Conditioning

The goal of the Bates College Strength and Conditioning program is to provide student-athletes with a vehicle to maximize their athletic potential and succeed in their given sport. Student-athletes will train in the spacious Davis Fitness Center, and will be given outstanding instruction based on the most recent scientific research. All aspects of the Bates strength and conditioning program will be within the guidelines of the NCAA and NESCAC.

Philosophy

The major focus of the Bates strength and conditioning program is to enhance the athletic ability of our student-athletes. By developing athleticism, the athletes are able to carry out the skills of their sport with greater efficiency as well as greater proficiency.

The strength and conditioning program is designed to develop the training components of work capacity, strength, strength-speed, speed-strength and speed. Bates athletes will receive instruction in the development of mobility and stability, balance and agility, power and multi-directional speed. The development of these physical attributes is useless to the athletes unless it can be carried into their specific sport of competition. Therefore, peak athletic performance and reduction of injury incidence can be achieve by adhering to a properly designed program of strength training, conditioning, and nutrition.

Success in athletics is dependent upon your ability to produce power. No matter how strong you are, unless you can apply your strength quickly, it is worthless in competition. The strength and conditioning program is based upon sport specific Olympic lifts and core strength lifts. These types of exercises are multi-joint, multi-muscle lifts, which require speed and force to be produced against the ground. The more speed and force you can apply against the ground and more power you can produce. This power (Force X Distance/Time) can be developed in the weight room and transferred into athletic competition. The Bates strength and conditioning program uses extensive Olympic style weightlifting and plyometric training to harness this power needed for competition. When training for power you are also developing strength, speed, agility, flexibility, anaerobic endurance, balance and postural awareness. These variables are essential in being a great athlete at Bates College.