When you become a strength and conditioning coach, you will work with some of the world’s premier athletes, creating workout programmes designed to improve performance levels and physical fitness.

To help you gain a better understanding of this role and how you can pursue it, this article will detail:

• About a Strength and Conditioning Coaches’ Job
• Qualifications Required to Become a Strength & Conditioning Coach
• What Are Strength and Conditioning Coach Apprenticeships?
• Do I Need to Gain UK Strength and Conditioning Association Accreditation to Find Employment?
• How Much Do Strength and Conditioning Coaches Earn?
• Where You Can Work as a Strength and Conditioning Coach?
• Do You Need Insurance to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach?
• How You Can Develop Your Business as a Strength and Conditioning Coach?

If you want to create bespoke workout programmes for clients of all abilities enquire about OriGym’s Personal Training Diploma. Upon completion, you will be qualified to work with a wider demographic from gym goers to athletes.

Alternatively, you can download our free course prospectus to learn more about this course!

About a Strength and Conditioning Coaches’ Job

To understand how to become a strength and conditioning coach in the UK, you need to know what the role involves.

Strength and conditioning coaches primarily work with athletes, helping them to advance their physical fitness as they prepare to compete in events.

This form of training is extremely beneficial for athletes as it helps build their physical endurance and overall strength. In addition to this, it’s also been found to improve range of motion and significantly reduce the risk of injuries.

While working as a strength and conditioning coach, you’ll be responsible for fulfilling duties such as:

• Writing tailored programmes for athletes
• Creating periodised workout schedules
• Carrying out team training and one-on-one sessions
• Monitoring the physical and mental well-being of athletes
• Liaising with medical staff to help with the rehabilitation of athletes

Keep in mind that the job description of a strength and conditioning coach and their corresponding responsibilities will differ depending on where you’re employed.

For example, some areas you could find employment include:

• Gyms & Fitness Clubs
• Schools, colleges and universities
• With professional sports teams

You may even decide you want to specialise in a particular sport such as football. This will help you to hone your niche and develop your training for those specific athletes.

Qualifications Required to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach

To become a strength and conditioning coach in the UK, you’ll need to undergo training and receive the correct qualifications.

There are two main pathways you can take when pursuing this career: either you can attend university and study for a higher education degree, or you can enrol on a vocational training course.

Let’s explore these options in more detail.

Complete a Vocational Course to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach

People have the misconception that completing a vocational course to become a strength and conditioning coach in the UK carries less value than holding a university degree.

However, these qualifications are just as valuable in the eyes of employers and have significantly grown in popularity among aspiring professionals.

This is because vocational training courses are beneficial if you’re a student:

• Operating on a budget – Most of these qualifications cost a fraction of what it would cost to study for one year at university. In addition to this, they can also be paid for upfront or in instalments to suit your financial needs.
• Wanting to qualify quickly – Many aspiring professionals are put off by the thought of studying for 3 or more years. With vocational training, you can qualify in a matter of weeks!
• Looking to be in demand with employers – Employers will often list vocational training courses among their desired attributes of a candidate, some may even list variations rather than one specific certification.

To prepare you for a career as an S&C coach, you can earn a Personal Trainer Diploma. This course can be completed in as little as 4 weeks, and combines both:

• Level 2 Gym Instructor Certification
• Level 3 Personal Training Qualification 

With this qualification, you will be able to train large groups as well as work with clients on a one-to-one basis, creating bespoke exercise programmes that help them meet their unique goals.

When hiring for Strength and Condition coach roles, employers will typically ask candidates to hold a minimum of a Level 3 Personal Training qualification. This can be seen in the example below from T4 Physio Clinic:

For reference, CIMSPA (The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity) is an accrediting body that endorses courses which meet the national standards.

You should therefore choose a provider that has received CIMSPA endorsement, otherwise employers may not consider you for the position, believing your credentials to be invalid.

Will I Need a University Degree to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach?

There are a select number of Universities across the UK that offer both BSc and Masters degrees in Strength and Conditioning Coaching and similar topics. But the question is, are these qualifications a necessity to work as an S&C coach?

The answer is no, you don’t need a higher education degree to become a strength and conditioning coach.

Employers will still consider applicants who have completed these courses, but by no means is it a ‘necessity’. As stated in the section above, a vast amount of employers will also consider applicants who have completed a Level 3 Personal Trainer course.

The qualities of a desired candidate will always be made evident in a job application, so be sure to read this thoroughly to determine whether a degree or a vocational training qualification is needed.

When deciding whether vocational training or higher education is right for you, there are a number of things to consider. First and foremost is the cost of university qualifications, we have listed an example price of annual fees for both UK and International students below:

After completing this undergraduate course, you could be left with a minimum of £27,250 in debt! Interest rates could also inflate this number, meaning you’ll be paying back even more over time.

On top of this, you also need to consider the time commitment of studying in higher education. The average course takes 3 years to complete, which is a huge commitment to make, compared to vocational training which is entirely self-paced.

What Are Strength and Conditioning Coach Apprenticeships?

Following your initial training, you will undoubtedly be eager to gain some workplace experience. Apprenticeships/Internships provide you with a great opportunity to get your foot in the door within this highly competitive field.

Application processes may differ from one apprenticeship programme to the next, with each programme provider having their own unique requirements!

Some employers may ask you to submit a CV and cover letter detailing why you’re suited for the role. However, others may have a premade questionnaire you need to fill out in order for the employer to assess your suitability.

If your application is successful, you will be able to work alongside strength and conditioning coaches, assisting in their day-to-day responsibilities. This helps you to develop specialist knowledge while also honing your practical coaching skills.

During these positions, you will get to experience the day-to-day responsibilities of a strength and conditioning coach, working alongside industry professionals who are already employed in this capacity.

An example of one of these internship programmes can be found below from DoTraining, which lists the responsibilities a chosen candidate will have to take upon successful application:

This is just one example of an internship programme currently running in the UK! But if you want to work with a specific athlete or even if you have a coach you admire and wish to train under, it’s always worth conducting your own research to find the right program for your needs!

Do I Need to Gain UK Strength and Conditioning Association Accreditation to Find Employment?

The UK Strength & Conditioning Association (UKSCA) is a professional body that aims to regulate strength and conditioning practitioners in the UK. In recent years, there have been a lot of misconceptions regarding this organisation and whether it’s necessary to receive accreditation from them.

Much like a university degree, while this accreditation is recognised by some employers, it’s not a necessity to become a strength and conditioning coach.

For example, the job advertisement below highlights that some employers will consider this additional accreditation as a ‘desirable’ quality, rather than a necessity:

Therefore we can confidently say that this accreditation is not a necessity in order to become a strength and conditioning coach. You can still apply for jobs and operate in the position without undergoing this process.

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To find out more about how to become a strength and conditioning coach and succeed in the industry, check out these articles below:

• • How to Write a Strength and Conditioning Coach CV
  • How to Write a Strength and Conditioning Coach Cover Letter
  • Fun Group Fitness Ideas

How Much Do Strength and Conditioning Coaches Earn?

As you can see below, Payscale states a Strength & Conditioning Coach can earn anywhere between £18,000 – £46,000 with an average of £25,000:

However, these figures can vary depending on factors such as your location. For example, as a result of the higher cost of living in London, salaries will be higher here than elsewhere in the country.

As you can see from this figure from Glassdoor below, the average salary of a Strength & Conditioning Coach in London is £33,000:

These salaries are reflective of the area so while it appears on the surface that Strength & Conditioning Coaches in London are paid a higher salary, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have more income.

Another factor influencing salary is who you work with. Roles which involve training athletes and serious sports professionals will have higher salaries than working in a regular gym.

For example, this post from Athletic Performance Academy is advertising for a Strength & Conditioning Coach at Bromley Tennis Centre with a salary starting at £30,000 per year:

When compared with a similar role at a general gym, you can see how much more lucrative this area of employment is:

However, applying for roles such as this is the ideal way to gain experience so you can progress to more advanced positions training athletes.

To learn more about your earning potential, check out our in-depth article on ‘the average salary of a strength and conditioning coach’ here.

Where You Can Work as a Strength and Conditioning Coach?

As stated in the introduction of this article, you can become a strength & conditioning coach by finding employment at one of the following institutions:

• Professional sports teams and athletes
• Gyms & Fitness Clubs
• Schools, colleges and universities
• Your own strength and conditioning business

Let’s take a look at some of the responsibilities you’ll be required to carry out in each of these institutions and how much you could earn while employed in this capacity.

#1 – Professional Sports Teams & Athletes

If you’re researching ‘how to become a strength and conditioning coach’ it’s likely you desire to work with professional athletes at an elite level.

It’s understandable why this role is so attractive to many aspiring professionals. As an S&C coach at this level, you could earn between £35,000 – £40,000 or more per year, a figure which is highlighted below from British Swimming:

The role would require you to develop strength and conditioning programmes for para-swimmers. These programmes will then be used to strengthen, adjust, and taper their physical performances in preparation for competitions.

If you’re looking for other opportunities to work for professional teams, there are chances to work as an S&C coach for football, cricket, and rugby teams around the world.

Just be aware, due to the competitive nature of these roles the employer will likely prioritise applicants with more experience. So if you’re newly qualified, this may not be a role you can just jump into.

#2 – Gyms & Fitness Clubs

Strength and conditioning coaches have become a popular feature of gyms and fitness centres. So much so, that these positions are considered the perfect entry point for newly qualified individuals.

You can expect to carry out a range of tasks, such as:

• Creating and delivering valuable training sessions
• Maintaining and cleaning the gym space
• Directing gym members to use equipment safely
• Carry out gym inductions
• Teach group sessions with relevant qualifications

This position can also offer a great starting salary. For example, the ad below for Beyond in Winchester shows the successful candidate will start earning at least £20,000 per year:

If you’re new to the industry, working in a gym is a great way to gain experience in a fitness environment alongside like-minded individuals. This can go a long way to boosting your confidence, which will be needed when training athletes.

#3 – Schools, Colleges, & Universities

If you want to inspire the next generation of professional athletes, why not become a strength and conditioning coach within the education sector?

Here you can train students and help them improve their physical performance ahead of school competitions.

Other responsibilities may include:

• Planning and delivering individual workout programmes
• Supervising the class or individual workouts for safety purposes
• Liaising with students, other teachers, and parents

For a better insight into what responsibilities are associated with this role, check out this advertisement for an S&C coach at Scarisbrick Hall School:

In this role, you could expect to earn between £23,000 – £25,550 as you train students who are passionate about pursuing sports in their adult lives.

#4 – Owning Your Strength & Conditioning Business

After years of working as a contracted strength and conditioning coach, you may decide it’s time to run your own business.

In this position, your earning potential is limitless and uncapped, influenced by factors such as the prices you set and the number of clients you take on.

Since you’ll become your own boss, you’ll need to put a lot of hard work to make your business a success, performing tasks such as:

• Securing clients
• Marketing your business
• Building brand awareness
• Managing finances

Having previous experience in a contracted role will benefit you here. Once you have a loyal client base, you will be able to launch your own business with the reassurance that many of them will follow you.

Do You Need Insurance to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach?

Before you officially become a strength and conditioning coach, you’ll need to ensure you’re covered with the correct insurance.

While there are many insurance providers to choose from, you’ll specifically want to choose a provider who includes the following policies in their coverage:

• Public Liability Insurance – This offers protection in the event clients claim any injuries or damage they’ve suffered are due to workouts you’ve set.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance – This aims to protect you from instances where clients make claims that they were offered poor advice or an unprofessional service.

Certain employers may offer insurance as part of your contract, but this isn’t always guaranteed so it’s best to purchase this for yourself.

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Still want to learn more, give these articles a read:

• HIIT Class Plan
• Alternative Fitness Classes
• Circuit Class Plan

How You Can Develop Your Business as a Strength and Conditioning Coach?

After you’ve become a strength and conditioning coach you can still progress your career by offering additional services that complement your existing practice.

In doing so, you can attract a new demographic of clients and increase your income! Here are some qualifications that can help you achieve these goals.

#1 – Become a Personal Trainer

Achieving a Level 3 Personal Trainer Diploma can help enhance your services as a strength and conditioning coach.

While on this course, you will learn how to plan and deliver bespoke training programmes designed to meet your client’s specific needs and goals.

This can help you expand your business as you will be able to work with clients who have broader fitness goals, such as losing weight. You won’t be confined to specifically working with athletes looking to improve their performance.

It can also increase your employment prospects with employers who are looking for a personal trainer and strength and conditioning such as The Fitness Boxx in Crewe:

So, if you’re ready to learn a new set of skills to build on your knowledge as a strength and conditioning coach, be sure to complete a Personal Training Diploma to expand your business.

#2 – Offer Nutritionist Services

Through the completion of OriGym’s Sports Nutrition Courses, you can develop additional expertise in a field that complements your existing S&C services.

Once obtained, you will be able to offer nutrition advice and recommend meal plans that suit a client’s specific goals of improving their performance. This can also take into account what they should eat during basic training days, as well as before and after a competition.

Offering this service will increase your overall value as a strength and conditioning coach, meaning you will be able to charge more for your services.

#3 – Sports Massage Therapist

Becoming a Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy Course is a great rehabilitative skill to combine with strength and conditioning!

Once qualified, you will be able to offer sports massage treatments that reduce the risk of injury in athletes and even help to reduce their rehabilitation time. In addition to this, knowing what causes these injuries in the first place can improve your training programmes.

On top of this, you will be able to provide clients with treatments following their training sessions or competitions that have been tailored to improve their overall performance.

Before You Go!

Now you know how to become a strength and conditioning coach, you’ll be able to pursue a rewarding career training athletes for future competitions.

Enquire about OriGym’s Level 3 PT Diploma and begin deepening your knowledge and developing the skills required to find success in this role.

Alternatively, you can download our FREE prospectus for more info about this and all other OriGym courses!

If you want to know what a typical strength and conditioning coaches salary is, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we discuss:

• Average Salary For Strength And Conditioning Coaches In The UK
• How Does The Average Strength & Conditioning Coach Salary Increase With Experience?
• How Does The Institution You Work For Affect Your Salary?
• Can Your Location Influence Your Strength and Conditioning Pay?
• Tips for Boosting Your Salary With Additional Qualifications

Before we begin, have you considered a career as a personal trainer? With our Personal Training Diploma you can become a fully qualified fitness professional in as little as 4 weeks!

Learn more about OriGym courses by downloading a free course prospectus here.

Average Salary For Strength And Conditioning Coaches In The UK

One of the first questions you might have when considering becoming a strength and condition coach is “does the role pay enough to meet your financial expectations”.

To understand the starting salary a strength and conditioning coach could earn you, analysing data gathered from job websites such as Indeed and Glassdoor is a good place to start.

If you visit the Indeed website, you’ll learn that the average salary of a strength and conditioning coach in the UK is £26,165:

This only illustrates part of what you could earn in this role since strength and conditioning is an umbrella term, encompassing different roles.

With this in mind, it’s equally important to understand the lowest and highest salaries you could earn.

Glassdoor provides information about your salary expectations, illustrating the amounts you could earn from the data they’ve collated:

Now that you’ve gained insight into the salary ranges you could earn as a strength and conditioning coach, let’s discuss how these salaries can be impacted by the following factors.

The Average Strength & Conditioning Coach Salary Increases With Experience

It will come as no surprise that your salary as a strength and conditioning coach will increase as you gain more experience in this role.

The reason you’re earning potential increases as you spend more time in the role is you develop skills that allow you to take on new responsibilities and gain promotions.

The employment pyramid below demonstrates one way you can utilise your experience to take on more demanding roles and increase your yearly salary over time.

Let’s take a look at the jobs you could undertake from the employment pyramid based on your experience and what responsibilities and salaries you could have.

1. Strength and Conditioning Internships (£17,000 per annum)

At the bottom of the employment pyramid, one of the first roles you will likely undertake is that of a strength and conditioning intern.

This is true if you’re nearing completion of your level 4 strength and conditioning qualification, making you eligible to become a strength and conditioning coach intern at a football club.

A football strength and conditioning salary is difficult to secure at this stage with many clubs offering internships instead, either as free placements or as minimum wage positions, such as the one offered here by Peterborough United Football Club:

An internship offers you the chance to work in a sporting environment but also demonstrates your abilities to increase your future employment prospects.

2.Strength and Conditioning Graduate Roles (£21,000 per annum)

After completion of your level 4 strength and conditioning degree, you may consider applying for a graduate role.

This role allows you to understand how to plan and deliver sessions for aspiring athletes coupled with assisting the head coach with pre-event warm-ups.

If you were passionate about rugby, on the UKSCA website, you could apply for a graduate teaching assistant role to develop your strength and conditioning skills:

In a graduate strength and conditioning role, you can earn up to £21,000 depending on the organisation advertising the position.

It’s also a great opportunity to gain experience and has demonstrable skills you can use as evidence to secure another position further up the employment pyramid.

3. Strength and Conditioning Academy Coach (£23,000 per annum)

If you’re a new graduate or have significant S&C experience, applying for an academy role might be worth considering.

This is a great opportunity to impress your future employer through their training programme and potentially secure employment with them.

