Strength and Conditioning for Sport

It won’t be too long before the 2020 winter sport season starts! The question is - “Are you Ready?". Being de-conditioned or under-prepared for your sport can lead to injuries throughout the season and time away from the activities you enjoy. This is where strength and conditioning for sport comes in to play. If elite athletes have their own strength and conditioning programs, it is a no brainer to have your very own program to prevent injuries and to take your sporting season to the next level.

At a high level, strength and conditioning comes down to two focuses, namely having a certain degree of General Physical Preparedness (GPP) which is then followed by Specific Physical Preparedness (SPP). A solid GPP requires a certain degree of strength, speed, agility, balance, mobility, flexibility and power - all of which are important to be able to handle the rigours of sport. Some examples include having good hamstring flexibility for kicking a ball or having strong hip stabilisers to run well.

A routine focusing on SPP will then look to improve on a good physical foundation to be more specific to the sport of choice. This involves training to achieve good skill and technique for the sport, which will help improve sporting ability and prevent injuries. Being physically fit doesn’t always mean that we will be ready for sport. Put it this way - there really isn’t a point in owning a new, powerful Ferrari if we don’t learn to drive it well, is there?

Injuries are painful and can potentially force you to sit out a good part of the sporting season. If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail. The good news is that our physio’s are just as passionate about sport as you, from Paediatrics through to elite level, and we can help you prepare properly for the season ahead. Book online or call (02) 4861 1223 for an appointment.