Training an athlete’s strength and power so it improves their sport performance is a challenging aspect of coaching. Here is the important knowledge you must have: First, you must understand the important terminology such as strength, torque, work and power. Second, you must be able to apply the principle of specificity and transfer of training effects to the athlete’s strength and power development. Third, you must know what peripheral structural adaptations and central adaptations you are trying to accomplish.

Fatigue is a phenomenon we all experience. It is characterized by tiredness and the desire to rest. Whether the athlete likes it or not, fatigue serves a protective function. It is both cognitive and physical in nature. In this topic you are introduced to the science of acute fatigue due to training and competition. With rest, acute fatigue dissipates and the body becomes stronger. You will learn about important fatigue theories, and the factors believed to contribute to fatigue such as low fuel supplies, acidity and body temperature.

When an athlete is underperforming, and you don’t know why, suspect chronic fatigue due to overtraining as the prime contributing factor. Unfortunately, because we don’t fully understand chronic fatigue our knowledge about overtraining remains scant. Hans Selye’s General Adaptation framework suggests it is likely due to too much training and insufficient recovery that leads to a prolonged maladaptation of physiological systems and structures. In this module you are provided insight into chronic fatigue and its relationship to overtraining.

The final topic examines how to organize an athlete’s training so it ensures peak performance. We begin by discussing how to manage the various training effects resulting from a training session. Then we explore methods you can use to quantify training loads and how to taper those loads before a major competition. Finally, you will learn about thinking behind assembling an annual training plan