Fitness Mastery, for instance, offers graduates the opportunity to complete their training programme and receive guaranteed employment upon completion:

In an academy role, it’s possible to earn up to £23,000 as this reflects your experience as well as being trained to industry standards for the work you carry out in the future for your employer

4. Strength and Conditioning Coaching Assistant Salary (£25,000 per annum)

After the successful completion of a graduate position or internship, you might want to apply for a coaching role as the next progressive step in your strength and conditioning career.

It’s a perfect role to demonstrate the strength and conditioning coach skills you’ve developed and apply them to optimise an athlete’s performance.

Jason Floyd Golf Academy has recently advertised for a strength and conditioning coach who can assist with strength training and nutritional advice:

It’s important to note that strength and conditioning assistant salaries can vary depending on the level of expertise required.

If you’re in a position that requires you to assist with youth set-ups, you’ll likely be paid less than a position working with a first-team squad in a professional capacity.

5. First Team Strength and Conditioning Coach (£35,000 per annum)

To work in a first-team as a strength and conditioning coach you need to have extensive experience and a proven track record to secure this position.

If you’re a new graduate, you may find it difficult to work for a first team, unless it’s being offered by a semi-professional sporting outfit.

Reading the job description below from Wrexham AFC, you can see that they want to hear from applicants who hold these qualities:

You’ll increase your employment prospects in this role if you manage to gain work in different sports settings and have accredited qualifications for this field of work.

6. Head of Strength and Conditioning Salary (UK) (£55,000 per annum)

It takes several years of education and experience to earn a head strength and conditioning coach salary.

To be effective in this role, you’ll need the ability to manage and lead a department to help deliver programmes for athletes.

The University of Pennsylvania, for example, is looking for the next head of its strength and training department who possesses these qualities:

The salary of the head of the strength and conditioning department can vary between positions with major sporting outfits offering salaries up to £55,000 per annum.

This is because prices can vary between organisations and between different sporting types who are looking to hire a strength and conditioning coach.

7. Director of Sporting Performance (£100,000 per annum)

If you want to earn a director of strength and conditioning salary, you’ll be responsible for managing the strength and conditioning department as well as the sports science department.

The director of sports role can be a financially rewarding job with UK Talent capping the figure at just over £78,000:

In America, this job can be even more lucrative with sports science departments offering lucrative six-figure salaries to secure the right candidate.

Here in the UK, the Welsh Rugby Union is seeking an interim sports director to deliver high-performance strategic plans, among other duties:

Working as the director of strength and conditioning is one of the most prestigious positions you can hold within this field.

After many years of experience and development, you should find yourself climbing up the employment pyramid to take on this type of role.

The Institution You Work For Will Determine Your Strength Conditioning Coach Salary

Alongside the type of role you undertake, your strength and conditioning coach salary can also be determined by the institution you decide to work for.

There are several institutions where you can find employment, including:

• Schools, colleges and universities
• Studios or private gyms
• Performance clinics
• Positions assisting athletes
• Professional and semi-professional sports outfits

Let’s take a deeper dive into these institutions and the roles you could undertake and the salaries associated with them.

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It’s Possible To Earn A Healthy Strength And Conditioning Salary At A School, College Or University (£21,000 per annum)

Working for an educational institute is a common route to take after becoming qualified with a variety of roles for you to undertake.

Colleges and universities, for example, run elite athlete programmes, especially sports-focused ones like Loughborough and Leeds Carnegie.

Institutions of this calibre offer scholarships and programmes to attract high-performing athletes to compete in regional and national competitions.

This is a great opportunity to train upcoming talent, optimising an athlete’s performance and minimising injury risks. These roles are highly sought after, such as this position at Burnley College:

The role advertised here is a graduate support role, which at the college level, could earn you a salary between £19,000 and £21,000 a year.

An S&C Coach Salary Can Vary If You Work In A Private Studio or Gym

If you’re not attracted to working in an educational setting, then you might find a strength and conditioning position at a studio or gym more appealing.

Across the UK, there are hundreds of fitness centres that specialise in strength and conditioning, training amateur and professional athletes.

In studios or gyms, strength and conditioning coaches can earn money through different economic models, including:

• Receiving a fixed salary
• Receiving a part-time salary combined with part-time freelance work
• Working under a freelance-only model

Performance Project illustrates the earning potential of working in a fitness centre as they recently advertised for a strength and conditioning coach, who could earn up to £30,000:

Such a position carries many benefits, including having access to an established client base and a guaranteed monthly income.

Working In A Performance Clinic Can Earn You A S&C Coach Salary (UK) Providing Greater Client Care (£26,000 per annum)

Performance clinics differ slightly from studios as they examine what can affect an athlete’s overall performance.

Strength and conditioning studios operate differently, tending to focus on the physical components of training that are addressed.

For example, Clubheath in Chelsea is looking for a candidate who understands the client’s symptoms, medical history and treatment goals:

According to data held by Payscale, it could earn you up to £26,000 each year. So if you want to provide overall care for your clients, this might be the job for you.

Athletes May Offer You A Private Strength And Conditioning Coach Salary To Help Improve Their Performance (Salary varies)

You can be hired by an athlete in a private role to help them improve their physical performance.

To succeed in this role you would need to have strong marketing skills to attract the right clientele to make training professional athletes a success.

Celebrity S&C coach Gunnar Petersen, for example, is reported to have earned a salary of £400,000 per year:

If you want to work in providing a more direct service to clients and know how to market yourself, then being hired as a specialist in strength and conditioning to help athletes might be the career path for you.

You Could Earn A Premier League Strength And Conditioning Coach Salary Training Football Players (£30,000 per annum)

If you’re passionate about football, you might like the prospect of working for a football team as a strength and conditioning coach.

It’s a great opportunity to work with all age groups within a football academy to optimise their performance through the training programmes you’ll implement.

You’ll discover that more reputable football teams with bigger revenue streams will influence the professional strength and conditioning salary (UK) you can earn with them.

The wages of strength and conditioning coaches hired for established teams such as Arsenal Football Club can average £32,222 per year.

This is thanks in part to the club generating £384.5 million in revenue during the 2021/22 season. This would have stemmed from several sources, including:

• Match day tickets
• Stadium hire
• Sponsorships
• Merchandise sales
• Broadcasting agreements
• Transfers
• Prize money

Teams that play further down the football pyramid, earn significantly less revenue compared to teams playing top-flight football.

This is because the funding sources listed above offer significantly fewer opportunities to generate significant revenue.

For example, Colchester United who is currently playing in League Two is reported to have annual revenue of £7.7 million.

As a result, they are more likely to offer a lower salary for a strength and conditioning team compared to premier league teams.

On the Aspire Media Group website, this is reflected on the Lead Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach position that Colchester United advertised, offering a salary of £21,000:

It’s important to remember that you’re more likely to get a job with a high-profile team if you have accumulated enough experience and hold the desired qualifications for the position.

Now that you’ve learnt how institutes can influence your strength and conditioning pay, let’s look at how location can influence it too.

A Job Location Can Influence Your Strength and Conditioning Pay

When you’re trying to calculate the strength and conditioning coach salary (UK) you could earn, you should take into account the region in which you will work.

If you’re wondering what the average salary of a strength and conditioning coach in London is, then you’ll be glad to know that the Economic Research Institute indicates this is approximately £43,592:

This is more than the average salary for the rest of the UK, which is reported to be £24,557 according to Payscale.

The reason you can earn more in London compared to other areas of the UK is that the capital attracts high-skilled workers, which in turn leads to higher wages.

These salaries are reflected in job adverts you can find online. Fitness Mastery, for instance, is seeking a Strength and Conditioning graduate who could potentially earn up to £27,000:

This position is above the national average and it is only a graduate role, there is potential to earn even more if you find another London-based job matching your skill set.

After considering your preferred location for employment to maximise your earning potential, let’s look at how additional qualifications can boost your strength and conditioning pay.

Earning Additional Qualifications Can Boost Your S&C Coach Salary

If you’re looking to maximise your earning potential, did you know that your strength and conditioning salary can be boosted by earning additional qualifications?

Achieving a qualification in Level 3 Personal Training, for example, will strengthen your anatomy and physiology, nutrition and business knowledge.

This will allow you to deliver specialist programmes to non-athletes either helping them lose weight whilst also aiding athletes in recovery following an injury.

Personal Training Aberdeen shows how additional accreditation economically boosts your strength and conditioning business because your personal trainer salary is generated from a wide range of services:

Personal Training Aberdeen can offer this range of services because they’ve completed several qualifications and courses including:

• Personal Training
• Strength and Conditioning

So if you’re looking to expand the range of services you offer to boost your earning potential, gaining extra accreditation is a wise investment.

If you’re looking to expand the bespoke services you deliver, you may also want to consider completing a Level 4 Personal Trainer course.

You could complete a Level 4 Diabetes qualification, for instance, helping you understand how to create programmes that advise personal training clients with diabetes.

This will help you give you a competitive edge in the market as you look to attract clients to your services.

Before You Go!

As a strength and conditioning coach, you can earn more money with additional qualifications and take advantage of different locations, as discussed in this article.

Don’t forget with a Personal Trainer Diploma you can create a competitive edge in the market for yourself, giving you the ability to train a diverse range of clients.

If you would like to develop your skill set, you can learn about all the courses we offer by downloading our latest prospectus now.

If you’re wondering what questions to ask your yoga students so you know how to tailor classes and sessions to meet their needs, this article is for you!

We’ll cover:

• Questions to Ask Yoga Students Before Their First Yoga Class
• Yoga Questions for Students Working with You Privately
• Questions to Ask Yoga Students When Class Has Finished

Before we start, why not enhance your teaching and develop your expertise with OriGym’s Level 4 Diploma. Alternatively, you can download our free course prospectus here for more details on these and all of our courses.

Questions to Ask Yoga Students Before Their First Yoga Class

There’s some preliminary questions to ask yoga students to ensure their safety in class as well as helping them in other ways to get the most out of your classes.

We’ll run through some of these now so you know what the most important yoga questions are for students before they start your class.

#1 Questions to Ask Your Yoga Students About Injuries

Some of the most important things to ask aren’t necessarily yoga questions for your students but questions about any medical conditions or injuries.

One of our top tips for teaching the best yoga class is being willing to adapt and change your class on the fly depending on the people attending.

This will usually be informed by the questions you have to ask your yoga students at the start of class.

However you word this, the aim of the question is to determine if anybody has any injuries or long standing medical conditions that mean certain postures will be difficult for them.

For example, if somebody has a knee injury you might not want to include poses such as mermaid pose, or strenuous forward folds.

As a result you might just want to offer plenty of modifications to this person so they can take part in the class without aggravating their injury.

The point of asking these questions is to cover yourself from a claim made against you as well as to protect your class members from any harm or pain.

Some examples of how you could word this include:

Before we start, are there any injuries I need to know about?

This is a great way of formatting these questions to ask your yoga students because it’s vague enough that people can check with you about their injuries, no matter how severe or the part of the body.

You can substitute any area of the body in this form of the question. If you’ve got a class focused on a particular area you should ask if there’s any injuries or problems with this area specifically.

For example:

Are there any lower back injuries I need to know about?

People may not think that they have a relevant injury but have a long-term problem with a particular area.

For example, some people have knees that hyperextend and this is something you might need to know about if there’s standing folds in the flow that could aggravate this and cause class members pain.

That’s why, ideally, you should have questions like this to ask your yoga students after you’ve asked generally.

That way you’ll be making sure there’s nothing physical that will stop your class members from enjoying the class safely!

#2 You Should Have Questions to Ask Your Yoga Students About Their Experience

Another one of the most important questions to ask about yoga is your class members’ experience levels.

Obviously if you’re teaching a beginner’s yoga class you’ll know that people won’t have a lot of experience but you should always check if there’s anybody who’s never done yoga before.

Much like any questions about injuries, you should have these questions to ask your yoga students because it will help you make any adjustments to the class.

This will dictate both how you deliver the class and the kind of language and guidance you use for your class members.

For example, if there are beginners in your class or people who are new to practice, you can reassure them that they can take child’s pose whenever they feel the need.

You can also use your yoga cues to remind people to listen to their bodies and not push themselves too hard, offering hands on adjustments where appropriate.

You can also offer more guidance in your cues so that people have more explicit instruction if they’re not familiar with poses.

It will also give you an opportunity to support any people who need it with props such as yoga blocks and straps.

You’ll also need to know if people have never done a particular style before so this could be one of the ways you frame these questions to ask your yoga students.

You’ll have a chance to explain what to expect and double check people’s level of ability so you know whether they need modifications.

For example, if you’re interested in becoming an Ashtanga yoga teacher or you’ve already completed this training, you might ask:

Has anybody never done Ashtanga before?

You can then follow up with:

Have you done yoga before?

And ask about what styles they’ve done or how experienced they are. Usually, depending on the class size, people won’t mind answering these questions but often you should go over to each student so they don’t feel intimidated answering in front of the class.

#3 One of the Key Questions to Ask Your Yoga Students is About Their Intention

One of the most important yoga questions for students is about what brought them to the practice and what their intention is.

As you will probably already know, setting a class intention can help to guide the practice and retain focus throughout for your class members.

You can also have your own intention, that you offer to students, as a way of grounding the practice and using it for your cues.

This is something you can return to throughout the class and come back to at the end to help people feel the difference the class has made to them.

Not only is this a great way of retaining focus and helping your class members to dedicate their practice to a particular goal, it also will help them see the benefits of your class!

Whether mental or physical, having people focus on an intention and see the difference a relaxing class has made will keep them coming back!

You can ask several questions here all with the same goal. For example, you can start by asking your class members:

What brought you to yoga here today?

This will start the process of getting your class members to feel grounded and inwardly reflective so that they can focus throughout the practice.

By getting them to check in with how they’re feeling this will help them to assess how they feel physically and mentally and give them something to compare the end of practice to.

You can then ask:

Are you here for the more physical side of yoga, or are you looking for something mental or emotional from practice today?

This gives people an opportunity to decide what they want out of practice on another, deeper level and also makes the class inclusive for everybody.

This way people won’t feel too pressured to focus on the spiritual or mental elements of yoga, but will also have an opportunity to deepen their practice by focusing on these if they want to!

You can also then speak to both of these elements in your cues as well.

Lastly, you can ask explicitly:

“What’s your intention in practice today?”

You can elaborate, as we mentioned, with some suggestions or some ideas for how people might choose to focus their practice.

For example, you may provide an intention for people of “acceptance”. This can be used for both the physical and mental side of yoga and is adaptable for everyone in class.

Yoga Questions for Students Working with You Privately

Now we’ll run through some of the most important questions to ask your yoga students when you’re working with them privately.

If you want to get private yoga clients you’ll work one-to-one with them on their practice specific to their needs and goals.

There’s therefore some more in depth questions you’ll be able to ask to ensure your clients’ safety and make sure they get as much out of practice as possible.

We’ll run through some of these now.

#1 Questions to Ask Your Yoga Students Privately About Their Medical History

As we’ve already mentioned, you should have questions to ask about your yoga clients and their medical history to ensure you can practise with them safely.

When you’re working with individuals you will have more of a chance to ask a wide variety of questions before starting so you’ve got a full picture of their readiness as well as any risks.

Questions about any illnesses or injuries will form a vital part of the risk assessment you complete with new clients when you work with individuals or as part of onboarding to your studio!

This will make individuals feel safer in your hands and give them an opportunity to discuss any information in a private and confidential way compared to in a class.

You can do this as part of a form or you can ask this during an initial consultation with individual clients.

You will also be able to focus on how these may relate to certain goals that your clients have, such as increasing flexibility or even easing pain symptoms.

The information you gain from people here will also help you to design sessions for them and choose the right style to work on their goals.

For example, if you get a client who tells you they have stiff hips and want to use yoga to loosen up this area of their body, you might decide to

Some questions you should ask people about their medical history and any illness or injury include:

Do you have any current or previous, lasting injuries?

Do you have any long term health conditions that may affect your sessions such as osteoporosis or arthritis?

Do you have any existing pain in certain joints or when you’re doing exercise or performing certain positions?

All of these will help you to tailor sessions to meet your clients needs and create an open dialogue for them to share any updates about their condition so they get the most out of working with you!

#2 You Should Have Questions to Ask Yoga Students About Their Profession

As well as their physical capabilities, some yoga questions you should have for your students include those about their lifestyle.

One of the most important ones you can ask is about their professional life, specifically what kind of work they do.

This will help you assess the following things which will affect their goals and their abilities:

• How sedentary they are and their level of movement throughout the day
• Their schedule and how busy they are
• If there’s any risks or strains on particular areas of the body

You should be able to see areas for improvement and benefits of a practice for individuals even if they don’t see it themselves.

For example, if you get a client who has a very sedentary job and they’re working in an office, then you’ll know that they are more likely to develop back and neck problems.

This can help you to structure the sessions with the client and help educate them about how yoga will benefit them and help strengthen areas weakened by their job.

Some of the questions you could ask include:

What is your occupation?

How many hours a day do you spend sitting down for work?

How do you get to work for the day? Do you drive, walk, or get public transport?

All of these things will help you get to know your clients needs more and work with them to improve areas of their life using yoga practice!

#3 It’s Important to Have Questions to Ask Your Yoga Students About Their Lifestyle

Building on our previous question, you can then extend your questioning to ask your private clients about their lifestyle generally.

