XNB379 Strength and Conditioning

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit will allow you to develop your understanding of and practical skills in strength and conditioning for improving sports performance. Practitioners in this field require 1) coaching skills in advanced resistance training, conditioning, speed and agility and skill development techniques; 2) the capacity to plan medium to long term athlete development programs that enhance performance and minimise injury risk, and 3) an understanding of conventional practices in sports conditioning and the limits to their evidence base. In addition, strength and conditioning coaches need to understand the role of technology in the monitoring of athlete performance and signs and symptoms of overtraining and to understand the interdisciplinary nature of their field.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Design exercise for individuals and groups in a range of resistance training techniques, conditioning and skill development sessions;
2. Manage complexity and diversity around the design, implement and modify sports-specific exercise training programs based on the requirements of the sport and the individual athlete;
3. Use load monitoring tools and methodologies to evaluate the efficacy of training programs and athlete responses to them; and

Content

Learning Approaches

Workshop classes will cover evidence for the efficacy and appropriateness of different types of athletic training and strength and conditioning programs and their constituent activities, as well as the principles which govern strength and conditioning program design. This will involve integration of theory and practice including participation in activities to develop practical skills that promote understanding of the demands of strength and conditioning and real-world issues for their implementation in a strength and conditioning program. These scenarios will present a range of sports, different exercise modes, and training modalities.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback to students
You will be provided with detailed feedback for each assessment item across this unit. Workshop activities will include verbal feedback from the instructor and peer assessment for formative purposes.

Assessment

Overview

General Assessment Information
This unit incorporates both formative and summative assessment items, to guide your progress in the unit and the course.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Training Program Portfolio

You are required to develop a Portfolio which showcases your capacity to plan training sessions, incorporate strength and conditioning into training programs, manage recovery and manage long term athletic development programs. You will also demonstrate capacity to accommodate for unexpected enforced changes in that plan that includes injury and unplanned absences.

This portfolio will involve developing a program for an athlete/team and will be split into 3 parts

1. A periodised annual plan
2. A strength and power training program
3. A conditioning training program

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension. 

Assessment: Mid Semester Exam

The Written Exam Assessment is a written account of your knowledge, application of knowledge and practical reasoning, to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcome requirements of the unit XNB379 Strength and Conditioning.

Assessment: VIVA

The Oral Viva Assessment is an oral account of your knowledge, application of knowledge and practical reasoning, conducted in an interview style, to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcome requirements of the unit. This task requires you to respond to real-world scenarios and receive industry feedback to inform career development and employability.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Must complete ESSA APSS Form before conducting any 

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Joyce, D., Lewindon, D., Prisland, A., & Kay, J. (2014). High-performance training for sports . Human Kinetics.

Turner, A., & Comfort, P. (2018). Advanced strength and conditioning : an evidence-based approach . Routledge.

Risk Assessment Statement

You are required to read the Health and Safety Rules for School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Laboratories and Clinics prior to undertaking any of the practicals for this unit. These Health and Safety Rules are provided in electronic form on the online teaching site for this unit and are prominently displayed in hardcopy within the laboratory/clinic. The tutorial components of this unit are practical and involve strenuous physical activity that may present some possible risk of injury or complication. You will be required to complete a pre-participation medical screening questionnaire