OVERVIEW
Section A: Introduction to strength and conditioning
The first section of the workshop introduces participants to the course. It provides a definition of strength and conditioning, discusses the benefits of strength and conditioning for paddle sport, reminds participants of the concept of components of fitness and uses the paddle sport fundamentals of Posture, Connection, Power transfer and Feeling to justify a full body approach to strength and conditioning for paddle sport. The section also highlights safety information and the benefits of a full body approach to strength and conditioning at the beginning of the athletes’ long- term development pathway.
Section B: Introduction to the exercise menu
This section introduces participants to 17 different exercises. A group task is used to apply participants’ existing coaching skills to delivering these exercises. The participants are given information regarding the key technique points of each exercise, faults that are likely to develop and how to correct them. Participants are also given time and the required equipment to try all of the exercises and ask questions about them.
Section C: Developing a safe and effective programme
This part of the course looks at how to create a safe environment and minimise the risk of accidents and injury. This section also deals with ways to make sessions and programmes effective including the need for an overall objective, and presents ways in which paddlers can be progressed as well as ways of effectively introducing the material to a new group. This part of the course also looks at different ways in which the course material can be used.
Section D: Applying the material to the club setting
This section takes the form of a group task with a review section afterwards. The group task requires the attendees to put the course material into a hypothetical real world situation and consider the best ways to use the material provided to achieve objectives in a safe and effective manner. The closing section of this part of the course explores how this material fits into a bigger long-term development picture, draws conclusions from the course as a whole and recommends further reading and resources.