This will help inform your sessions more and allow you to tailor each one to their needs better.

The more you know about your client’s lifestyle, whether that’s their activity levels or their sleeping pattern, you’ll know how best to help them.

This works in the same way as knowing about their work: you can use this information to educate them about the benefits of yoga.

This will then, in turn, help your clients to determine their own goals and what they want out of your sessions!

This will also help you to upsell any other services you have to offer as you’ll be able to see if there’s room to offer a more holistic approach for your clients.

For example, you might find that your client doesn’t sleep well and often feels lethargic throughout the day.

If you’ve got a level 4 nutrition course as well as your yoga qualifications, maybe you’re interested in becoming a nutrition coach alongside teaching, you can combine these services.

As well as designing yoga sessions to help rest their mind and move their body, you might design meal plans and give nutritional advice to support better sleep hygiene.

Some examples of the sorts of questions to ask your yoga students include:

How many meals a day do you eat and how would you describe your diet?”

How active would you say you are outside of your day job or in your spare time?”

Would you say you sleep well or have trouble sleeping regularly?

All of these are great questions to ask your yoga students to create the best programme possible for them.

#4 Ask Yoga Questions for Students to Shape Their Own Practice

Just as it’s important to have questions to ask yoga students about their life outside of practice, you should also focus on their attitude towards yoga itself.

Having specific yoga questions for students will help you tailor sessions to their tastes as well as just their abilities.

This will also help you to introduce them to new styles and teach them without repeating information they already know or risking coming across as condescending.

For instance, you might get a client who’s been doing yoga for years but has only ever focused on one particular style.

Therefore, as well as understanding the right pace for their experience, asking them to shape their own practice means you’ll be able to include plenty of their favourite styles so that they’re more engaged in the practice!

Some questions you could ask, if you’re working with somebody who has a little experience, include:

What is it that you like most about yoga?

Do you have a favourite kind of yoga and why?

Is there a particular aspect of practice you want to work on or a new style you’d like to try?

Based on what they say they like most about it this can help you with any particular style to focus on or goal.

For example, if their favourite part of yoga is the focus that it gives them, you can choose to include plenty of balance postures as these are great ways to focus attention during yoga.

If you’re finding this article helpful, why not check out some of our others on marketing yourself and your business?

• 7 Digital Marketing Strategies for Yoga Studios & Teachers
• Do You Need A License To Teach Yoga?
• Why Should You Do Yoga Teacher Training

Questions to Ask Yoga Students When Class Has Finished

Now that you know which questions to ask your yoga students before class, and some specific to private sessions, let’s move on to after class!

Below are some of the top questions you should have to ask your yoga students to help close the practice.

#1 Questions to Ask About Yoga Intentions at Close of Class

 

As we mentioned earlier, the questions you ask at the start of class about people’s intentions, can be returned to at the end.

This will give people a chance to notice and reflect on the positive effects of the yoga class for their particular goals.

As well as forming cues throughout the practice this will give you a chance to draw attention to both the physical and mental aspects of yoga at the end to show the progress your class members have made!

This will not only help them to find meaning in the practice and notice their own achievements but that, in turn, will make them want to keep coming to class.

You can either explicitly ask about the intention or you can use this to build on and ask students to reflect back on the class.

If we use the example from earlier in the article, “acceptance”, you can ask students to check in with themselves and compare how they feel now to how they felt at the start of class.

For example:

Think back to how you felt at the start of class and our intention of “acceptance”. How do you feel compared to the start of class? Are you accepting of how your body feels and what it was capable of today?

This will help students to feel grounded again and help them return to their purpose for being in the class.

As we mentioned earlier, you can also draw attention back to the mental and physical aspects that you mention when you open a yoga class as both of these will inform people’s personal intentions:

Check in with yourself again. How are you feeling compared to the start of class both physically and mentally?”

Returning your focus to the body, how does it feel compared to the start of class? Are your muscles looser? Do you feel more relaxed?”

Turning your attention inward, compare how you feel mentally and emotionally to how you felt at the start of class. Is the mind quieter? Are you able to let go of thoughts and focus on the body?

All of these are great questions to ask your yoga students at the close of class!

#2 Questions to Ask About How Your Yoga Class Was for People

When you’ve asked people to reflect on how they feel compared to the start of class, one of the ways you can build on this is to ask students to reflect on the class as a whole.

You should encourage people to look back over their class and rather than assess their performance in a critical way, use it as a moment of reflection.

By getting them to think back over the class and how it felt, this will help them understand their own practice better.

It will also help them to feel more in tune with themselves and guide them through the next practice as each class will help inform the intentions and goals of the next!

For example, by getting somebody to look over the class at any moments that they may have found difficult, this is something they can focus on improving during the next class.

Equally if there’s something in particular that they loved about class or feel they achieved this will encourage them to keep coming to class and noticing their improvements.

This works for both a physical and mental or emotional focus of practice as people can either assess how they felt physically or if there were any mental barriers stopping them from deepening certain postures or focusing on the breath.

All of these things will help people to improve and to notice these improvements when they occur!

An example of how you might do this in an encouraging way is:

Reflecting back over the class, what did you feel you achieved today?”

Looking back at your practice today without judgement or expectation, did you get what you needed from the practice? Are there areas you’re working on that you had the space to work on?”

Think back over the class now. How did you feel physically? Was there any tension in a particular part of practice today?

All of these are options for questions to ask your yoga students to reflect on at the end of class, encouraging them to notice their own improvements and room for future adjustments!

#3 One of the Best Questions to Ask Your Yoga Students is if They Have Any Questions

Last but not least, it’s also important to ask the people you’re teaching if they have any questions themselves.

This might be related to the practice on that particular day or about the style of practice in general.

Giving people an opportunity to ask questions will help you to display your knowledge and assert your expertise.

It also increases people’s comfort and confidence in the class because they can ask anything they’re unsure of.

This might be to do with certain postures and gives them an opportunity to get more details from you compared to during class when things are faster paced.

Because you’ll be teaching several people at once, depending on how busy the class is you won’t be able to give undivided attention and adjustments to individuals as much as you might like.

Asking if anybody has any questions or if they want any more information gives you the opportunity to provide this focused attention on individuals.

For example, if you’re interested in becoming a Hatha yoga teacher, or you teach this style already, you can give people the opportunity to ask more questions about its history as one of the oldest styles.

Here’s some examples of how you could open the floor for questions from your students:

If anybody has any questions about Hatha or yoga in general I’ll be around for a moment at the end to answer those

You can also be specific in helping people come forward about things they’re struggling with, as we mentioned before giving them more guided, individualised advice:

If anybody has any questions about the practice, anything they’re struggling with or wants any tips in particular, I’ll be around to answer those for you

Lastly, you can ask if they have any questions about other services that you offer. For example, maybe you’re running your own yoga retreat or teaching a yoga workshop?

You should briefly use the time at the end of the class to promote these and give people a chance to ask any further questions about them.

For example:

I’m running a workshop at the end of the month on 28th all about Hatha and balance postures. If anybody wants any more information or you have any questions about that, let me know!

As you can see, this can be a great way of ending the class and an opportunity to enhance the class for everyone!

Before You Go!

Hopefully you can use some of these questions to ask your yoga students and help them make the most of your classes and keep coming!

Don’t forget to check out OriGym’s industry leading Level 4 Yoga Diploma which will boost your expertise and help your yoga business to grow. You can also find out about all of our courses by downloading our free course prospectus.

The strength and conditioning coach job description is a lengthy one, packed with important jobs and responsibilities that will see you having a valuable role in the health and fitness industry.

That being said, we have compiled the most important things you should know about what the job description holds, including:

• The Key Responsibilities of a Strength & Conditioning Coach
• 3 Crucial Skills Found In The Job Description Of A Strength And Conditioning Coach
• The Necessary Qualifications On A Strength And Conditioning Coach Job Description
• How Much Experience Do You Need For A Strength & Conditioning Role?
• The Hours Expected on As Part Of A Strength And Conditioning Coach Job Description
• How Much Could You Earn As An S&C Coach?

Before we get straight into it, if you’re interested in getting started in the fitness industry and potentially working your way up to a career in S&C, why not browse through our personal training courses here at OriGym? Find this and many more courses in our downloadable course prospectus.

The Key Responsibilities Of A Strength & Conditioning Coach

#1 Designing and Implementing Sessions is in the Strength and Conditioning Job Description

Of course one of the biggest parts of a strength and conditioning coach job is to design and implement sessions for clients that are actually going to make a difference.

The goal is essentially to improve the body as a whole, so that in turn, aspects of overall performance improve over time. With that in mind, you would be required to develop programmes that include the following factors

• Mobility
• Strength
• Power
• Agility
• Speed
• Endurance

All of these factors working in tandem makes a great athlete. Though there will still be sport-specific exercises involved in your designing and implementation of S&C sessions, the importance of including every aspect of the body shouldn’t be overlooked.

On the other hand, your clients don’t have to be athletes or sports persons in order to take part in your S&C sessions.

You might be required to design and conduct sessions for regular people who have a more specific goal, for example to improve a particular body part and reduce the severity of injuries and the overall risk of injury.

As well as this, you would be responsible for having the correct nutritional education behind you too. You need to ensure that the sessions that you design are complimenting their goal and or chosen sport, for example, they may benefit from a high protein diet if the training sessions are heavy impact, in order to assist in a faster recovery.

Each client will be different and so this design and implementation process will be repeatedly different- keep that in mind, strength and conditioning training is not a one size fits all.

#2 Tracking Client Progress & Acting Accordingly is Among Strength and Conditioning Coach Responsibilities

An equally important part of designing and implementing S&C sessions is tracking progress.

Strength and conditioning is often focused on the likes of endurance, which cannot be measured by stepping on the scales.

You should be conducting tests to assess your clients- this is a huge part of the job description of strength and conditioning coach since you’ll often be training people who are already advanced when it comes to fitness.

Because of this, it is unlikely that their goals are going to be to lose a dramatic amount of weight or to change their overall lifestyle habits. So, in order to assess their progress there are some tests you could do every 4-6 weeks approximately.

These include:

• Muscular strength & endurance (muscular fitness)
• Aerobic endurance (cardio)
• Flexibility

Though you can sport specific tests, these are the most holistic examples of what is actually measured.

Some of the popular tests include:

Grip Strength Test

• Dead hang: This is helpful to measure progress for rock climbing athletes, tennis, powerlifting etc.

Aerobic Endurance Test

• Maximum Burpees in 5 minutes: This is helpful for measuring progress in cardiovascular endurance.

Anaerobic Endurance Test 

• 300 Yard Shuttle: This test is good for sports that have a stop and start nature like football or CrossFit

Muscular Power Test 

• Long Jump: This measures the power in which you can produce movement fast, good for powerlifters.

Be sure to track the results of these tests over a given period of time to visualise your clients’ progression.

These are just a handful of examples that can be incredibly beneficial when repeated over time to see what areas you should be working on and how much your training is improving their skills.

#3 Working Alongside Other Health & Fitness Professionals is Among the Roles and Responsibilities of a Strength and Conditioning Coach

Something else in the job description for a strength and conditioning coach is the skill to cooperate among other health and fitness professionals; these could include but are not limited to:

• Physiotherapists
• Sports Medicine Professionals
• Personal Trainers
• Dietitians
• Nutritionists

The amount of these professionals, if any, of course depends on how advanced your client is.

For example, if they’re an athlete that has to be consistently on top of their game, chances are they have more than one fitness professional on their team. Though you would know about nutrition, and are allowed to make recommendations, the only professionals allowed to design and prescribe meal plans are dietitians.

Working with a dietician can be hugely beneficial for your clients’ overall progress. Being in communication with other fitness professionals allows you to have insight into your clients overall wellbeing, like what their macro intake is and how this could be affecting their current goals of performance.

This is because without this sort of communication, you may feel lost as to why their progress is slow.

For example, maybe they set a goal with you to reduce overall body fat, but their dietician isn’t aware of the programme you have designed. Let’s say they also set this same goal with their dietician, without the communication between the two professionals, your client could potentially be falling into a calorie deficit.

There should be a correlation between what is being taken in (food) and the amount of physical exertion and the only way to get to the finer details of this is to correspond with your peer professionals.

Similarly, physiotherapists are another professional that if your client is working with, you should be in direct contact. This is because they’re the person who is taking care of any problematic areas, so you need to know what to avoid and what to work on.

You don’t want to do more harm than good, so clearance of your session with their designated physiotherapist can be extremely beneficial for your client in case it slips their mind to tell you about any issues they’ve been having that could do without aggravation.

#4 The Responsibilities of a Strength and Conditioning Coach Include Helping Athletes That are in Recovery

Among the many responsibilities in the strength and conditioning coach job description, there is also the inclusion of helping athletes that are in the recovery process.

Since strength and conditioning assists in the improvement of the musculoskeletal system, there is a direct correlation between this practice and improved recovery times.

This is particularly true when it comes to clients who have been injured and have had to take a significant break from their sport or exercise.

This would make quite the difference from pushing your clients to their limits, it would be a slow yet informed re-introduction into exercise habits and in particular, the areas of which they have injured should be at the forefront of your programme.

Communication is of course vital, but in order to heal and return to their sport, they need to work the area just the right amount. So much so that it won’t aggravate the area but works it enough to encourage healing prospects.

#5 Tailoring Sessions to Increase Performance in Specific Sports is in the Job Description Of a Strength and Conditioning Coach

As we mentioned earlier, design and implementation of effective strength and conditioning programmes are at the forefront of your job role as a coach, but there is a particular focus on increasing performance for particular sports.

This is where there is a stark difference between a strength and conditioning coach and a personal trainer, as this is what strength and conditioning coaches are trained to do.

In order to be efficient in a particular sport, there are generally no areas of the body left untrained. As an S&C coach, you would be expected to focus on each muscle group in order for your client to grow and progress.

Just like we spoke about earlier, there is a reason there are tests for aerobic endurance and muscular endurance and this is because your client should be progressing in both areas to actually improve in their sport.

For example, lower body power is crucial for performance in a huge array of sports, not just the likes of football! Thus, an increased performance in this area can help the progression and performance in your clients sport no matter the sports focus – plus, it is easy to measure progress this way too.

Similarly, as we spoke about rehabilitation and preventing injury, this is a huge part of success as a sportsperson. With that in mind, a continued effort in strength and conditioning can be extremely effective in discouraging injury and reducing the overall risk.

3 Crucial Skills Found In The Job Description Of A Strength And Conditioning Coach

If you’re considering this as a career, it’s likely that you want to know what crucial skills are included in the strength and conditioning coach job description. These are the top 4 things you should think about working on before choosing this career.

#1 Leadership Skills are Needed in a Strength & Conditioning Coach Job Role

Within an S&C coach job description, it is typical to find a common theme of leadership.

More often than not, it is going to be just you as the S&C coach who is providing the session(s), so you must be able to show this. Take a look at this job advertisement below for example.

As you can see, the first sentence of the strength and conditioning job description details your level of responsibility in the role, and we’re sure that you can agree that this is a heavy workload to handle if you don’t have leadership skills down to a T.

In this particular role, you’re solely responsible for the first team players’ physical development. Thus, you’re going to definitely need leadership skills to handle a football team on match days among other responsibilities.

Many job advertisements are for teams. Whether it is football teams, rugby teams or university sports teams there is typically more than one person who you’ll be coaching. While it is still widely popular to have 1-2-1 sessions in S&C, small group training is a typical approach too.

This is why leadership is so important, you’re often an important part of the mechanics and overall success of a sports team, this means that whether it’s a 1-2-1 or a group session, leadership is vital.

Your clients need to be able to trust your judgement and trust that you know exactly what the best option is for their progress. By exerting leadership qualities, your clients will feel happy in your care.

#2 You Must have Optimal Organisational Skills as a Strength & Conditioning Coach

You’ll often find organisational skills being a predominant part of many industries and reading a certified strength and conditioning specialist job description won’t be any different!

This is because although an S&C coach is a very active and ‘hands on’ job, there are still many administrative tasks that need to be done too in order to effectively track your clients.

For example, take a look at this job advertisement below looking for a strength and conditioning coach:

We mentioned earlier that one of the key responsibilities within the strength and conditioning coach job description is tracking progress. This takes a lot of work when it comes to admin, along with the organisation of all of this information.

Some things you need to think about are how you’re going to store this information?

It is going to be personal data so it needs to be secure, will it be on a drive? PC? Hard copies? These sort of organisational skills shouldn’t be overlooked since there is no way of telling their progress if you don’t have any data to compare it to!

#3 Teamwork Skills are a Certainty in a Strength & Conditioning Coach Role

More often than not, within the role of a strength and conditioning coach, teamwork is non-negotiable.

We mentioned how working with sports teams is a big part of the strength and conditioning coach job description, this is exactly why you need to have the ability to handle more than one client and ultimately, work together.

This goes beyond the ability to work with clients too, it also relates to the aforementioned responsibility of working with other health and fitness professionals, particularly if you’re working for a big sports team.

This is because you’ll often travel with the sports team that you work for, along with the likes of any other physiotherapists and professionals alike to ensure that your clients are in top shape for their game.

Similarly, whether you work with groups or singular athletes the goal remains the same, thus, you should think of you and your client as a team. Without input from your client, you can’t create an effective programme so you need to make them feel like they’re really a part of your team.

