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Strength and Conditioning GuidelinesStrength and Conditioning deals with the physical preparation of athletes for peak performance. More specifically the programme aims to:achieve optimum strength, power and control to facilitate effective delivery out of the hackimprove general fitness to allow players to cope with playing several matches in a short space of time – this will delay the negative effects of fatigue on performanceprevent injurypromote specific strength gains in the upper body to maximise sweeping performanceachieve optimum endurance to allow players to perform repeated bouts of high intensity sweeping with limited recoveryincrease length of concentrationOn selection to the performance programme you will have a strength and conditioning programme developed to address your physical limitations and individual fitness requirements. There is however nothing stopping you from starting to work on your fitness now. The strength aspect of your training will require you to work with resistance to increase the strength of your muscles where as the conditioning aspect is aimed at developing cardiovascular, aerobic fitness. Below are some simple guidelines that you could follow that will start you on the road to optimum fitness for curling.Cardiovascular FitnessSimply put, CV fitness will develop your aerobic system. The ability of your heart and lungs to supply oxygen efficiently to the working muscles and remove waste products, We have all felt that uncomfortable burning feeling at the end of a hard sweeping effort; your CV fitness will aid you in recovering quickly from repeated sweep efforts and assist you in concentrating for the duration of your game and competition.FrequencyThe number of times you carry out the activity per weekStrength: 2 to 3 X per weekCV: 3-5 X per weekIntensityHow hard is the activity you are participating in?Strength: to improve strength you need the resistance you work with to feel heavy but not very heavy.CV: To improve aerobic fitness you should feel like you could carry out a conversation with the person next to you but that it would not be easy. If 6 is very very easy and 20 is very very hard, then you should be 13-15 or somehat hard.Time:The duration of time spent doing the activity:Strength: Anything between 30 minutes to an hour per sessionCV: A minimum of 20 minutes up to an hour will develop aerobic capacity.Type:Is the type of exercise completed or the mode of activity:Strength: Resistance Training (see guideline)CV: Aerobic training – running, cycling, swimming, playing team sports or racket sports, fitness classesStrength TrainingResistance:Is any external resistance to the muscle. Examples are your body weight, dumbbells, barbells, resistance machines, bands or fluid.Exercise:Is the different exercises that you do to strengthen your muscles. In each workout that you complete you should aim to do 6-8 different exercises.RepsThe number of times that you repeat the exercise before resting. For a novice trainer you should aim for 8 to 12 reps per set you perform.SetsIs the number of times that you repeat your repetitions. You should aim to perform 1 to 3 sets of 8-12 reps.Recovery:Between each set you should take periods of rest. Depending on how many reps you lift and how heavy the weight is you are moving, you rest periods will change. Aim for a rest period of 45seconds to 1min 30seconds.Load:The load that you select will determine how many times you can lift it/ Choose a weight that you can manage for 8-12 reps. It should not feel easy and by the end of the set you should feel you muscles working.Overload:For your muscular strength and endurance to improve you need to increase the reps or the weight. Select a weight that you find challenging for 8 reps and attempt to increase it to 12. Once you have managed this increase the weight and repeat the cycle.Volume:The volume (V) of your workout is V = ( sets X reps X exercises). As you build up your strength ability you can increase sets, reps or the number of exercises that you do.Progression:Simply monitor how you are progressing through recording your exercises, sets, reps and weights.Lower body:Your legs are very important for curling for (1) the slide (2) weight control (3) stability and balance and (4) involvement in sweeping. You should try to work both legs individually and together. Bodyweight (or with DB’s): Lunges, split squats, step ups or squats.Resistance machines: Leg press, leg curls or leg extensionsChest:Your chest muscles play an important part in sweeping performance .Body weight: Press ups or chair dips or dipsDB or BBs: Bench press, DB Bench Press, DB Flies, Resistance Machines: Pec Deck, Cable Press, Chest press, Assisted DipsBack:Your back muscles need to be strong to (1) limit the chance of injury that could occur from heavy sweeping and (2) assist in developing down force on the brush.Bodyweight: Chin Ups or Pull UpsDB’s or BB’s: DB single arm row or BB rowResistance Machines: Seated Row or Lat Pull DownsTheraband: Rows or shoulder blade squeezes.ShouldersThe shoulder is an area that is at risk of injury from repeated sweeping efforts and needs to be strong to assist in the sweeping action.DBs or BBs: DB raises (front, side or rear (bent over)), DB external rotations; DB or BB shoulder press.Resistance Machines: Seated shoulder press, cable raises (as above)Core:To maintain a strong slide position, assist in transferring force from your feet through to the brush head in sweeping and assist in stability and balance – the core plays an essential job in curling performance:Posture endurance: Planks, Side Planks, Glut Bridges with body weight or on swiss ball.Muscular endurance: Ab Curls, back extensions, Ab Twists, Superman & planks with arm and leg movements.Resistance: Medicine ball situps and twists ................
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