleration (0–~30 m) | Forward lean, large horizontal force, longer contacts |
| Maximal velocity | Upright, high vertical force, short contacts (~0.1 s) |
| Speed maintenance | Resisting deceleration |
Integrating research and elite practice, Haugen and colleagues highlight maximal-intent sprinting with full recovery, progressive volume and complementary strength work [haugen2019].
Training methods
- Acceleration: 10–30 m sprints, sled pushes/pulls (light to moderate), hill sprints.
- Maximal speed: flying sprints (build-up 20–30 m + 10–30 m fly).
- Technique drills: A-skips, wickets.
- Support: strength and plyometrics.
Rest: roughly 1 min per 10 m sprinted or until fully recovered; total sprint volume often 150–400 m per session.
Agility
Agility = change-of-direction speed + perception and decision-making [sheppard2006]. Train COD mechanics (deceleration, plant, re-acceleration), then add reactive cues (partner mirror, ball, lights).
Common mistakes and misconceptions
Case study
A rugby winger’s 30 m time stalls. The coach replaces short-rest sprint circuits with twice-weekly acceleration and fly sprints with full recovery, plus heavy strength work. 30 m time improves 0.08 s over 8 weeks.
Further learning: video lessons
Video links are only marked “verified” after a human has watched them. Unverified entries open a YouTube search for that channel and topic rather than a guessed link.
Sprint mechanics explained
sprint coaches (search)
You will understand: acceleration and top-speed mechanics
Why: Specialist coaching.
Agility training with decision-making
Science for Sport
You will understand: reactive agility drills
Why: Applied sports science.
Knowledge check
Knowledge check · 0/5
1. Speed training sessions should emphasise…
2. During acceleration, sprinters need…
3. Agility differs from change-of-direction speed by including…
4. Haugen et al. (2019) emphasise that sprint training…
5. A good rest guideline for maximal sprints of ~30 m is about…
Short-answer & application questions
- Design a speed session for footballers in pre-season.
- Convert a COD drill into an agility drill.
- Plan speed work around a match week.
Key takeaways
- Sprint performance depends on horizontal force production in acceleration and high vertical force with short contacts at top speed.
- Speed is trained with maximal-intent sprints and full recovery; volume is low and quality high.
- Agility combines change-of-direction speed with perception and decision-making.
- Strength and power training support, but do not replace, sprint practice.
Connected topics
Plyometrics and explosive power training
functional trainingFunctional workout with agility ladder, hurdles and battle ropes
footballLinear speed, lateral speed and agility drills
cricketSpeed between the wickets and fielding agility
This is the canonical lesson for: Strength & Conditioning → Programme Design
References
- Haugen T, Seiler S, Sandbakk Ø, Tønnessen E (2019). The training and development of elite sprint performance: an integration of scientific and best practice literature. Sports Medicine — Open, 5:44. Narrative review check pending
- Sheppard JM, Young WB (2006). Agility literature review: classifications, training and testing. Journal of Sports Sciences, 24(9):919–932. Narrative review check pending
- Haff GG, Triplett NT (eds) (2016). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (4th ed.). Human Kinetics / NSCA. Textbook check pending
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