Top Benefits of Becoming a Strength and Conditioning Coach

A strength and conditioning coach focuses on athletes and other high-performance clients. As a strength coach, you recognize that weight room training improves sports performance. The type of training each athlete executes transfers to the sport itself.

Exercise prescription for sports teams, individual athletes, and performance-focused clients includes a combination of different training techniques:

• Strength training

• Metabolic conditioning

• Speed

• Agility

Speed and agility alone can help boost your fitness business, so why not take it up a notch?

What Does a Strength and Conditioning Coach Do?

Serving as a strength and conditioning coach allows you to help each athlete improve performance and reduce risk of injury. You are also positioned to help boost athletes' self-esteem, health, and well-being. This helps separate athletes or teams from their competition, leading them to stand out and excel in their position or rank.

You might find yourself working with young athletes, a high school athlete, or even a college athlete. And who is to say you won't be working with elite-level athletes?! No matter the level, working with different teams or athletes involves working with other coaches, such as the head coach or athletic trainer of the sports teams.

It is important to note the differences between a sports coach, personal trainer, and strength coach. This way teams can benefit the most from you. Let's look more into what becoming a strength coach entails.

Certifications and Qualifications for a Strength and Conditioning Coach

If you have a passion for helping athletes achieve a high level of performance, then you should pursue a strength coach certification. The ISSA's Strength and Conditioning course provides students with the tools and resources to be successful. On top of this, it teaches students how to apply the knowledge they acquire.

You must be able to apply it to real-life scenarios. Anyone can accumulate training knowledge, but it does not mean they can properly execute it. Recognized certifications help you learn how to create the best programs for athletes. Employers look for NCCA-accredited exams, especially in the strength and conditioning world.

Identification, communication, and application are key components to the execution of performance training. For athletes to experience results, you must identify areas in need of improvement. Then precisely explain and apply exercise principles to address them. There is nothing better than being able to do what you love and help athletes achieve all their goals.

With the ISSA course, you can study on your own time and receive unlimited educational support. To further your expertise and expand your qualifications pursue a degree in exercise and sport science. An accredited certification paired with a bachelor's degree in an exercise-related field will make you stand out.

Strength and Conditioning Field Experience

A reputable strength and conditioning coach has plenty of hands-on experience. You can pass your certification exam and receive the title Strength and Conditioning Coach, but this does not mean you are a complete expert in the field.

It shows that you achieved the necessary knowledge though to apply to athletic training. Science is constantly changing and without practice executing workouts you will not learn and grow.

Experience is important in all fields. In the strength and conditioning profession, you can decide to do an internship at the end of achieving a bachelor's degree. This will help you get your foot in the door and apply knowledge in a supervised setting.

By shadowing other fitness professionals, you can help them execute proper programs while they're around to help you notice and fix mistakes. When it is just you there's no room for error.

Take every opportunity to learn and grow in the beginning. This way you can become an expert in the application aspect of strength and conditioning.

When you are the head coach, you will be able to help make great teams and athletes.

Benefits of Becoming a Strength and Conditioning Coach

Once you are qualified as a strength and conditioning coach and have plenty of experience, there are many benefits to being in this field.

Flexible Lifestyle

As a strength and conditioning coach, you could have a very flexible schedule. Of course, this depends on your place of work and preference. If your preference does not align or the location demands different hours, you could have a busy schedule. Strength and conditioning work is not a typical 9-5 job. But that could work to your advantage.

You could work with high school coaches or athletes and your schedule could greatly vary. Schools often train high school athletes after they get out of class. Your day could start in the later afternoon, leaving you with open mornings.

If you decide to work with college coaches or athletes, early morning workouts and late afternoon workouts are common. Strength training sessions occur more often. If you are the head strength coach, you can expect to be involved with athlete programs throughout the day.

You still might have a split shift, which could be something you're looking for. You will be up early in the morning and then working later in the day with the entire middle of the day open.

You may also travel with teams and be an available expert to athletes throughout the day. This is all dependent on the level and location of work.

Access to Self-Care

Being a strength and conditioning coach also requires you to almost always be in a gym setting. This keeps you immersed in an environment that benefits your own health and fitness.

By keeping close to exercise resources each day there is no excuse to not take care of yourself. It makes it much easier and more convenient to complete your own workouts.

Networking with Other Fitness Professionals

Building relationships is necessary to build and grow your business. It is a huge part of any fitness profession. As a strength and conditioning coach, you encounter many different people. Some sports teams have 100 athletes. Not including all the position coaches for the sport itself, such as athletic trainers and program directors.

This makes it easier for you to build connections with lots of professionals and teams. You can grow your network and learn from others, leading to growth and development in new positions based on the people you interact with.

Strength and Conditioning Coaches Make an Impact

Not all athletes excel in their sport. Whether you are working with a young athlete or high-level athlete, the main goal is athletic development. At the higher level, you don't have to focus so much on athletic performance. But rather more on strength development and injury prevention.

Each individual athlete is different and requires different skills. This means more specific work is needed. At a younger age, you use more of a general approach for athletic performance. Resistance training can be introduced or it could be just physical education. Fitness coaches should be knowledgeable in sports science to be able to prescribe training for any age.

Regardless, you are influencing athletes to live a healthier lifestyle through strength training. Sports medicine plays a vital role in injury prevention, but also helps build healthy habits and lifestyles. Sports will end one day for most athletes and you have the privilege to help them continue living a healthy and fit life after.

How to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach

Inspired by working with athletes and seeking a profitable and rewarding career? Sign up for the ISSA's Strength and Conditioning course to help all athletes reach their maximum performance.