Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health
Physical Conditioning
This discipline, often termed Strength and Conditioning, incorporates sports science and sports medicine to support athletes and establish training schedules. It has long been a part of professional sport, for team sports and for individual athletes.
What is physical conditioning?
Physical conditioning involves planning schedules and sessions.
Our Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and Master programmes cover:
- Screening (health, wellness, training background and goals)
- Physical monitoring (assessments of conditioning components)
- Schedules (training plans aligned to screening and monitoring outcomes)
- Preparation strategies for physical activity
- Physical programmes: aerobic, anaerobic and gym or field-based
- Special topics (gender, youth, travel and acclimatisation)
Our Academic Leader for Physical Conditioning is Matthew Blair
Skills you will develop
- Developing physical training schedules and programmes
- Use of microtechnology, e.g. GPS and Gymaware
- Evaluating athletes' needs
- Appreciating team dynamics
- Reporting measures in a coach and athlete-friendly manner
- Communication skills
Internship partners
You will do an internship, contributing to the success of a high-performing team and/or an individual athlete.
Our internship hosts include:
- NZ School Sports nationwide
- USA Rugby
- Dartmouth College (USA)
- Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa rugby unions
- Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (South Africa)
- High Performance Sport NZ
- Lincoln University High Performance
- Phoenix Football
- NZ Club Sports nationwide
- Other New Zealand or international hosts by negotiation
Career outcomes
Physical conditioning skills are used in a variety of professional and amateur sporting organisations throughout the world. Our graduates have worked with:
- Mitre 10 Rugby
- Rugby Academies nationwide
- World Series 7s rugby teams (Tier 1 and 2)
- International Tier 2 rugby teams (USA, Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa)
- Japanese top league rugby teams
- High Performance Sport NZ
- Professional cricket e.g. Volts
- Otago Academy of Sport (Dunedin-based)
- Club sports nationwide
- Phoenix Football
- Secondary School Sport nationwide
Graduates with a postgraduate diploma or a Master of Applied Science focused on Physical Conditioning will be eligible for accreditation with the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association and Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand Strength and Conditioning Level 1 & 2.
Contact us
If you want to know more about what we offer or you would like some guidance, we’re here to help. Feel free to chat to us directly about any questions you may have.
