COACHES CORNER Q & A: Combining Strength Training and Other Activities

TAKU • October 11, 2022
A woman is squatting down to lift a barbell in a gym.

Q: What is the optimal way to combine strength training with training for other specific sports skills, to achieve the best results?

A: Under ideal conditions sport specific training sessions (working on technical and or tactical skills) such as mechanics drills for your sport would take place in the morning and strength and intense conditioning training would occur in the afternoon. There should be a minimum break of approximately four hours between the morning skill session and the afternoon S&C session. Follow each training day with a full day’s rest.*

A man is cooking food in a pan on a stove in a kitchen.

An example would be to wake after a good nights sleep at 7:00 – 8:00 am. Eat breakfast. Take care of business. Perform your sport specific training between 10:00 and 12:00. Eat a light lunch at 12:30 pm and strength train around 4:00 – 5:00 pm. The following day would be a rest and recovery day which may consist of light activities such as, working on strategy, tactics or polishing sport specific mechanics. Stretching is also recommended.

This type of every other day schedule produces excellent results across broad populations by allowing intense training combined with a great deal of recovery. Most people however, due to the inconvenience of training twice in one day, would rather practice or play their sport on one day and strength train and condition on the next. Some will try to do both activities in the same day but without adequate rest between sessions. Neither of these methods has proved to be superior with regards to results, when compared to the first method discussed above.
Sports Specific Technical / Tactical Training Modalities
Sport specific mechanics: The athlete may work solo mechanics drills and when applicable partner drills as well.
Two men are practicing jiu jitsu on a mat in a gym.
Example:
For a BJJ athlete this may include but is not limited to:
SOLO:
Shrimping / reverse shrimping

Bridging drills

Hip Mobility drills

Shooting mechanics

Sprawl and recover

PARTNER:

Mount / Kneel Mount

Grip training

Shot stop Drills (various)

Body-Surfing Grounded / 4-point

Arm Drags Seated / Standing

Dorsal Foot dragging

A woman is running on a field in an indoor gym.
Example:
For a track athlete this may include but is not limited to:
  • Running Mechanics
  • Start Technique (with or without blocks)
  • Baton exchange
A man in a red shirt is running with a football on a field.
For an American Football player this may include but is not limited to:
  • Skilled pattern running
  • Running Mechanics
  • Blocking / Tackling drills

TAKU'S NOTE: *As noted in the example session above, active recovery on rest days is a good idea as long as intensity is kept very low.

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