Starting up at PhysioLab
Having recently started at PhysioLab as the new Strength and Conditioning coach “What do you do exactly?” is a question that comes up a lot. Here I hope to clear that up a little bit more whilst giving you some information about where I’m coming from. Originally from Sydney, Australia I’ve been a student and professional of the health and fitness industry for 5 years. Starting with Undergraduate studies in Exercise Physiology and following this up with a Master of Exercise Science (Strength and Conditioning) has allowed me to get a good understanding of exercise and it’s benefits to the body.
The main reason why I got into this field was because I wanted to help people and today this still holds true. My experiences over the last 5 years have seen me work with a large variety of clients in both Australia and the UK, from athletes, to students, to the elderly or your average Joe. The one thing that has always remained constant among all of these seemingly unrelated groups is that they are all trying to improve. Be it to improve their quality of life by feeling fitter, getting stronger, or performing better in a sport all of these individuals are trying to improve to become a better version of their current self. This is why I love this line of work and this is why I decided to start at PhysioLab as my first role in the Netherlands.
PhysioLab is a place where the goal of each individual is important, no matter what it might be. Here we work with people from all walks of life, as long as you have a goal and desire to improve then we are there to help, it’s literally in the logo “Your Goal. Our Mission”. What I love even more is the process behind this help. We like to approach your goals in a wholistic way, because health or fitness is never just about one facet of life, such as exercise, but it’s also about overcoming all the obstacles of life to achieve your goals. Here at PhysioLab we focus not just on the physical, but also the nutritional and mental obstacles that we all face at one point of our life.
My Role: What’s an S&C Coach?
So, going back to that original question: “What do you do exactly?”. Strength and Conditioning (S&C) – it seems that sometimes this term is something that people hear or use without really thinking about it. I imagine that when a lot of people first hear this they may immediately think about lifting heavy weights and/or running. While this can be a very small part of what a Strength and Conditioning coach does, it is a gross generalisation to think that this is the only thing that we do.
I like to see Strength and Conditioning as a combination of two roles, part coach in the gym and/or on the field and part exercise scientist. Both of these roles are integral in making sure that we provide the best program possible to the specific athlete. While we are not strictly scientists we do use scientific methods to collect and analyze data to guide our decisions about how we will train our athletes and/or clients.
How do we collect this data? Through testing and monitoring of the individual’s strengths and/or weaknesses in relation to their goals and needs of their sport and day to day demands. In effect, this data is used to form the most optimal program possible for that individual and this is where “weights and running” may come into play, but among other things such as mobility training, power training, body control, coordination and a host of other options.
Strength and Conditioning is not about pushing to the absolute maximum each and every session. Progress does not work that way. It becomes about strategically planning training sessions to maximize performance throughout a season, for a competition or for one’s day to day needs. It’s about ensuring that the program works with you and not against you. Making you a better performer over the long term.
I always like to leave things open when working with my clients, so if anything here has resonated with you or if you’re interested in knowing more about how we work for you feel free to contact us for more information. Or if you’re interested in getting a program tailored to your needs, be it getting stronger, fitter, faster or all of the above then make sure to send me an email and we can organise an initial testing session! I’m looking forward to continuing to meet all the great people of the PhysioLab family and help you achieve your goals!