This way, you build trust so that they feel comfortable in telling you when they have an issue or if they’re struggling with nutrition. After all, you’re there to help them to become the best they can be and you can only do this with maximum effort from both parties.

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For some more information on what it takes to become a strength and conditioning coach, check out our articles below:

• How to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Strength and Conditioning Coach vs Personal Trainer 
• Strength and Conditioning Coach Salary Guide

 

The Necessary Qualifications On A Strength And Conditioning Coach Job Description

It goes without saying that you need particular qualifications to get into the field of S&C coaching, so let’s take a look at what routes get you on the ladder of employment.

Option 1: Vocational Training

Vocational qualifications are frequently listed on Strength and Conditioning job descriptions advertised by employers.

They are extremely beneficial if you’re looking to develop practical skills, increase your chances of employability, and complete your training in a shorter period, compared to an academic program.

Completing a Level 3 Personal Trainer Diploma, for example, is a great way to earn a vocational qualification that will make you eligible to apply for these positions.

With this CIMSPA-recognised qualification, you could apply for this Personal Trainer/Strength and Conditioning Coach position at T4 Physio Clinic:

Securing employment in this role is a great opportunity to gain experience as a Strength and Conditioning coach whilst simultaneously working as a Personal Trainer.

You can apply the skills you learned from your PT Diploma to set fitness goals and create customised programs for both your PT and Strength and Conditioning clients.

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Still want to learn, give these articles a read:

• Strength and Conditioning Cover Letter
• Strength and Conditioning Coach Salary
• Strength and Conditioning Coach CV

Option 2: Degree and Higher Education

An alternative approach is a degree and higher education courses.

This qualifies you to apply for the more prestigious roles like S&C coaches for football teams or private S&C coaches. For example, take a look at this job advertisement below from Brighton Football Club:

As you can see, they require a minimum of an undergraduate degree and are specific in what degree that is too.

Among other experiences, this is often non-negotiable when it comes to bigger roles. This is largely due to the fact that your knowledge needs to be extensive when you’re working with clients of a high value like football players.

Football clubs pay millions of pounds on players and you are one of the people responsible for their progression, rehabilitation and skill development. With that being said, employers are not going to hire just about anybody.

However, something that you need to remember is that taking this option comes with 3 major drawbacks:

• High tuition fees
• Student debt
• It will take years to complete

Which is why many people may prefer a vocational route. The choice you make is dependent on the future you want to make, both offer successful careers so that’s something you can guarantee.

How Much Experience Do You Need For A Strength & Conditioning Role?

The level of experience that you need is completely dependent on the role that you’re applying for, that being said, we have two examples for those who are at entry level and those who are looking for more advanced roles with experience behind them.

The higher level job roles like this advertisement below for a lead S&C coach will have some level of hands-on experience as well as an educational background.

As you can see, the sections highlighted are all regarding the specific areas in which you need to have experience to apply for the role. This goes beyond a previous S&C coaching experience, there are direct specifics including:

• Working in a gym based environment
• Working with elite level athletes
• Strategic planning
• Strategic delivery of sessions
• Monitoring S&C programmes

You can see clearly that there is much more necessary when it comes to a lead role, which is understandable when you’re earning more and are working for a company with a high level reputation.

So, though this job role doesn’t specify how many years of experience you need, you must be able to show how you have experienced these more specific factors.

On the other hand, you can find entry level S&C coach jobs, which can still offer a healthy income and fulfilling career without the need to have years of experience behind you.

For example, this job ad below for a university doesn’t specify any experience in their requirements, just a passion to train athletes!

This isn’t the only role out there that doesn’t specify any length of experience, so there is no need to worry if you’re at entry level, there is still going to be work out there for you.

Starting off here is a great start before working your way up to a higher level S&C coach.

The Hours Expected on As Part Of A Strength And Conditioning Coach Job Description

When sifting through the many job advertisements, you should pay attention to the amount of hours expected from you in the strength and conditioning coach job description.

This is because they can vary greatly from the typical 9-5.

However, this can be one of the most exciting parts of the job. You can actually escape the usual schedule and travel with football teams and have a more varied schedule.

Though it is heavily subjective on who you work for and the level of which you work at too.

Often, if you decide to work for a football team, you’re always going to have the bulk of your workload during the playing season.

Similarly, if you decide to work for a university sports team, you could expect to have hours only during term time. Take a look at this job advertisement for example:

This role is part time and only during term time like many others so in order to accompany these hours you could work as a freelance personal trainer and S&C coach to maximise your income.

You can expect to see roles for S&C coaches ranging from full-time, part-time and on or off season specific hours. Be sure to keep this in mind when looking for the role right for you.

How Much Could You Earn As An S&C Coach?

Similar to how many hours that you’re expected to work, ranging substantially from job to job depending on the experience you have and ultimately, how valuable you are.

Not only that but salary can be impacted depending on the type of role, for example, like we just mentioned there is a huge range of hours required for different levels of advancements so salaries of course reflect this too.

So you can see how this varies, we have compared two different S&C coach roles below and their salary.

As you can see there is a dramatic difference between the two, with the second example showing a relatively more common job advert that you might come across during your search.

Like any job role, climbing the ladder is how you’re going to earn more and more over time. Experience in other areas of fitness and exploring the expanse of the S&C job role description can help you to reach a job like a director of S&C and earn upto 45k a year!

Set your prospects realistically though, but keep in mind that there is big money to be made in this job role since you can work with prestigious sports teams and individuals once you have the right amount of experience and education behind you.

Before You Go…

We hope that by now, you feel confident in what to expect in the job description of a strength and conditioning coach and if you’re ready to apply, go for it!

If you want to check out some vocational training courses here at OriGym, why not start by looking through our range of personal training courses?

You can learn about this course and many others by downloading our course prospectus.

This list of the 11 best apps for strength and conditioning coaches takes all the guess work out of figuring out which apps are worth downloading. We discuss a range of apps, each of which will help to make your job that little bit easier.

Not already working as an S&C Coach? Find out how to become a strength and conditioning coach here or take the first step towards a rewarding fitness career by enquiring about our personal training diploma.

11 Best Apps For Strength and Conditioning Coaches

#1 Train Heroic: Strength Training

Cost: £4.49 a month for most basic package
Apple Rating: 4.7
Google Play Rating: 4.1

Used by over half a million people worldwide, Train Heroic comes highly recommended from both athletes and S&C coaches.

Described by reviewers as a “game-changer of an app”, it allows you to easily plan and track your strength workouts.

With so many users endorsing the app, you’ll be joining a global training community and can incorporate strength programs from some of the world’s top fitness coaches into your sessions for your clients.

This strength and conditioning app makes it super easy to be organised- which is one of the key skills of a strength and conditioning coach.

This is because you can copy and paste workouts from the app’s extensive library into your own schedule. This makes it perfect for busy coaches splitting their time across multiple clients.

As well as its great features, the app’s affordable price tag of just £4.49 a month means it’s also one of the best apps for strength and conditioning coaches in terms of value for money!

#2 ProFit: Home Workout for Men

Cost: £19.49 a month
Apple Rating: 4.3
Google Play Rating: 3.1

Next up on our list of the best apps for strength and conditioning coaches is ProFit.

One of the most user-friendly apps out there, ProFit includes targeted strength exercises for each muscle group. This makes it great for training clients with specific problem areas and goals.

This strength and conditioning app has handy features like a built-in timer, allowing you to keep track of time spent on individual exercises during your sessions.

It also has a calendar feature, allowing you to easily schedule sessions with clients in advance.

It is adaptable too, as it contains conditioning workouts for both inside a gym and outdoors. So wherever you choose to run your coaching sessions, ProFit has the added advantage of flexibility to suit your schedule.

Praised by users for its “clear interface”, this is a great app for strength and conditioning coaches who are looking for something easy-to-use yet effective.

#3 Keelo: Strength Hiit Workouts 

Cost: £14.49 a month
Apple Rating: 4.7
Google Play Rating: 4.3

Incorporating strength, conditioning and cardio into one place, Keelo is an ideal strength and conditioning app for coaches with clients who want to work on cardio, as well as strength.

The app’s AI based algorithm tracks previous training sessions combined with personal data to make sure correct activity is a truly optimised experience for your clients.

All workouts are scalable from beginner to advanced level, so it’s a great strength and conditioning app if you have clients of varying abilities.

Plus, with new workouts added regularly, you can be confident that the app will provide fresh and interesting workouts for your clients.

Described as “great challenging workouts” from app users, this is a strength and conditioning app guaranteed to sustain interest.

 

#4 Bodyfit Fitness Training Coach

Cost: £6.99
Apple Rating: 4.7
Google Play Rating: 4.5

With over 20 years of strength and conditioning experience under their belt, Bodyfit knows what they’re talking about when it comes to S&C!

Their fitness coach app is one of the few on the market that offers a 7-day free trial for new users, making it one of the most affordable strength and conditioning apps out there.

The Bodyfit Fitness app is recommended by both gym users and personal trainers. It is also another strength and conditioning app that allows you the flexibility of running workouts from home, outdoors, or inside a gym.

With over 100 built-in training plans available, this app allows you to develop an ultra-personalised approach to your individual clients’ needs.

The app also offers detailed tutorials of all exercises involved to help you prepare for your sessions, so you can feel confident that you are demonstrating exercises correctly to your clients.

#5 Fitbod Workout & Fitness Plans

Cost: £9.49 a month
Apple Rating: 4.8
Google Play Rating: 4.1

Fitbod is one of the best apps for strength and conditioning coaches who have frequent and regular sessions with clients.

It customises workouts based on previous sessions and the recovery time of different muscle groups, meaning you can offer a completely unique training experience to each client.

Workouts are categorised into six different areas, ranging from strength training to powerlifting, meaning you can really support clients with their strength and definition priorities.

There are also 3 trial workouts available before you start paying, so you can explore some of the additional features the app offers before you commit.

One of the best features of Fitbod is its library of over 400 HD demonstration videos, so you can be sure that you are demonstrating exercises correctly to your clients.

Enjoying this article so far? Here’s 3 more that we think you’ll love:

• How To Become A Strength And Conditioning Coach
• 23 Best Apps For Personal Trainers To Use
• Strength And Conditioning Coach Salary Guide

#6 Jefit Workout Planner

Cost: £6.49 a month
Apple Rating: 4.8
Google Play Rating: 4.5

With over 8 million users globally since its creation in 2010, Jetfit is undoubtedly one of the best apps for strength and conditioning coaches on the market.

If you work with clients who are particularly sociable or who want to meet other like-minded people, Jetfit allows users to share workouts to their social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook.

With over 1300 detailed weight-training exercises included and detailed instructions, you can be sure that you’ve got a variety of strength and conditioning workouts to offer your clients. Keeping your sessions varied is one of the best ways to keep your clients motivated!

The app includes helpful details to track your progress, such as a built-in rest timer and your own personal best lifting record. With reviews citing it as “almost perfect”, we have included this on our list of the best strength and conditioning apps for good reason!

#7 Strong Workout Tracker Gym Log

Cost: £4.99 a month
Apple Rating: 4.9
Google Play Rating: 4.9

As one of the highest-ranked strength and conditioning apps available, Strong is certainly one to consider downloading.

With tech news website The Verge quoting that with Strong, “working out feels more like a game” , this is an ideal app to use with beginner clients who need an extra bit of motivation and who prefer fun sessions.

The app comes with a wide range of built-in exercises, but you also have the option to add your own too. This gives you a good balance of organisation and creativity when it comes to planning your sessions.

There are also suggested exercises for group workouts too, so if you’re a coach who tends to run group classes rather than one on one sessions, this could be a useful feature.

This strength and conditioning app allows you to track progress data through charts and graphs, meaning you can create a bespoke progress visual for each client.

With over 1.2 million users, Strong already has a well-established following, with one user claiming it is the “best tracking app for strength training and weight lifting there is.” There’s not much better endorsement for a strength and conditioning app than that!

 

#8 SHRED: Home & Gym Workout

Cost: £11.99 a month
Apple Rating: 4.6
Google Play Rating: 4.2

Since its launch in 2018, Shred has quickly become one of the best strength and conditioning apps for both trainers and clients. There are thousands of strength workouts available, and all can be customised to suit the ability and level of the individual user.

The app has handy features such as a mirror view to provide guidance on your form, along with a built-in scoring option to encourage some friendly competition. This is a great feature that can help you to create a community feel amongst your clients!

Another brilliant feature that sets this app apart from most is that it allows you to connect to Spotify or Apple music while using the app. This means that you can bring a musical element to training sessions, again, adding variety and fun to your sessions.

Described by current users as “well thought out” and with something for everyone, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a conditioning app with more variety than Shred!

#9 Workout: Gym Workout Planner

Cost: £13.99
Apple Rating: 4.8
Google Play Rating: 4.6

Another one of the best apps for strength and conditioning coaches is Gym Workout Planner. It allows coaches to add their own exercises as well as using the pre-built ones available within the app, giving the flexibility to create blended and personalised sessions.

An additional benefit is that the app contains a search feature, allowing you to search for workouts based on muscle group or equipment type. This is a handy feature if you have clients with specific goals, as you can really target your sessions.

All exercises are available in a choice of 3 levels: beginner, intermediate and expert, so you can easily design sessions for different clients depending on their ability. This is a great time-saving tool if you are a busy S&C coach with multiple clients.

 

#10 5 x 5 Training- Zen Labs

Cost: £8.99 a month
Apple Rating: 4.7

If you’re a coach who has many beginner clients, the 5 x 5 Training app could be the best strength and conditioning app for you.

Cutting out all the noise and only including the fundamental strength and conditioning exercises, this app is simple and to the point. This means that your beginner clients won’t feel overwhelmed with choice and can focus on getting the basic technique right.

There are useful features to support clients as they start off, such as the warmup calculator to prevent injury, and a progress graph to keep track of development.

Plus, the first 2 weeks of the program are included for free, making this a great strength and conditioning app in terms of value for money!

#11 Personal Training Coach

Cost: £12.99
Apple Rating: 4.6
Google Play Rating: 4.5

Described by coaches and personal trainers as “the best app on the market”, Personal Training Coach is one of the best strength and conditioning apps out there.

Don’t be fooled by the name- this app is not exclusively for personal trainers, but is beneficial for S&C coaches too.

Check out our guide to the difference between a personal trainer and a strength and conditioning coach if you want to know more about the differences and similarities between these two roles.

What makes this one of the most useful strength and conditioning apps is that there is a library of over 13 different strength training programs to choose from. This allows you to easily and quickly put plans together for your clients, while still having the option to edit workouts if you choose to.

There is a useful auto increment weight feature for each workout- one less thing for you to have to remember as a coach!

Plus, this strength and conditioning app has a data library where you can save every single activity to produce individual client reports. This is perfect for keeping track of your clients’ progress.

Before You Go!

So, there we have our list of the 11 best apps for strength and conditioning coaches! We hope that it’s given you some inspiration for how you can use apps to help both you and your clients get the most from your S&C sessions.

If you’re not already, get qualified as a personal trainer with OriGym and start a lucrative career in the fitness industry!

Enquire today, or download our free course prospectus here to check out our full range of fitness qualifications.

Having a strong Strength and Conditioning Coach cover letter is essential when applying for jobs, especially if you’ve recently become an S&C Coach. Along with your CV, your cover letter is what will make you really stand out to potential employers and help you land your dream job!

That’s why we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to writing the perfect Strength and Conditioning Coach cover letter, covering:

• What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?
• What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter?
• Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Structure
• What To Include In Your Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter
• Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Formatting
• FAQs

If you’re looking to launch a career in Strength and Conditioning, taking your Personal Training Diploma with OriGym is the perfect way to start! Download our free course prospectus to browse the full range of fitness courses that OriGym offers.

What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?

Before we take you through how to write a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, let’s first establish what exactly Strength and Conditioning is and what an S&C Coach does.

Strength and Conditioning (also known as S&C), is the practical application of sports science principles to improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Many people think that Strength and Conditioning is just about lifting weights. But in fact, there is far more to it than that! Whilst strength training is certainly part of S&C, it is equally focused on mobility, flexibility and even mental wellbeing.

The role of a Strength and Conditioning Coach is therefore to help athletes or fitness professionals improve their speed, strength, power and endurance in a specific sport or discipline.

Where a gym instructor or personal trainer may have a wide range of clients with different abilities and goals, an S&C coach delivers a much more specialised service. This is because they will most likely be helping high-performing clients reach a specific goal in their discipline, such as achieving a personal best.

With so many benefits and the ability to work with a high-level of clients, it’s no wonder that Strength and Conditioning coaching is becoming an increasingly popular fitness career path. That’s why perfecting your Strength and Conditioning coach CV is so important if you want to stand out from the other applicants!

If you think you have what it takes to take on this highly rewarding career, check out our guide on how to become a Strength and Conditioning coach.

What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter?

When applying for a job, you may just think that a CV is all you need. But in fact, a cover letter is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, aspects of the Strength and Conditioning job application process.

But what exactly is it? A cover letter (also known as a covering letter or motivation letter), is a short introductory letter that usually accompanies a CV or resume, often acting as a ‘front cover’ to a job application.

