XNB379 Strength and Conditioning

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, 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 monitoring athlete performance and signs and symptoms of overtraining and 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 including various resistance training techniques, conditioning and skill development sessions;
2. Manage complexity of the design, implement and modification of sports-specific exercise training sessions based on the requirements of the sport and the individual athlete, including age, gender and diversity
3. Apply load monitoring methodologies to evaluate the efficacy of training sessions and athlete responses to them
4. Examine complex concepts and assess and construct arguments regarding strength and conditioning practices

Content

Learning Approaches

Classes will cover the evidence for the efficacy and appropriateness of different types of athletic training and strength and conditioning sessions and programs and their constituent activities, as well as the principles which govern strength and conditioning session and program design. This will involve the 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 sessions and programs. These scenarios will present a range of sports, different exercise modes, and training modalities.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback to students

Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:

• verbal and/or written feedback on each piece of formative and summative assessment during the semester;
• criteria sheet grading;
• comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets;
• generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas.

Assessment marking will be completed by academic staff and industry partners.

You are encouraged to communicate with the unit coordinator or unit tutor if you have any questions or concerns about the assessment items.

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 that 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 the capacity to accommodate for unexpected enforced changes in that plan, including injury and unplanned absences.

This portfolio will involve using appropriate software to develop a program for an athlete/team and will be split into three parts submitted progressively throughout the semester:

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

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

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

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

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.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, 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. (2021). High-performance training for sports, 2nd Edition. Human Kinetics.

Turner, A., & Comfort, P. (2022). Advanced strength and conditioning : an evidence-based approach, 2nd Edition. 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

Course Learning Outcomes

XN50 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science

1. Design and deliver exercise assessments and programs to meet the specific needs of contemporary sport, exercise and health contexts.
   Relates to: Training Program Portfolio
2. Apply problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning to implement, analyse and evaluate evidence-based interventions for diverse clients and stakeholders.
   Relates to: Training Program Portfolio, Mid Semester Exam, VIVA
3. Communicate and collaborate to transfer complex knowledge to clients and health professionals in a culturally safe manner.
   Relates to: Training Program Portfolio
4. Apply knowledge and skills within the professional, legislative, and ethical standards of practice.
   Relates to: Training Program Portfolio, VIVA