Tips for Retraining as a Strength and Conditioning Coach

Categories: Sport, Sport Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Postgraduate

05/11/2020

Are you a sports graduate or professional coach looking to retrain as a strength and conditioning coach? The master’s in Strength and Conditioning at the University of Bolton is a programme designed to take your skills to the next level, focusing your niche on strength, conditioning and athlete development.

If you’re interested in retraining in this field, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your professional development journey.

1. Ask about placements

Hands-on experience is an essential element of our master’s programme, and will give you a chance to work in a professional setting. We have an extensive network of contacts in the industry, so talk to us about your preferred placement types.

2. Make the most of our facilities

You will have access to a range of facilities in our £31 million Bolton One building. It includes a strength and conditioning suite, sport and exercise laboratories, fully equipped teaching clinics, a rehabilitation and exercise suite, a multi-use sports hall and 15m climbing wall, a 25m swimming pool, a competition-level trampoline, our Sports and Spinal Injuries Clinic, and much more.

3. Start planning your career path now

Knowing where you want to work early on in the process is key, and will help course tutors personalise modules to your needs. From working with top athletes and competition clients to university sports teams, there are many strength and conditioning coach jobs you could apply for.

4. Work on soft skills and personal mind set

Our course will arm you with the skills and knowledge to fast-track your coaching career, but it takes a special mind set to ensure you, and your clients, hit targets. As well as being highly motivated and determined, you’ll also need great people skills to get others motivated too. You will need to develop expertise in communication, teamwork, adaptability, as well as leadership.

5. Network and build industry contacts

One of the added bonuses of retraining at university is being able to build your network. At the University of Bolton, we have a well-established Postgraduate community, where you will be supported throughout your time on campus. And there’s nowhere better to retrain, as we rank in the Top 5 in the UK for Teaching Quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020), as well as No.1 in the North West and 5^th in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction on Sports Science Courses (The Guardian University League Tables 2021).

Students have also voted us No.1 in the North West for Student Satisfaction for the past three years (Complete University Guide in 2021, 2020 and 2019), making the University of Bolton one of the top places to study!

Go to the MSc Strength and Conditioning course page to find out more.