Unlike a CV, which is more of a general overview of your skills, experience and education, a cover letter is written for the specific job you are applying for. It is a chance to highlight certain areas that you think make you right for that particular role in that exact company.

Check out our guide on how to write a Strength and Conditioning coach CV to accompany your cover letter.

So, why should you write a cover letter for a Strength and Conditioning coach job? A cover letter is a perfect chance to make yourself stand out from all the other applicants. Where a CV is essentially just facts about yourself, a cover letter allows you to show your personality and any other points that you may not be able to include in your CV.

Since it is the first thing that an employer will read, even before your CV, it is essentially the first impression they will have of you as a candidate. If they don’t like your cover letter, they might not even bother to read the rest of your application!

But don’t just take our word for it. Studies such as this one by Resume Lab found that 83% of employers believe that cover letters are important and said that a good cover letter would influence their opinion of a candidate.

With this in mind, we’ll now take you through how to write the perfect cover letter for Strength and Conditioning coach roles.

Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Structure

Before you even begin writing your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, you should create a rough plan of the structure that you will use.

When writing a letter, it can be easy to just start writing straight away and see where your thoughts take you. Whilst this might be fun if you are writing a letter to a friend, this is not the approach to take when writing a cover letter!

Instead, you should plan each paragraph carefully to make sure that you include everything that you need to, whilst also being clear and concise. Following this structure will help you to do just that:

• Contact information
• Employer contact information
• Salutation
• Body of letter
• Sign off
• Name and/or signature

Next, we’ll take you through exactly what to include in each of these sections- as well as a breakdown of the paragraphs within the body of the letter.

What To Include In A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter

Now that you have planned the structure of your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, let’s look at what exactly you should include in it.

Include Contact information In Your Cover Letter

At the top of the page- either in the middle or on the right hand side, you should put your contact information. This should include:

• Your full name
• Address / location
• Email address
• Phone number

You may also want to include your social media links here. This is entirely optional, but since marketing yourself on social media is becoming one of the important skills for personal trainers and other fitness professionals to have, it is definitely worth including. It can help give the employer a more rounded view of you and your brand, as well as demonstrating your marketing skills.

Include Employer’s Contact Information

This next section of a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter depends on whether you are sending your application via email or as a physical letter by post.

If you are sending your cover letter in the post, you should write the employer’s contact information, including their name (of the company or of the person you are addressing if you know it) and the company address.

However, if you are sending your letter via email or via a company’s online job portal, you won’t need to include the employer’s contact information.

Always Include A Salutation In Your Cover Letter

In letter writing, a salutation is simply the way in which you address the person you are writing to.

Since it is one of the first things that your employer will read, getting this bit right makes a small but important difference to how your Strength and Conditioning cover letter is perceived.

Why is it so important? Well, it simply shows that you have made an effort to find out more about the job and the company, and that you aren’t just sending out countless duplicates of the same cover letter.

The main thing to remember here is that you should always try and address your letter to exactly who will be reading it, i.e. an employer, or head of HR, using their full name.

If you don’t know who that is already, it is worth taking the time to try and find out. Many gyms or fitness facilities will list their staff on their website or LinkedIn. You could even call their offices and ask a member of staff for the name of the person hiring for the position. This shows great initiative and that you are dedicated, passionate and proactive- all of which are essential Strength and Conditioning skills that you should demonstrate!

If you really can’t find the employer’s name, then you should use a general term of address such as ‘Dear Sir/Madam’.

Use The First Paragraph To Specify Why You’re Apply For The Role

So, now it’s time to start writing the body of your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter!

The first paragraph should essentially state why you are writing the letter. You should clarify the specific role you are applying for, why you are applying for it, where you saw it advertised and when you would be available to start.

In this paragraph, you could also summarise some of your key skills and strengths that make you suitable for this specific role. After all, this is the first impression an employer will have of you and is your chance to grab their attention and make them want to continue reading the rest of the letter!

Your Qualifications In Your Second paragraph

This paragraph is where you should highlight any relevant qualifications, experience, and skills that make you suitable for this job. This is your main opportunity to really sell yourself!

Arguably the most important thing you should mention here are your qualifications. This is one of the first things that an employer will look for in any job application.

If you’re wondering what qualifications you need to be a Strength and Conditioning coach, there are some essential qualifications that you will need:

• Level 2 Gym Instructor Qualification. This qualifies you to work as a fitness instructor in a gym, leisure centre, or fitness club. It also gives you a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for S&C, learning the basics of human anatomy and physiology.
• Level 3 Personal Training Qualification. Once you have completed your Level 2 course, you can then qualify as a personal trainer. This will expand upon your fitness knowledge and provide you with an in-depth understanding of the human body and how to create and deliver a programme for clients.

If you don’t already have either of these qualifications, you can enquire about our CIMSPA-endorsed Personal Training Diploma now and get both of them in as little as 4 weeks!

As well as qualifications, you should also talk about any work experience that qualifies you for the role. A good way to do this is by looking at the skills and experience listed in the job description, and writing down how you meet each of the criteria. For example, if a job description states that you need to be skilled at Kettlebell training, it is not enough to simply say:

I am skilled at Kettlebell training.

This is a generic statement that anyone can make, and is not backed up by any evidence to show how and why you are good at Kettlebell Training.

Instead, you should use a PEE structure, standing for Point, Evidence, Explain.

• Point – Your claim
• Evidence – An example/ evidence that supports your claim
• Explain – Explain how and why this qualifies you for the role

So, using the PEE structure on the above sentence could look like:

My 2 years experience working as a football coach for my local team gave me extensive experience coaching large groups at a professional level. Along with my CPD course in Kettlebell Training, this makes me more than capable for the group coaching aspects of this role.

The same goes for talking about your skills, you should always give a specific example to back up your claims. For example, instead of simply saying, “I have strong communication skills”, you should say when you have demonstrated this, even if it isn’t specifically related to Strength and Conditioning. For example:

I have strong communication skills which I developed during my time working in sales, when I was constantly communicating with customers on the phone and via email.

In a way, this paragraph of your cover letter can be largely based on the ‘Work Experience’ section of your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV. However, in a cover letter you are simply picking out the most relevant parts of your experience and expanding upon them, whereas your CV is essentially just a chronological list of your work history.

You could also use this as a chance to talk about extra skills and experience that aren’t necessarily listed in the job description, but make you suitable for the job. This shows that you are going above and beyond what they are asking for, which will help you stand out amongst other applicants!

Enjoying this article so far? Here’s 3 more that we think you’ll love:

• Strength And Conditioning Coach CV: Tips And What To Include
• What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?
• How To Write A Personal Trainer Cover Letter

 

List Your Skills In Your Third paragraph

Where the second paragraph focuses on your experience and skills, the third paragraph of a Strength and Conditioning cover letter is all about demonstrating your knowledge of the company.

This is where a cover letter really differs from a CV, as you can convey your interest and passion for working for that specific company.

To prepare for this, you’ll need to do lots of research into the company. This includes things like when it was founded, its location, a bit about its staff, its history, and their core values as a company. All of this information can usually be found on their website through a quick Google search. You could also check out their social media pages too, to get an idea of their brand and ethos.

Once you have found out all of these things, you can then talk about how you would fit into the company and what attracted you to them specifically. For example, if you are applying to work as an S&C coach for a local sports team, you could say:

As someone who has been to every Liverpool FC game since I was a child, I would love to have the chance to be on the other side of the stands and be part of coaching the team to success.

Showing a personal connection to the company like this is a great way to stand out and show that you are passionate about the company. After all, passion and enthusiasm are some of the key skills required to be a good Strength and Conditioning coach.

However, make sure to keep any personal anecdotes brief and avoid cliches such as “I’ve always wanted to work for this company since I was a child…” They are overused and don’t give the employer a specific reason why you want to work for them!

As well as showing passion, you should also talk about what you would bring to the company and how you can contribute to their aims and objectives. Again, this requires research into the company’s values and goals for the future.

For example, if you are applying for a role coaching an athlete, you could talk about how you would help that athlete achieve their goals, such as achieving a certain PB or reaching a certain level in a competition.

Use Your Last Paragraph To Provide A Summary

The last paragraph of your cover letter for a Strength and Conditioning coach role should be a brief summary of why you are a good fit for the role. It is your chance to leave a lasting impression on the reader!

Reiterate your passion and recap a few of the main points from your letter- but remember to keep it brief and don’t overly repeat things that you have already said.

You should also thank them for taking the time to read and consider your application.

Your letter should also end with a ‘call to action’. For example, you could state when you are available to interview, or invite them to call or email you at any time. Ending in this way puts the ball in their court and encourages the employer to push your application forwards.

Always End With A Sign off

You should then finish your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter with a formal closing.

If you know the name of the person you are writing to (i.e. if you have used their name in the salutation), you should use ‘Yours sincerely’.

If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to (i.e. if you used a general term of address in the salutation), you should use ‘Yours faithfully’.

Whether you sign at the bottom of your letter or not depends on how you are sending your application. If you are sending a paper letter, you should put your signature above your typed name. But if you are sending your application via email or an online job portal, you don’t need to do this.

Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Formatting

Now that you know what to include in your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, let’s talk about how to format your letter. Even if you write the best cover letter in the world, if it isn’t formatted correctly, it can seem unprofessional and put an employer off!

Here are some points to consider when formatting your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter:

Font: We recommend using fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri as they are professional, simple, and easy to read.

Font size: We’d recommend using size 16pt for your titles, and 12pt for all other text.

Paragraphs: Remember to break your letter into paragraphs either by indenting to the left, or leaving a line in between each paragraph. An employer will be put off by a big chunk of text!

Continuity with your CV: Whichever font and font size you use on your CV, try to match it to your cover letter. If you have used a colour theme, you should also make sure that this is the same across the two documents. This is a small detail but it can make your application look so much more professional! The same goes for any job application, including matching a fitness instructor CV to a cover letter.

Tips For Writing A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter

Now that you know what to include, here are some important points to keep in mind that can help your application stand out whilst writing your cover letter.

#1- Do your research!

Before you even begin writing your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, you should do plenty of research into the company or organisation you are applying for. This will help you make sure that your cover letter is tailored to the specific job and company.

Sending out a generic cover letter to every role you apply for will be obvious to employers. Whilst it can be useful to have a template that you loosely base your cover letters around, every single cover letter you send should be different!

A cover letter is a great chance to show off your knowledge of the company or organisation, and show that you are passionate about working for them specifically. This shows the employer that you are serious about the position.

This kind of commitment and dedication is one of the things that will really help you stand out as a personal trainer or Strength and Conditioning coach.

The best place to find out more about a company is online. Most of the information you need can be found on a company’s website or LinkedIn, such as its history, values, aims, current projects, staff and news.

In your cover letter, you can use this information to explain why you would be a perfect fit for the company.

#2- Keep it concise

When it comes to writing a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, the key is to be concise and to the point.

Although you may feel like you have a lot to say, you should remember that an employer will likely have a lot of job applications to get through. This means that they are likely to be put off by an overly-long cover letter!

With this in mind, aim to keep your cover letter within one side of A4.

#3- Check your spelling and grammar

This is one of the biggest mistakes that applicants make when writing a Strength and Conditioning cover letter, but it’s also one of the easiest to avoid!

Even if you’ve written the best cover letter ever, making careless spelling and grammar mistakes will instantly make it look unprofessional and imply that you haven’t taken much time or care over it.

To avoid this, simply use a spelling and grammar checker on whatever application you are writing your letter on. You could also get a friend or family member to read it over, as often they will point out errors that you may have missed.

#4- Give examples to back up your claims

As we have discussed, it is no use claiming that you have a particular skill or attribute without backing it up with specific examples!

This is vital when writing a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, as employers will want to see how you match the skills and experience they are asking for.

After all, anyone can say something like ‘I have good communication skills’. But if you want to stand out, you need to follow this statement up with an example of when you demonstrated good communication skills!

#5- Follow up

It can be easy to think that all of your work is done after you’ve sent off a job application, but actually, the process doesn’t end there!

Most employers, particularly for S&C coach jobs, will likely receive hundreds of applications for one single role. This is even more true if you are applying for one of the best gyms to work for in the UK. As such, there is a high chance that your application could get lost in the post, or your email could go unread.

To avoid this, if you haven’t heard from a company you applied for in a few weeks, why not send them a quick email to check if they have received your application? This shows that you are proactive and interested in the job.

Even if you find out that you didn’t get the job, try to get feedback as to why you didn’t get it, so that you can improve your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter and CV for your next application.

#5- Tell the truth!

When applying for a role that you desperately want, it can be tempting to get carried away and tell a few white lies about your experience or qualifications  on your cover letter and CV. But trust us, it isn’t worth it!

No matter how small it is, if an employer finds out that you have lied about something in your application, even after you’ve started the job, it puts you in a very unprofessional light.

It is therefore always best to stick to the truth when it comes to writing your Strength and Conditioning coach CV. This avoids any potential problems in the future and means that you can apply for jobs with a clear conscience!

#6- Show your personality

Although we have given you a structure to follow when writing your Strength and Conditioning CV, don’t forget to let your own personal voice shine through too!

Being a good Strength and Conditioning coach requires confidence, social skills and creativity, so use your cover letter as a chance to show that you have these qualities! Whether it’s including some personal anecdotes or using a creative structure, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box!

Just like when people are wondering how to choose a personal trainer, prospective S&C clients will want someone who is passionate about what they do – this is the chance to show that you fit that criteria!

FAQs

Where can I find a job as a Strength and Conditioning coach?

Now that you know how to write a cover letter for a Strength and Conditioning coach job, it’s time to start sending off those applications!

Online is perhaps the easiest way to find Strength and Conditioning coach vacancies. General job listing sites such as Indeed and Glassdoor will advertise S&C jobs. The UK’s professional body for Strength and Conditioning, the UKSCA, also has a handy job board here where they exclusively post S&C coach roles.

You may also want to consider reaching out to potential clients yourself. For example, if you want to work for a specific sports team, sending them your Strength and Conditioning coach resume or even just beginning to network with them shows that you are really interested in working for them, which will stand you in good stead.

If you choose to take your personal training course and CPDs with OriGym, you’ll have access to our award-winning post-course support. As well as CV advice from our team of experts, we guarantee an interview with a gym from our extensive network of partner gyms across the country!

What career progression is there for a Strength and Conditioning coach?

When you are writing your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, you may be wondering where your career could take you.

Well, perhaps the most common career path for Strength and Conditioning coaches is to work with professional athletes or sports teams, working their way up from local to national, international, and even Olympic level.

Many experienced Strength and Conditioning coaches also go on to become teachers and assessors, helping create the next generation of S&C coaches! If this sounds appealing, taking OriGym’s Fitness Teaching and Assessing Course equips you with all the knowledge and practical skills you need to pursue this career path.

Whatever path you choose, Strength and Conditioning is one of the most lucrative and dynamic fitness careers out there!

Before you go!

So, we hope that you now feel confident in writing a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter. Paired with the right qualifications, experience and a strong CV, you’ve got all you need to land a role in S&C!

Take the first steps towards a career in fitness by taking your Personal Training Diploma with OriGym today. You can also browse our full range of courses here by downloading our free prospectus here.

References

Are Cover Letters Necessary In 2021? Do I Need A Cover Letter? Tomaszewski, M. Resume Lab. March 2021. Online: https://resumelab.com/cover-letter/are-cover-letters-necessary

Whether you’re looking for a new role or you’ve recently become an S&C coach, perfecting your Strength and Conditioning coach CV is the key to success!

From structure and formatting to what to include, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to writing the perfect Strength and Conditioning coach resume. 

We’ll cover:

• Strength And Conditioning Coach CV Structure
• How to Format Your S&C Coach CV
• What To Include In Your CV
• Tips For Writing A Strength And Conditioning CV

If you’re looking to break into the fitness industry, taking a Personal Trainer Diploma is the best way to get started! Enquire today, or browse our full range of course by downloading our free course prospectus here. 

Strength And Conditioning Coach CV Structure

Before you even start writing the content, planning a clear and concise structure for your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV is essential.

As well as making your CV look professional, having a good structure makes it a lot easier for a prospective employer to read. If your CV is difficult to follow or has a confusing structure, they are much more likely to ignore it! 

Of course, how you structure it is entirely up to you. But if you are struggling with what to include, here’s a good basic structure to follow:

• Contact Information 
• Personal Summary
• Qualifications 
• Work experience
• Achievements
• Education 
• Hobbies and interests
• References 

We’ll discuss exactly what to include in each of these sections later in this article. 

You should make sure that your sections are clearly divided, which can be easily done by making the subheadings bold or in a slightly larger font. We will discuss fonts in more detail next when we cover the Strength And Conditioning Coach CV formatting. 

Strength And Conditioning Coach CV Format

Another important aspect of writing a good Strength and Conditioning Coach resume is formatting. Like the structure, getting this right will make your CV look professional and make it easier for the employer to read, ultimately helping you stand out amongst other applicants!

Check out our tips for how to stand as a personal trainer here.

Here are some points to consider when formatting your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV:

Font. We recommend using fonts such as Arial, New Times roman Calibri as they are professional, simple and easy to read. 

Font size. We’d recommend using size 16pt for your titles, and 12pt for all other text. 

