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.
Academic Leader for Physical Conditioning – Matthew Blair
What is physical conditioning?
Physical conditioning involves planning schedules and sessions.
Our 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)
Skills you will develop
In our postgraduate programmes in strength and conditioning you will develop your skills in:
- 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.
Our internship hosts include:
- 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
- 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
- World Series 7s rugby teams (Tier 1 and 2)
- International Tier 2 rugby teams
- Japanese top league rugby teams
- High Performance Sport NZ
- Professional cricket e.g. Volts
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.