Module manager: Tim Jarrett
Email: t.jarrett@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module introduces the principles of strength and conditioning within a performance sport context. It aims to develop students foundational understanding of how strength and conditioning programmes are designed and delivered to support athletic development. Through applied learning, students will begin to develop the knowledge and skills required to contribute to long-term athlete development practices.
The module aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of strength and conditioning training science to support the physical development of athletes. Students will explore key training science concepts and how these inform practice within performance sport environments. Learning will be delivered through a combination of seminars, applied practical sessions and guided learning activities, enabling students to observe, experience, and reflect on core strength and conditioning practices.
Topic areas include:
- The purpose and scope of strength and conditioning in performance sport and athlete development settings
- Foundational principles of strength and conditioning, including long-term athlete development (LTAD), specificity, adaptation, and overload.
- Introduction to fundamental movement patterns
- Basic methods of assessing and monitoring physical performance
- Planning of a physical preparation session for a performance sport environment.
1. Describe the purpose and scope of strength and conditioning within performance sport and athlete development settings.
2. Identify and explain foundational strength and conditioning principles, including long-term athlete development, specificity, overload, adaptation, recovery and reversibility.
3. Identify basic risks associated with strength and conditioning practice, including load selection, equipment use, exercise technique and training environment safety.
1. Introduction to the role, purpose, and scope of strength and conditioning within performance sport and athlete development contexts.
2. Core principles of strength and conditioning, including long-term athlete development (LTAD), specificity, overload, adaptation, recovery, and reversibility.
3. Introduction to fundamental movement patterns commonly used in strength and conditioning and their relevance to athletic performance.
4. Basic methods of assessing and monitoring physical performance, including observation-based and simple field-based approaches.
5. Principles of session planning, load awareness, and progression within a performance-based training environment.
6. Health, safety, and risk management considerations relevant to strength and conditioning practice, including equipment use and training environment management.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical | 5 | 1.5 | 7.5 |
| Seminar | 6 | 1.5 | 9 |
| Independent online learning hours | 20.5 | ||
| Private study hours | 63 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 16.5 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
Throughout seminars the session lead will plan activities and challenges that present formative feedback opportunities. These will include strategies such as:
- Peer-to-peer coaching and rapid in-person feedback in practical sessions
- Group problem solving 
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 1.0 Hrs Mins | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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