Spacing. If you can, use 1.15 spacing to make your CV easier to read. This also allows room for the employer to write any notes or annotations on your CV!

Avoid large chunks of text. Try to avoid large blocks of text in your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV. The person reading it will probably also have several (if not hundreds!) of other CVs to read. They are much more likely to engage with quick bullet points or short paragraphs, rather than long chunks of text. 

Colours. The colour theme of your CV is really a matter of personal preference. We recommend sticking to blacks and blues in order to maintain a professional look. However, if you have an eye for design, adding a pop of colour can show off your skills and personality!

What To Include In Your Strength And Conditioning Coach CV

So, now that you know how to structure and format your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV, what should you include in it? Let’s break down exactly what information you need to put in your Strength and Conditioning Coach resume!

Contact information 

Perhaps the most obvious way to start your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV is with your contact information. This is pretty important as without it, an employer won’t be able to contact you about your application if you are successful!

Your contact information should include:

• Full name
• Address / location 
• Phone number
• Email address

Another thing you may want to include is your social media links. This is entirely optional, but since marketing yourself on social media is becoming one of the important skills of a personal trainer, and anyone working in fitness for that matter, it is definitely worth considering! It can help give the employer a more rounded view of you and your brand, as well as demonstrating your marketing skills. 

This is the first thing that someone will read on your CV, so you could also include a line stating your job title, e.g. ‘Qualified Strength and Conditioning coach’.

Personal summary

This is an important but often overlooked section of a Strength and Conditioning CV. A personal summary is essentially a personal statement. The overall premise is very similar to that of a personal trainer bio, except your personal summary should be tailored to a specific job at a certain company rather than to clients.

As one of the first things an employer will read, it is worth taking some time to perfect your personal summary. It needs to be strong but short; it is an opportunity to really sell yourself in a few lines!

It should give an overview of you, your experience and your qualifications, as well as why you are the best candidate for this specific job. You could also briefly mention your future career goals. 

An important thing to remember about your personal summary is that it should be tailored to the specific job description. Make sure to look at what skills and experience they are looking for, and ensure that your personal summary is relevant and makes references to those particular skills.  

For example, if the role is to coach a team of athletes, you could highlight any experience you may have with group personal training which would give you transferable skills. 

This is particularly important if you don’t yet have much experience in the industry, as your personal summary can be a good way to convey your personality, passion and motivation for the job. 

Work experience

After your personal summary, you should then outline your relevant work experience. 

In this section of your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV, you should outline your professional history, covering your previous job roles and the roles and responsibilities you had within them. 

Particularly in the S&C sector where you will likely be training a high level of clients in professional contexts, having a lot of experience behind you will stand you in good stead.

But if you don’t have experience specifically in Strength and Conditioning yet, don’t worry! Everyone has to start somewhere, and there is always experience you can draw upon. For example, you could highlight the roles and responsibilities you had as a personal trainer, or any other kind of teaching or leadership skills that could be transferred to S&C.

You should also remember that the role of a Strength and Conditioning Coach involves tasks such as cleaning equipment, communicating with clients, working in a team, and time management – skills which you may have acquired working in sectors such as hospitality or retail. 

However, the most important thing to remember when it comes to listing your experience is to keep it relevant. There is no need to list your role as school prefect or your high school paper round – unless you have something really important to say about it! 

In terms of structuring your work experience, make sure to always talk about your roles in reverse chronological order. That is, start by listing your most recent role and work backwards in time. 

This is what you should include when talking about your work experience:

• Your job title
• Company name
• Location of company 
• How long you worked there (month and year you started and ended)
• Briefly explain the roles and responsibilities you had

Qualifications

The next thing you should include in your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV is arguably the most important: your qualifications! 

This is where you can show a prospective employer that you are qualified for the role, and you can share any extra qualifications you may have that will help you stand out! In fact, employers often look at this section first to quickly discount any unqualified candidates. 

If you’re wondering what qualifications you need to be a Strength and Conditioning coach, there are some essential qualifications that you will need:

• Level 2 Gym Instructor Qualification: This primarily qualifies you to work as a fitness instructor in a gym, leisure centre or fitness club. But it also provides you with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to enter the fitness industry. You’ll learn the basics of human anatomy and physiology, which is at the core of Strength and Conditioning. 
• Level 3 Personal Training Qualification: Once you have completed your Level 2 course, you can then qualify as a personal trainer. Taking this course will expand upon your fitness knowledge and provide you with an in-depth understanding of the human body and how to create and deliver a programme for clients. 

If you don’t already have either of these qualifications, you can enquire about our CIMSPA endorsed Personal Training Diploma now and get qualified in as little as 4 weeks!

Once you have these core qualifications, you are all set to start specialising in Strength and Conditioning! You may choose to deepen your knowledge even further with a specific strength & conditioning course. However, this isn’t mandatory to pursue this career.

This section of your strength and conditioning coach CV is a great time to show off your Level 2, Level 3 and CPD qualifications, demonstrating your commitment and dedication to being a Strength and Conditioning Coach. 

You should also list any further qualifications you have to do with Strength and Conditioning. For example, you may have taken an advanced S&C course with an awarding body, such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). 

As well as Strength and Conditioning-specific qualifications, it can also be helpful to list any extra fitness-related courses you may have taken, such as specialist CPD or first aid courses.

When listing your qualifications, make sure to include the following things:

• Name of the course
• Course provider
• When you completed the course
• Governing body 
• Course accreditation (e.g. CIMSPA)
• Grade you achieved (if applicable) 

Within this section, you can also include whether you are insured. Showing that you already have your own insurance is not always essential, but will definitely be a selling point for potential employers. S&C coach insurance is essentially the same as what you need as a personal trainer so check out our guide to what insurance personal trainers need. 

Education

Some jobs may have certain academic requirements, so it is worth listing your education history in your Strength and Conditioning coach resume. 

Like with your work experience, you should list your education history in reverse chronological order. This means starting with your most recently completed education and working backwards. 

When listing your education, you should include: 

• Start and end date (month and year)
• Subject / degree title (including acronym e.g. BSc, MSc)
• Name of school, university or college
• Level of qualification (e.g. degree, A-Level)
• Grade achieved (e.g. merit, A*, 2:1)

The level of detail you go into in this section really depends on your level of education. For example, if you have a university degree, you don’t need to list all your GCSEs. You could instead simply say something like:

Sept 2008 – June 2015 

Park High School 

10 GCSEs grade A-C (including Maths and English)

However, some roles may require specific GCSEs or A-Levels, in which case you should list them in more detail. As with all jobs in sport, it is therefore important to read the job description carefully and adapt your CV accordingly. 

You can also choose which grades to include in your Strength and Conditioning resume. You should never lie about grades, but if there are some that you are not particularly happy with, you don’t have to include them! Similarly, if there are grades you are particularly proud of, make sure to include them at the top of the list.

Finally, you can also include any pending qualifications, for example if you are in the process of completing a degree. In this case, simply state when you started and your predicted or expected grade, if you know it. It could look something like this:

September 2019- present

BSc Sports Science

Liverpool John Moores University 

Predicted grade: 2:1

Hobbies and interests

You may not have thought that your hobbies and interests are something to include on a professional Strength and Conditioning coach CV. But we think it is definitely worth including a short section on them!

Considering that a Strength and Conditioning coach is an active, social and dynamic job, demonstrating your hobbies and interests shows that you are a well-rounded person suitable for the role. Ultimately, it shows that you are human!

Of course, you should particularly mention any sports and fitness-related hobbies. Whether you’re into running marathons or play for your local football team at the weekend, it all shows that you understand the industry from a personal perspective, as well as a professional one. 

As with all aspects of your Strength and Conditioning coach CV, make sure that it is relevant. For example, there is no need to mention general hobbies such as ‘listening to music’ or ‘reading’, as they certainly won’t make you stand out from the rest! 

You don’t need to go into much detail here, simply saying what the hobby is and how long you have been doing it is enough. 

References 

Finally, you should end your Strength and Conditioning coach resume with references. 

A referee is someone who your potential employer can contact and ask for a personal reference about you. They may ask them what you are like as an employee, or ask them to verify any claims you have made on your Strength and Conditioning coach CV. 

Referees can be previous employers or lecturers who you have worked with in the recent past. 

You don’t need to share their personal contact information on your CV. Instead, simply state “References available on request”. Then if you are successful, the employer will ask for further details so that they can contact your references. 

Enjoying this article so far? Here’s 3 more that we think you’ll love:

• Become A Strength and Conditioning Coach
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Tips For Writing A Strength And Conditioning CV

Now that you know what exactly to include, here are some of our top tips to really perfect your Strength and Conditioning coach CV. 

#1- Include a cover letter 

When applying for a job, you should always include a cover letter alongside your Strength and Conditioning coach CV. A cover letter is simply a document that introduces your CV, typically attached before the CV itself. 

Where a CV is a general overview of your skills and experience, a cover letter is specifically written for the job that you are applying for. It allows you to really sell yourself and highlight any particular points that you may not be able to include in your CV.

A Strength and Conditioning cover letter is very similar to that of other fitness roles, so check out our guide to how to write a personal training cover letter for more tips! 

#2- Keep it concise 

When it comes to writing a Strength and Conditioning coach CV, less is often more! 

You may think that the longer your CV the better but in fact, seeing several pages of a CV can completely put off potential employers. We therefore recommend keeping your CV to no more than 2 sides of A4 long. 

#3- Convey your passion

Writing a Strength and Conditioning coach resume can sometimes seem like a laborious task. Whilst you should follow a structure (like the one we have outlined in this article), equally don’t be afraid to think outside the box!

Being a good Strength and Conditioning coach requires confidence, social skills and creativity, so use this as a chance to show that you have these qualities! Whether it’s designing your CV in a creative way in relation to the role you are applying for, or including something a bit different, it can be a great way to help you stand out! 

Just like when people are wondering how to choose a personal trainer, prospective S&C clients will want someone who is passionate about what they do. So this is the chance to show that you fit that criteria!

That said, try not to over-do it! Make sure that your CV remains professional and easy to read. 

#4- Check your spelling and grammar

This is one of the biggest mistakes that applicants make, but it’s also one of the easiest to avoid! 

You could have the best Strength and Conditioning coach CV ever, but if you make spelling and grammar mistakes, it will instantly make it look unprofessional and imply that you haven’t taken much time or care over it. 

The best way to avoid this is to simply make sure to use a spelling and grammar checker on whatever application you are writing your CV on. You could also get a friend or family member to read it over, as often they will point out errors that you may have missed. 

#5- Follow up 

Once you have sent off a job application, it can be easy to think that all your hard work is done and you can forget about it. But this is not the case!

It is likely that employers will receive hundreds of applications for one single role, particularly if you are applying for one of the best gyms to work for in the UK. This increases the chance of your application getting lost or an email being left unread.

In order to avoid this, if you haven’t heard from a company you applied for in a few weeks, there is no harm in sending them a quick email to check if they have received your application. This shows that you are proactive and really interested in the job. 

Even if you haven’t got the job, try to get feedback as to why you didn’t get it, so that you can improve your CV for your next application. 

#6- Don’t lie!

When applying for a role that you desperately want, it can be easy to get carried away and tell a few white lies on your CV about your experience or qualifications. But this is always a bad idea!

No matter how small it is, if an employer finds out that you have lied about something, even after you’ve started the job, it puts you in a very unprofessional light. Not to mention the awkward conversation you would have to have with them!

It is therefore always best to stick to the truth when it comes to writing your Strength and Conditioning CV. It avoids any potential problems in the future and means that you can apply for jobs with a clear conscience! 

FAQs

Where can I find a job as a Strength and Conditioning coach?

Once you have written your Strength and Conditioning coach CV, we know that you’ll be wanting to start sending off those applications!

Online is a great place to start. General job listing sites such as Indeed and Glassdoor will advertise S&C jobs. The UK’s professional body for Strength and Conditioning, the UKSCA, also has a handy job board here where they exclusively post S&C coach vacancies.

It can also be worth taking the initiative to reach out to potential clients yourself. For example, if you want to work for a specific sports team, sending them your Strength and Conditioning coach resume or even just beginning to network with them shows that you are passionate about working for them- and will help you stand out! 

What career progression is there for a Strength and Conditioning coach? 

When you are writing your Strength and Conditioning coach CV to apply for a job role, you may be wondering where your career could take you. 

Perhaps the most common career path for Strength and Conditioning coaches is to work with professional athletes or sports teams, working their way up from local to national, international and even Olympic level. 

Many experienced Strength and Conditioning coaches also go on to become teachers and assessors, helping create the next generation of S&C coaches! If this sounds appealing, taking OriGym’s Fitness Teaching and Assessing Course equips you with all the knowledge and practical skills you need to pursue this career path.

Whatever path you choose, Strength and Conditioning is one of the most lucrative and dynamic fitness careers out there! 

Before You Go!

So, now that you know how to write a Strength and Conditioning coach CV, what are you waiting for? It’s time to start sending your applications and landing your dream job in Strength and Conditioning! 

If you haven’t already, kickstart your S&C career by taking a personal trainer diploma with OriGym and see where it could take you! You can also browse our full range of courses here by downloading our free prospectus here. 

If you’re asking ‘what is a strength and conditioning coach?’ as somebody looking to hire or become a strength and conditioning coach, this article covers everything you need to know!  

Contents:

• What Is Strength And Conditioning?
• What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?
• Who Do Strength And Conditioning Coaches Work With?
• How To Become A Strength And Conditioning Coach
• What Makes A Good Strength And Conditioning Coach

Before we get started, enquire today to see how taking OriGym’s CIMSPA-accredited Personal Training Diploma can help you kickstart your career in the fitness industry! Or, download our free prospectus to browse the full range of health and fitness courses. 

What Is Strength And Conditioning?

Before we get into answering the question, ‘what is a Strength and Conditioning coach?’, let’s first establish what exactly is meant by ‘Strength and Conditioning’.

Strength and Conditioning (often known as S&C), is the practical application of sports science principles to improve athletic performance. It is predominantly used with athletes or fitness professionals looking to improve their speed, strength, power and endurance in a specific sport or discipline. 

As well as improving athletic performance, Strength and Conditioning can help to reduce the risk of injury. This is done by focusing on the parts of the body most susceptible to injury, strengthening the muscles and joints that are used the most. 

There is a common misconception that Strength and Conditioning is just about lifting weights. But in fact, there is far more to it than that! Whilst strength training is certainly an important aspect of S&C, it is just as much about mobility, flexibility and even mental wellbeing. 

Through improving general health and wellbeing, Strength and Conditioning also provides several other subsequent benefits to clients, such as: stronger bone density, improved posture, improved mood and increased metabolism. 

With so many benefits and the ability to work with a high-level of clients, it’s no wonder that Strength and Conditioning coaching is becoming an increasingly popular career path for fitness professionals! 

What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?

A Strength and Conditioning coach is simply a qualified fitness professional who plans and delivers training programs to improve the performance of athletes or athletic teams. 

But what does a Strength and Conditioning coach do? Well, there are many similarities to the role of a personal trainer, as they both ultimately help clients achieve their fitness goals. 

However, where personal trainers work with clients of varying fitness abilities and fairly general fitness goals (such as losing weight or building strength), Strength and Conditioning coaches deliver a much more specialised service. 

Before we continue, if you’re wondering, ‘what is a Strength and Conditioning specialist?’, the short answer is that it is the same! The terms ‘coach’ and ‘specialist’ can be used interchangeably in the context of this article, and in S&C in general.

Working mostly with professional athletes, the primary goal of a Strength and Conditioning coach is to help a client improve their speed, strength, endurance, agility and power in order to enhance their athletic performance. 

The second goal of a Strength and Conditioning coach is to reduce the risk of injury for athletes. This means using principles of mobility and flexibility training, helping to strengthen the parts of the body most susceptible to injury in a particular sport.

Studies such as this one have shown that regular Strength and Conditioning training can indeed reduce cases of injury amongst athletes and sports professionals. 

Like personal trainers, Strength and Conditioning coaches may also monitor client’s general health and wellbeing. For example, they may refer a client to a nutritionist if they feel that they need to work on their diet. 

When wondering, ‘what is a strength and conditioning coach?’, you may not have thought about mental health. But as well as physical health, Strength and Conditioning coaches are often also involved in athletes’ mental wellbeing. They should be able to motivate clients and act as a positive role model for them – which is also one of the skills required to be a personal trainer. 

The day-to-day tasks of a Strength and Conditioning coach vary depending on where you are working and the type of client(s) you are working with. Generally, they can include: 

• Creating and planning a training program for an athlete or athletic team.
• Delivering training sessions on the field, court or in a gym.
• Teaching Olympic Weightlifting and proper technique. If you are particularly interested in this area of fitness, check out our guide on how to become an Olympic Weightlifting Coach.
• Supervising and motivating athletes during the sessions. 
• Delivering skill-related drills.
• Assessing and monitoring athletes’ progress during and after the program. 
• Ad-hoc tasks to help the team such as cleaning equipment, assisting with transport and administrative tasks. 

As you can see, due to working with a high level of clients and the varied nature of the role, being a Strength and Conditioning coach is a demanding yet hugely rewarding career!

Who Do Strength And Conditioning Coaches Work With?

