If you are aiming to excel in your sport, feeling, faster and stronger whilst reducing the risk of injuries, then you are in the right place.
Training for elite sports is what we’ve done personally and what we support others to do for a living. We’ve worked with over 250 athletes from over 18 sports from all levels.
- Introduction to the programme
- Warm up explained
- Session 1 explained
- Session 2 explained
- Downloadable plan and pdf
Decoding Your Athletic Potential: The Science Driving Athletic Development
What is General Athletic Development?
General athletic development lays the foundation of fundamental movement skills that are considered the building blocks to more specialised and complex sport-specific skills required for success in sport and resistance to sport-related injuries, which have life-lasting effects.
What are the Foundations of Athletic Development?
The foundations we share are how most athletes start before they move on to more specialised programmes.
These foundations incorporate landing, jumping and rebounding mechanics, which form the groundwork for subsequent plyometric and agility-based work to develop speed.
Integral to these foundations are fundamental movement skills, which are important for strength development and fostering the foundations of general athletic development. This approach is backed by research, emphasizing the importance of movement skills, including:
| The Athletic Motor Skill Competency Model (Moody et al 2013) | |
| Lower Body Unilateral | Exercises focusing on one leg at a time, emphasizing the quadriceps and glutes. |
| Lower Body Bilateral | Exercises working both legs at once, emphaizing the quadriceps and glutes. |
| Upper Body Pushing (Vertical & Horizontal) | Upper body exercises that involve moving the arms horizontally or vertically away from the body. |
| Upper Body Pulling (Vertical & Horizontal) | Upper body exercises that involve moving the arms horizontally or vertically towards the body. |
| Anti-Rotation, Core and Bracing | Exercises that require you to stay still and resist your body moving despite forces trying to cause your trunk to rotate. |
| Jumping, Landing & Rebounding Mechanics | Exercises focusing on how you land safely and absorb force, and then how you bounce back and produce force. |
Experience a 1-Week Trial of an S&C Programme to Enhance Your Athleticism
Mobility & Activation Warm-Up:
The warm-up is a vital step in preparing you for getting the most out of your session, whilst also providing you with additional benefits, which include:
- Increase blood flow to muscles and the muscle’s ability to generate force.
- Improve range of motion at the joints and reduce muscle stiffness.
- Reduce the risk of injury and increase robustness.
The warm-up will target:
- Mobility of the thoracic, hip and shoulder.
- Activation of the glutes, quads, core and upper body.
- Stability of the ankle, knee and hip.
Foundations Of Athletic Development Warm-Up
| Exercise | How To | Sets x Reps |
| Flow | 2 x 3 | |
| Glute Bridge | 2 x 10 | |
| Lateral Step Up | 2 x 6 ES | |
| Plank Shoulder Taps | 2 x 6 ES | |
| Hop & Holds | 2 x 6 ES |
Foundations Of Athletic Development Training Plan
Here we have put together a 1-week strength and conditioning programme, designed as an introduction to kickstart your journey towards overall athletic development – particularly tailored to enhance your movement capabilities and strength.
Here we have some guidance on how to approach the programme:
- Complete the warm-up above as a circuit before both sessions.
- Complete exercises as supersets or tri-sets (two or three exercises respectively as a mini-circuit), as represented by the letters and numbers below.
- Aim for a rest period of 60-90 seconds between sets.
- For guidance on how to perform exercises, please use our “how to” resources by clicking on the links provided – focus on your technique!
- Ensure there is a break of at least 1-2 days between sessions to allow you sufficient time to recover.
- It’s advisable to maintain a record of the weight you use as a means to track your progress. (can we have a free Excel for them to download?)
Foundations Of Athletic Development Session 1
| Session 1 | ||||
| Outcome | Exercise | How To | Sets x Reps | |
| 1A | Bilateral Squat | Goblet Squat | 3 x 10 | |
| 1B | Landing Mechanics | Altitude Landings | 3 x 4 | |
| 2A | Vertical Press | ½ Kneeling DB SA Press | 3 x 8 ES | |
| 2B | Horizontal Pull | Inverted Row | 3 x 8 | |
| 3A | Unilateral Hinge | Single Leg RDL | 3 x 10 ES | |
| 3B | Core Bracing | Deadbug | 3 x 6 ES | |
Foundations Of Athletic Development Session 2
| Session 2 | ||||
| Outcome | Exercise | How To | Sets x Reps | |
| 1A | Bilateral Hinge | Trap Bar Deadlift | 3 x 10 | |
| 1B | Jumping Mechanics | Box Jump | 3 x 4 | |
| 2A | Vertical Pull | Eccentric Pull Ups | 3 x 4 | |
| 2B | Horizontal Press | Press Up | 3 x 8 | |
| 3A | Unilateral Squat | Reverse Lunge | 3 x 10 ES | |
| 3B | Core Anti-Rotation | Pallof Press | 3 x 6 ES | |
Top Tips:
- Do the basics well by paying attention to your technique
- Be patient as improvements take consistency and time over weeks and months
- Have fun and enjoy the process!
Final Notes
Here, we have shared a glimpse of a strength and conditioning programme infused with the science behind it to enhance your athletic development.
If you have any questions or are interested in a 4-week strength and conditioning programme aligning to your training needs, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].
Thank you & Go Well
Emily Dingley (BSc, UKSCA S&C Coach) & Will Shaw (PhD Sport Scientist, Golf Pro)
Co-Founders of Sport Science Insider
On Sport Science Insider, we have over one hundred evidence-based articles for FREE that covers the principles of training and how to perform exercises. We’re here to support you on the path to achieving your athletic goals.
Health Statement & Disclaimer
The information in this programme is provided solely as general educational and informational purposes only. Use of this program, advice and information contained herein is at the sole choice and risk of the reader. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider before beginning any exercise programme.