Now that we have answered ‘what is a Strength and Conditioning specialist?’, let’s discuss what kind of clients they work with. You may know Strength and Conditioning coaches for traditionally working with professional athletes. However, the client base for S&C coaches is rapidly expanding to include other areas of the fitness sector. 

The main type of client that Strength and Conditioning coaches work with is professional athletes. This could be on a national, international or even Olympic scale. You could work either with individual athletes on a one-to-one basis, or work with a whole team or athletic club. 

If you’re interested in working with a club, taking OriGym’s CPD course in group training would help you gain the skills and experience to deliver Strength and Conditioning to a group.

Many Strength and Conditioning coaches also work with local, college or university level sports teams. Again, you could work with clients on an individual or group basis here. This is a great option to gain experience working in a competitive sports environment before moving on to working at a national or international level. 

Although it is typically associated with fitness professionals and competitive sports, Strength and Conditioning coaches can also work with casual fitness enthusiasts on a smaller scale. Many Strength and Conditioning coaches begin their career by teaching S&C based group classes and 1-1 sessions in gyms and leisure centres. 

What Is The Average Salary Of A Strength And Conditioning Coach?

When wondering ‘what is a strength and conditioning coach’, it is likely that one of your main questions will be about how much you can expect to earn. But despite this, figures available on Payscale show that the average yearly salary of a Strength and Conditioning Coach in the UK is £24,624. However, this varies according to several factors:

Location. You may not have thought it, but one of the main things that can affect your salary in any fitness-related role is your location. Particularly if you are working as a Strength and Conditioning Coach in London, you can expect a much higher salary than if you were working outside of London.

The type of client you are working with. The size, status and wealth of the athlete or sports team you are working with is a huge determiner of how much you will be paid as a Strength and Conditioning coach. For example, a national team will most likely give you a higher salary than a local university team. 

Your experience. As with most jobs, the amount of experience you have behind you will affect how much you can justify charging for your services. The more experienced you are in S&C, or even in the fitness industry in general, the more sought-after you will be! 

Your qualifications. The more qualified you are, the more employable you are! Along with experience, this is what will make you stand out in the Strength and Conditioning job market. It is also worth noting that this is considerably above the average personal trainer salary of £21,591. This shows that the more qualified you are, the bigger your earning potential is.

For a more detailed explanation of how much a Strength and Conditioning coach makes, check out OriGym’s Strength and Conditioning Coach Salary Guide. 

How To Become A Strength And Conditioning Coach

Now that you have a better understanding of the role of a strength and conditioning coach, let’s discuss the different qualifications you can earn in order to pursue these job roles.

Vocational Training Courses 

Not every employer will require candidates to hold higher education qualifications. Many will also prioritise applicants who have undergone vocational training.

These qualifications are significantly cheaper than university degrees and can see you qualify at a much faster rate. 

When choosing a vocational qualification to pursue, you may opt to study Strength and Conditioning specifically. In doing so, you can develop advanced theoretical knowledge and practical skills considered to be valuable by employers. 

However, you don’t just have to specifically study strength and conditioning, employers will also consider applicants with backgrounds in personal training. This can be seen in the example below, from Transform Wellness.

Here you can see that the employer is looking for a Personal Trainer, who can also provide strength and conditioning coaching to their customers:

With positions like this available, it’s worth considering alternative ways to become a strength and conditioning coach that are quicker and cheaper to achieve than a degree.

You could become a personal trainer by completing a Level 3 Personal Trainer Diploma combining your Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer qualifications respectively.

Through the Personal Training Diploma you will learn how to plan and deliver bespoke workout programmes, suitable for individual clients and larger groups. These will help your clients meet their personalised fitness goals, which as we’ve discussed is a key role of strength and conditioning coaching. 

When choosing a training provider you’ll want to opt for a course that is regulated, as this ensures that you’ll be trained to the appointed industry standards. 

At OriGym for example, our course is regulated by Ofqual, endorsed by CIMSPA and awarded via Focus Awards. This ensures that students who hold our qualifications will be recognised by employers within the industry. 

Higher Education Degree

Another route you could take to become a Strength and Conditioning coach is by completing a higher education degree in a related topic – e.g. BSc in Strength and Conditioning or Sports Science.

A university degree can help you develop specialist expertise and gain hands-on experience to learn how to improve athletes’ performances and reduce their chances of injury.

These qualifications typically take 3 years to complete and can cost up to £9,250 per year. Students can apply for government loans, but this will still result in £27,750 of debt before any interest is added.

With a sports science degree, you can apply for Strength and Conditioning coach positions at professional sporting institutions, such as Charlton Athletic Football Club which are currently looking for a Professional Game Academy Strength and Conditioning Coach:

As you can see from the education, qualifications and training requirements listed in the job description of this position, the football club is looking for applicants who have achieved a Sports Science related degree.

So, when deciding to become a Strength and Conditioning coach you should compare both vocational training and higher education courses before deciding which one is best for your specific needs.  

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What Makes A Good Strength And Conditioning Coach?

As well as qualifications, there are some key skills and personal attributes needed to be a good Strength and Conditioning coach. So in answer to the question ‘what is a strength and conditioning coach?’, we can say that it is someone who has the following skills and abilities:

An in-depth understanding of human anatomy 

When we have discussed the question, ‘what does a Strength and Conditioning coach do?’, we have said that they help clients train their body for a particular sport. This level of precision therefore requires an in-depth knowledge of the human body in order to know how to help your client achieve a specific goal.

For example, you may be working with a gymnast who wants to improve a very specific area of strength, such as their shoulders. A Strength and Conditioning coach must have the knowledge and experience to know how to create a training program containing exercises and drills to specifically target the shoulders. 

Human anatomy is one of the key topics covered in OriGym’s personal training courses, providing you with the foundation of knowledge needed to go on to be a Strength and Conditioning coach. 

Motivational

In answer to the question ‘what makes a good Strength and Conditioning coach?’, one of the most often overlooked skills is the ability to motivate your clients. 

If you are working with professional athletes it is likely that they will be training under immense pressure and to a very high standard. They therefore need all the motivation and encouragement they can get during their Strength and Conditioning training. 

Even if you are delivering S&C in a more casual fitness environment, you will still need to be able to push your clients to reach their full potential! 

Like a personal trainer, a Strength and Conditioning coach should act as a positive role model for their clients. 

Organisation and time management

Since athletes are often working towards a competition, race, match or game, a good Strength and Conditioning coach needs to be organised and able to work to a deadline. 

Strength and Conditioning coaching is generally more time-sensitive than personal training. Where a personal training client may have a more general goal such as ‘to lose weight’, S&C clients are much more likely to have a time frame for their goal, such as a competition that they are working towards. 

An S&C coach therefore needs to be able to manage their time well in order to adhere to these kinds of strict deadlines. This means creating a training program with a well thought-out timescale and managing your time effectively. Particularly for competitive athletes, every session counts!

Having a time frame is useful when setting goals for any type of client, and is part of the ‘SMART’ goal-setting framework. Check out our full guide to SMART fitness goals here to see how using this acronym can benefit you and your clients!

Flexible

Since Strength and Conditioning coaches often work with athletes, they need to be flexible and able to adapt to the fast-paced and ever-changing nature of competitive sport and athletics. 

As we have said, organisational skills and planning your sessions ahead is vital for a Strength and Conditioning coach. But equally, you should be aware that things don’t always go to plan!

For example, your client may pick up an injury. Instead of letting this hinder your client’s progress, you should be able to quickly improvise and work your program around it. 

Similarly, a good Strength and Conditioning coach needs to be aware of any external changes that could affect your client. For example, if you are working towards a competition and the date changes or is cancelled, you should be able to adapt the timeline of your program accordingly! 

Communication skills

Finally, as a ​​Strength and Conditioning coach, strong communication skills are essential.

Whereas a personal trainer interacts solely with their clients, a ​​Strength and Conditioning coach will need to be able to communicate with a wide range of different people. This is because when working with an athlete, you will need to interact not only with the athlete themselves, but with their team, other coaches, and even family members.

Furthermore, in order to deliver the S&C coaching sessions themselves, you will need strong verbal communication skills. You should be confident addressing a group and able to explain exercises clearly to your clients. 

Communication skills are also important for a personal trainer. In fact, being able to communicate effectively with your clients is one of the main skills you will see listed on a personal trainer job description. 

Strength And Conditioning Coach Career Progression Opportunities

Once you are a qualified Strength and Conditioning Coach, a whole host of career opportunities will open up to you! Here are some of the main career paths you can go down: 

Working with professional athletes/sports teams

The most common career path for a Strength and Conditioning coach is working with professional, Olympic or collegiate athletes. 

Although this is the most popular and therefore competitive market for Strength and Conditioning Coaches, it is arguably still the most lucrative and rewarding. Gaining as much experience and knowledge as possible is a surefire way to help you stand out in this market. 

Since there are so many different kinds of athletes out there, there is a huge potential to really expand your skills and experience to include a wide range of different sports and disciplines. Not only is this personally rewarding, but it will also look great on your CV!

Plus, with athletes and sports teams in so many different places around the world, there is always potential to travel as a Strength and Conditioning coach – perhaps more so than any other fitness-based role. 

Working in gyms and fitness clubs

As well as working with athletes, S&C coaches are now becoming increasingly sought after in more casual fitness settings such as gyms and fitness clubs. 

This is a fairly recent and exciting gap in the market, making it a great initial niche to break into if you are a newly qualified Strength and Conditioning Coach.

If you’re a personal trainer looking for career change ideas, it is also a great progression route from a personal trainer. For example, if you work in a gym as a personal trainer, you could use those connections to secure a job there working as a Strength and Conditioning coach!

Strength and Conditioning teacher and assessor

When answering, ‘what does a Strength and Conditioning coach do?’, you may not have thought of teaching other S&C coaches. But in fact, if you have been a Strength and Conditioning Coach for several years, becoming a teacher and assessor of Strength and Conditioning is another great career path to take. 

It allows you to use your experience in the industry to inspire and create the next generation of S&C coaches, which is a rewarding feeling! Plus, because of the high level of knowledge and experience required, you can expect a higher salary too. 

If this sounds like something you are interested in, taking OriGym’s Fitness Teaching and Assessing Course equips you with all the knowledge and practical skills you need to pursue this career path.

Owning your own Strength and Conditioning business

Another great career path if you are a more experienced Strength and Conditioning coach is to start your own S&C business. 

This allows you to take on several clients and therefore increase your earning potential. However, you will need to be ready to put in the hard work to attract clients, build your brand, market yourself, manage your own finances and all the other tasks that come with owning a business. 

This career path is undoubtedly lucrative and highly rewarding- but it isn’t easy! If you’re thinking of starting your own S&C business, OriGym’s CPD business course teaches you everything you need to know about how to run your own fitness business! 

Take a nutrition course

Even though Strength and Conditioning is a fairly niche area of fitness, there is always room for expanding your client base further by taking more qualifications. 

Nutrition courses are one of the most popular qualifications that Strength and Conditioning coaches take, as nutrition is is a perfect complement to your career as an important, but often overlooked, part of S&C coaching.

Although athletes may have dedicated nutritionists on their team, knowing about nutrition and how it can affect your client’s performance will undoubtedly help you stand out and get the most out of your clients!

FAQs

Where can I find a job as a Strength and conditioning coach?

If you’re looking to start a career as a Strength and Conditioning Coach, online is a great place to start. General job listing sites such as Indeed and Glassdoor will advertise S&C jobs, or there are fitness-specific job sites such as Leisure Jobs to help narrow your search.

The UK’s professional body for Strength and Conditioning, the UKSCA, also has a handy job board here where they post exclusively S&C coach vacancies.

As well as searching for advertised jobs, it can also be worth taking the initiative to reach out to potential clients yourself. For example, if you want to work for a specific sports team, sending a speculative application or even just beginning to network with them shows that you are passionate about working for them- and will help you stand out! 

If you choose to take your personal training course and Strength and Conditioning CPD with OriGym, you’ll have access to our award-winning post-course support. As well as CV advice from our team of experts, we guarantee an interview with a gym from our extensive network of partner gyms across the country! 

Do Strength and Conditioning coaches need insurance?

Any fitness professional working with clients needs to be insured- and Strength and Conditioning coaches are no exception!

Ultimately, the insurance you need as an S&C coach is the same as what you need as a personal trainer. This is essentially liability insurance that covers you in the event of injury to yourself or your client, damage or loss of equipment, claims of harassment and claims of professional negligence.Check out our guide to what insurance personal trainers need here for more detail! 

There are also some insurance policies that are specific to Strength and Conditioning coaches, such as this one which is endorsed by the UKSCA, the UK’s leading S&C organisation. 

It may seem like an annoying extra cost, but we cannot stress enough how important it is to have insurance as a Strength and Conditioning coach! 

Before you go!

So, we hope that we’ve answered the question, ‘what is a Strength and Conditioning coach?’ and inspired you to pursue a career in S&C. From what the role involves to how to become one, this article has covered all you need to know about Strength and Conditioning coaching!

Why not kickstart your career in Strength and Conditioning today by taking a Personal Training Diploma with OriGym. You can also browse our full range of courses by downloading our free prospectus here. 

References

Talpey, Scott W. PhD; Siesmaa, Emma J. PhD Sports Injury Prevention: The Role of the Strength and Conditioning Coach. Strength and Conditioning Journal: June 2017 – Volume 39 – Issue 3 – p 14-19. 

Developing strength and conditioning coach skills can set a good coach apart from a great one, and clients will only want to work with the best of the best. Coaches need to be highly skilled to guarantee their client’s success within their chosen sport or activity.

At OriGym, we are here to help you gain the key skills needed to hit the ground running in the fitness industry. In this article, we discuss:

• Specialist Skills of a Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Soft Skills for Strength and Conditioning Coaches
• Strength and Conditioning Coach Responsibilities
• Who Needs a Strength and Conditioning Coach?
• What Qualifications Are Needed to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach?
• Job Prospects for a Strength and Conditioning Coach

But before we begin, if you have a passion for all things fitness and want to put it to good use then why not sign up for Personal Trainer Diploma? Not only do we deliver the highest standard of fitness education across the UK, but we also offer unlimited career support and development as well as a guaranteed post-course interview.

Strength and Conditioning Coach Specialist Skills

If you want to become a strength and conditioning coach, you’re going to need a set of specialised skills that will allow you to flourish within your working environment. This section is dedicated to looking specifically at the hard skills that are closely related to the role at hand.

#1 –  In-Depth Knowledge of Fitness and Anatomy

Our list of strength and conditioning coach special skills begins with a theoretical skill that you must master if you wish to enter this working profession.

An in-depth knowledge of both fitness and anatomy will inform you on how to implement the best training programmes to improve the area(s) of fitness that a client wishes to focus on. You can learn more about what these may be in our guide on the 11 Components of Fitness.

For example, if you’re currently working with a gymnast who is looking to improve their performance, you will need this knowledge to determine how to structure a specialised exercise programme that will improve their balance and upper body strength in the way they require it to.

But how do you attain such knowledge before entering the strength and conditioning field?

At OriGym we recommend completing a Level 3 Personal Trainer Diploma, which combines your Level 2 Fitness Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer qualifications into one course!

The diploma will help you understand how the human body works, and the ways diet and nutrition influence performance, and finally, provide you with knowledge to tailor programs to meet clients’ goals.

Without the initial education that the two certifications provide, employers simply won’t consider you for vacancies.

#2 – Experience

The term ‘experience’ can be viewed as a collection of strength and conditioning coach skills, rather than just one specific example. Now, as you can expect it’s hard to get strength and conditioning coach experience when you’re just starting your career, which is why many newcomers choose to work as a personal trainer first.

This experience ultimately boils down to the clients you have worked with. If you choose to initially follow a personal trainer career, then you will have access to a large client pool.

How these different PT clients operate will act as your foundational knowledge base, ready to launch your career in strength and conditioning.

If you choose to initially pursue personal training, we advise you to work with anyone you can. Don’t be afraid to take on challenging clients, as this will improve your overall experience and make you a stronger coach in the long run.

#3 -Adapting to Every Client

When it comes to strength and conditioning, a coach’s special skills repertoire should involve adaptability, which will naturally improve over time with growing experience.

As your number of clients increases, so will your confidence. In turn, you will learn how to adapt to suit any client’s specific needs and requirements such as their skill level or personality type.

Naturally, those who are highly skilled will likely exceed in training and may require a more challenging programme. Whereas others may lack motivation and confidence, requiring a more detailed plan and guiding approach.

Adapting a programme can be achieved in a variety of ways, for example, you could pick up on physical and verbal cues for clients who may be either struggling or surpassing expectations.

By doing this you will know how to regress or progress a client’s training. This effectively allows you to take immediate action when amendments are required to a client’s workout, be they simple or complex overhauls.

With a Level 3 Personal Trainer Diploma, you’ll learn to adapt to every client as you discover the best programs to write for special populations such as the elderly, those experiencing obesity, and pregnant women.

#4 – A Meticulous Mindset

A meticulous mindset is a key skill that a strength and conditioning coach should have, however, many unconsciously overlook this and that is to the detriment of their career.

When working as a PT you have wiggle room when creating workouts for your clients. However, strength and conditioning coaches need to take a more structured approach to tailor training programmes.

Attaining and developing this skill will involve analysing the past performance of an athlete, to determine whether they need advanced or regressed training. From this point, you will need to meticulously measure the proposed programme ensuring everything is as detailed as possible.

When creating a tailored programme, coaches with this particular mindset should be questioning how to quantify a client’s success. This can be achieved by measuring details such as the amount they lift or the number of repetitions they perform.

#5 – The ‘Coach’s Eye’

The phrase coach’s eye is commonly used to describe a specific set of strength and conditioning coach skills, which refers to a coach’s ability to quickly pick up on mistakes that the client is making.

By developing this strength and conditioning coach special skill you will be able to offer corrections about topics such as body positioning and overall exercise form.

This is where completing our Level 3 Personal Training Diploma pays off, as with this certification you will participate in advanced anatomy classes which encompass lessons on correct exercising form and technique.

However, with that being said, you should never take theoretical knowledge as your only source of information as every athlete is different and may not conform to taught stereotypes.

Some of the mistakes that certain clients make will not be documented or contextualized in classes or resources. Therefore the only way to further develop your coach’s eye is to gain first-hand practical experience in the job role.

Thankfully, there are easy ways you can practically develop this skill.

Firstly, when you’re looking to develop your strength and conditioning coach’s special skills we strongly advise you to train everyone you can. Working with a small pool of clients won’t benefit you in the long run. Instead, you should expand your horizons by training a variety of individuals, as you will gain knowledge of how different athletes work and the mistakes they can potentially make.

It may be particularly beneficial to train a large group of athletes at once to see how different individuals’ bodies operate. Another way of developing your coach’s eye is to interact with other coaches. This can involve sharing stories and past experiences with different clients to help each other develop.

Finally, we strongly encourage you to use the internet as a resource of knowledge which you’re consistently using for reference. Read around the topic, watch YouTube videos and engage with social media discourse, all in the name of developing your coach’s eye.

When it comes to strength and conditioning coach skills it is of utmost importance that you prioritise the development of the coach’s eye. Without this ability, you will simply not be able to progress or develop on your chosen career path.

You can learn this skill

#6 – Communication

Developing strong communication skills is a vital requirement for just about any job within the fitness industry, however, it’s particularly important when acting in the role of a strength and conditioning coach.

So, why is communication considered to be a necessary strength and conditioning coach skill?

This all relates to the precise nature of the training, as a coach you need to carefully relay all your proposed ideas regarding the training programme over to your client, before ensuring they understand every aspect of what’s been laid out before them.

Additionally, you must be willing to communicate with clients to discuss any insecurities regarding your proposed programme. This may involve creating a proposed plan of action to address an issue, to ensure clients stay on track and remain confident.

#7 – Willingness to Learn

As a coach you can’t be content with staying stagnant within your role, you need to be constantly building upon your existing knowledge and experience.

When you’re looking to develop this strength and conditioning coach special skill you will need to have a sense of self-awareness to separate yourself from your professional work, and to determine what your weak points are.

From this point, you need to decide how you’re going to address any issues and whether it’s an easy fix or will require a greater deal of attention.

For example, collaborating with athletes and other coaches is a great way to improve key skills a strength and conditioning coach should have. This process allows a different set of eyes to pick up on weak points that you may not even be aware of.

Identifying your weaknesses often goes overlooked in favour of developing new key skills a strength and conditioning coach should have. However, if you wish to find long-term success you must be willing to turn your coach’s eye inward to analyse your practice.

Now that you have a better understanding of the more complex skills required of this job role we can now turn our attention to soft skills for strength and conditioning coaches.

Soft Skills for Strength and Conditioning Coaches

‘Soft skills’ is a phrase used to describe personality traits that allow someone to interact with others on a friendly and personable level. About the key skills a strength and conditioning coach should have, these traits typically relate to how trainers interact with clients and co-workers.

#1 – Be Personable

If you want to find long-term success as a strength and conditioning coach you’re going to need to understand what your clients want and adapt your teaching and personality to this.

If the athlete requires gentle encouragement and somebody they can have a friendly relationship with then be that person, and make sure they feel comfortable and reassured at all points of their training.

Likewise, some athletes may require a more forward approach with very little friendly interaction, in favour of a professional relationship. However, if this is the case remember there is a thin line between encouragement and being too forceful, always check in on your client to make sure you’re not being too forward.

If you can be the coach that the athlete desires, that will strengthen your relationship, ensuring that you develop a sense of trust as someone worth listening to.

#2 – Get To Know Your Clients

Part of being personable is developing a knowledge of your clients, you’re going to be spending a lot of time with them so you’ll need to retain some information about their personal lives.

This is one of those strength and conditioning coach skills that is a common human courtesy, but you should at the very least remember all client’s names and some information about their lives.

If you struggle to remember names then you need to think of a solution, as calling a client by the wrong name can be quite insulting. Many professional coaches recommend picking nicknames for clients or choosing a rhyming system e.g. Jake the Snake.

Likewise, if you can remember just one detail about your client from the previous session it will make them feel more comfortable in your presence.

Learning how to develop a professional relationship with clients is one of the core values we teach in our Level 4 Personal Trainer course. This is why we advise you to work within the industry before becoming a strength and conditioning coach, as the experience will be to the benefit of the client and trainer alike.

#3 – Be Confident In Yourself

To be someone worth listening to you will need to be self-assured. No athlete will want to work with someone who is second-guessing their teachings or is getting thrown off by their environment.

The first piece of advice we can give is to be clear and concise with what you want your clients to do. By keeping your words simple and direct you’re less likely to confuse the client.

On the topic of using your voice, we would advise you to speak up whenever possible. Gyms are noisy places filled with music and other booming voices, and to maintain a client’s attention, you may need to speak up to command attention.

Speaking at your normal volume will just result in your voice being drowned out and painting you as someone who is timid and cannot retain their client’s focus.

#4 – Choose a Mentor

Naturally, coaches who have been in their job role for several years will have their distinct style of training, but this didn’t come to them overnight, it takes years’ worth of experience to find your own personal style and niche.

So, what do you do when you’re just starting and have yet to carve out your own identity?

We strongly advise finding a mentor to adapt their style to suit your approach. This role model does not necessarily need to be someone you’ve met in person, and can also be a blogger/influencer/TV personality that you admire.

When walking into your first-ever session carry yourself with the same confidence that your mentor would. Leave all thoughts of doubt or nerves at the door, and go into your class ready to teach your athletes.

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If you’re enjoying this article on Strength and Conditioning coach skills then we think you may enjoy these other OriGym articles

• How to Become an Olympic Weightlifting Coach
• How to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Strength and Conditioning Job Description

Strength and Conditioning Coach Responsibilities

Now that we have covered the key skills a strength and conditioning coach should have, we can now turn our focus towards the responsibilities of the job role.

Please remember that not every job is the same, certain ones may require more or less of you.

#1 – Tailor Training Programmes

When working as a strength and conditioning coach on a professional level you will be required to assist in designing training programmes for athletes.

Typically, this will be done under the supervision of the head coach who will have the final say over the final design.

This training programme will naturally revolve around strength, conditioning, and weight training that is specifically designed to optimise an athlete’s chosen sport. Additionally, the training should also seek to minimise the risk of injuries occurring.

You will need to use your coach’s eye to evaluate what the athletes can and can’t do. This information will then need to be relayed to the head trainer, for an accurate training programme to be made.

What’s more, if athletes struggle with their programme then a strength and conditioning coach needs to be able to adapt the programme on the go.

Tailoring workout routines for clients is an important skill to develop for anyone who is looking to work with the general population in the fitness industry. If this is a skill you wish to acquire then we recommend enrolling in our Level 3 Personal Training Diploma, where you will develop a basic understanding of adapting a session to a client.

#2 – Evaluate The Athletes

Many of the key skills a strength and conditioning coach should have all relate to evaluating athletes. By executing this particular task you will be able to significantly improve your overall performance.

The term evaluating athletes refers to the process of observing how clients train, practice and perform within their chosen sport. A coach needs to assess all of these areas in conjunction with said athletes’ previous records, to assess strengths and weaknesses.

Therefore, when it comes to strength and conditioning coach skills, the coach’s eye is a requirement for accurately evaluating athletes.

An athlete will not pick up on their own mistakes and will therefore depend on their coach to perform an accurate evaluation, for the sake of their health and performance levels.

#3 –  Maintain an Athletes Records

Knowing your clients is a soft skill that all strength and conditioning coaches should have, as

It will help you to maintain a concise record of your client’s fitness history.

This particular job role is by far the most important as it can affect an athlete’s entire training programme. Here the strength and conditioning coach must keep a detailed and accurate record of the athlete’s performance, all of which must be updated regularly.

This record will allow the head coach to tailor a plan that is specifically designed for an athlete’s current fitness level, rather than have it created with outdated information.

Inaccurate records can lead to training that is too challenging or too easy for clients, which would significantly impact their overall performance. Training that is too easy could leave an athlete feeling stagnant, unable to grow or develop in their practice, likewise training that is too hard could result in injury and potentially time spent away from their chosen sport.

This is why it’s so important that you know the athletes you’re working with, as your recordings can greatly impact the training they receive.

#4 – Administer Test

To ensure that an athlete’s information is up to date and accurate, strength and conditioning coaches will have to perform regular tests on their clients, with the information acquired being used to develop an accurate training programme.

Some strength and conditioning coaches may work with a team of athletes, however, these tests will always focus on the work of individual athletes. To execute these tests successfully, you will need a keen coach’s eye, to analyse how each athlete performs on the test.

Who Needs a Strength and Conditioning Coach?

Strength and conditioning coach skills are best put to use with certain groups of clientele, but who would benefit the most from sessions with these experts?

The answer is rather simple, as discussed earlier in this article strength and conditioning coaches typically work with professional athletes and those who are about to enter a competitive environment.

These clients will be looking to build a significant amount of muscle mass, through strategic training designed to complement their chosen sport. You will be using strength and conditioning to coach special skills with clients who share the same or a similar end goal.

This makes strength and conditioning coaching somewhat exclusive, as you have a very specific niche of clientele that is not typically as accessible as a personal trainer is.

What Qualifications Are Needed to Become a Strength and Conditioning Coach?

If you’re looking to become a strength and conditioning coach then the fastest way to do this is to first become a gym instructor with OriGym. This will allow you to enter the fitness industry with foundation-level knowledge, acquiring skills that you can use throughout your career.

Once you have acquired this certification, we strongly advise you to put the knowledge you have acquired towards a Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification.

You can achieve both of these qualifications through one course by enrolling on a Level 3 Personal Trainer Diploma.

Think of this as the next stepping stone on the path to becoming a strength and conditioning coach, that will allow you to further your understanding of the human body and its physical capabilities.

Level 3 Personal Trainer Diploma:

Throughout this article, we have stressed the importance of acquiring a Level 3 Personal Training Diploma to build your confidence and relevant vocational skills. Both of these will be achieved through studying modules such as:

• Advanced Anatomy & Physiology For Health – Where you will develop an elite knowledge of how the human body works. This will help you in the development of your client’s training programmes.
• Nutritional Principles – This will cover how specific diets will affect your training programme. Clients will naturally have different eating habits, so knowing how this influences their overall performance will benefit you when pursuing strength and conditioning.
• Programming Trainer Sessions – This module will inform you on how to design personal training sessions that are both fun and innovative, designed to improve the physical condition of your clients. You will also learn the vital skill of tailoring sessions around clients who have disabilities or special requirements.
• Personal Trainer Delivery – Here you will learn about how to motivate your clients, guide them through goal-setting and more. Essentially, this module will endow you with the knowledge and confidence to lead your sessions.
• Demonstrating Leadership – To successfully work with clients, you need to be somebody they look up to. This will further help your ability to lead by example, and to be a trusted advisor and supportive figure to said clients.
• Learning The Business – Working in the fitness industry is so much more than just physicality, you will need to learn how to optimise your business whilst maximising your marketing potential. This module encompasses all of this teaching you how to run and operate a successful personal trainer business.

Additionally, the great thing about studying with OriGym is that this course is recognised by CIMSPA and can be completed in as little as 2 weeks. Even better yet you have the opportunity to choose how you study out of our three learning options.

#1 – Full-Time/Fast Track/Classroom Learning

This course will be taught through attending classroom sessions in one of our venues in Liverpool, London or Birmingham. Here you will obtain both practical and theoretical training all of which are taught by industry professionals.

When pursuing this method of study you will be assessed in the following ways:

• Multiple choice exam on anatomy and physiology – 70% pass mark required
• Multiple choice exam on the application of nutrition – 70% pass mark required
• Practical assessment on delivering a customised personal training programme – Pass required
• Coursework on programming with clients, smart goals, client screening, and progressive overview – Pass Required

#2 – Online

If you prefer to learn entirely virtually then our Level 3 Personal Trainer Course can accommodate this preference. By studying on this path you won’t need to attend any workshops or classes, except physical assessment.

There’s no completion time or restrictions on this pathway, but clients typically complete this in 16 weeks. You’ll learn via our custom-built, award-nominated e-learning platform which is packed with videos, online lectures, and interactive e-learning tools.

The assessments for this pathway will be completed in the following method:

• Multiple choice open book online exam on anatomy and physiology – 90% pass mark required
• Multiple choice open book online exam on the application of nutrition – 90% pass mark required
• Practical assessment on delivering a customised personal training programme – Pass required
• Coursework on programming with clients, smart goals, client screening, and progressive overview – Pass Required

#3 -Part-Time/Blended Learning

This method of study combines aspects of both previously mentioned pathways, allowing you to learn both in-person and online. If you study through blended learning you still use the e-learning platform, whilst also having the option to attend as many workshops as you wish, in any of our locations across the UK and Ireland.

Blended learning follows the same assessment method as online learning:

• Multiple choice open book online exam on anatomy and physiology – 90% pass mark required
• Multiple choice open book online exam on the application of nutrition – 90% pass mark required
• Practical assessment on delivering a customised personal training programme – Pass required
• Coursework on programming with clients, smart goals, client screening, and progressive overview – Pass Required

Following the completion of this certification, we advise you to get some experience in the working world. Not only will this look great on future job applications but it will also give you first-hand experience working with clients, allowing you to develop your skills as an instructor.

For more information on how you can get a job within this field please read the article on how to become a personal trainer here.

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Still looking to learn more, give these articles a read:

• Strength and Conditioning Cover Letter
• Strength and Conditioning Coach Salary
• Strength and Conditioning Coach CV

Job Prospects for a Strength and Conditioning Coach

Now that we have analysed the qualifications and skills a strength and conditioning coach should have, we can now share what potential career opportunities are available to you following graduation.

#1 – Working With Professional Athletes

This is typically the route many strength and conditioning coaches go down, as it allows them to work directly with professional athletes such as Olympians.

Whilst this is a highly competitive market it is still by far the most lucrative, as on average coaches who work within this sector typically earn £32,000.00 a year.

Many different athletes require strength and conditioning coaches, so working with professionals will allow you to become a jack of all trades by working in different sports. What’s more, in this role you will be one of many trainers, allowing you to develop your knowledge and grow as a coach.

#2 – Working at a Gym or Fitness Center

With the rise of competitive competitions such as marathons and triathlons, recent years have seen many non-professional athletes seeking out strength and conditioning coaching.

This is a fairly new market and thus the pay on average is lower than most strength and conditioning coaches working on a professional level. Typically this sector will pay an average of £20,000.00 a year according to GlassDoor.

This job role is ideal for those of you who have graduated from OriGym, as you can also incorporate your personal training certification into your teaching and take on personal sessions with clients.

Regardless of which direction you choose to take your career, you’ll be able to put your strength and conditioning coach skills to good use.

FAQ

Do Strength and Conditioning Coaches Need Insurance?

If you’re looking to enter the fitness industry as a strength and conditioning coach then it is wise to get insurance. This will protect you in case a client is injured when using one of your teachings, or if any of your equipment is damaged.

At OriGym, we recommend using Insure4Sport to receive total coverage for:

• A client damaging your equipment
• A specific action is brought into question if a client is injured
• You become injured during a session which means you’ll miss work
• You require physio treatment for an injury suffered at work
• Your equipment is stolen
• An employee is injured during your session and claims compensation

The average quote from Insure4Sport will have you paying a monthly fee of £41.24 with a potential maximum payout of £1 million.

Can I Become A Strength and Conditioning Coach With a Pre-Existing Injury or Condition?

In short, yes you can still become a strength and conditioning coach with a pre-existing injury or condition.

When applying for jobs in the fitness industry you will be required to disclose this information, as when working with professional athletes you may not be able to perform certain demonstrations and will thus need to work with other coaches.

Having a pre-existing condition or injury will have no impact on the development of the key skills a strength and conditioning coach should have. This industry is truly open and welcoming to everyone.

Before You Go!

At OriGym, we have dedicated this article to the development of our reader’s strength and conditioning coach skills. We hope that you now have a better understanding of how you can advance said skills to put them into practice within a working environment.

Remember, the special skills of a strength and conditioning coach take time to develop. This is a process that requires dedication and isn’t something that occurs overnight.

Before you go, remember to check out OriGym’s personal training courses to learn more about how you can make a start on this career path. Here you will gain vital experience and skills required to find success within the world of strength and conditioning.

You can also download our latest course prospectus here or enquire with us today to get started!