Welcome to DePauw University Strength and Conditioning!

Guiding Principles for Resistance Training :

1. Injury Prevention - Identification of common injuries for each sport and include exercies and movements that will aid in the prevention of those injuries. The less time spent rehabilitating, the more time spent improving skill on the playing field
2. Proper Technique - Just like the playing field, we want to emphasize perfect technique. This will not only aid in injury prevention, but ensuring that the proper musculature is being engaged during each movement
3. Ground Based Exercises - Most sports are played with our feet in contact with the ground. These exercises provide a base of support and are key in developing power production for all athletic movements
4. Power Movements - Athletic movements are quick and explosive in nature. We include power movements to train muscles in a quick and explosive nature. We do not see these exercises as sport-specific, but action-specific. A jump in volleyball is the same as a jump in basketball which is also the same as a push off a wall following a flip-turn in swimming. They are quick, explosive, and powerful movements, so we include resistance training movements that develop those characteristics
5. Speed of Movement - Athletic activity is quick, powerful, and performed with speed. During the proper training period, we emphasize moving the resistance with speed and quickness (only with safe and proper technique of course). Speed of movement training allows for maximum recruitment of fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are the most powerful and explosive muscle fibers in the body. Maintaining speed of movement as resistance increases aids in maximizing power gains.
6. Body Weight Exercises - The ability to control one's own body weight is extremely important for all sports. Exercises such as the lunge, step up, dip, pull up, inverted row, and push up are just a few examples.
7. Posterior Chain - Posterior Chain musculature includes Gastrocnemius (calf), Hamstrings, Gluteals, and Lower Back muscles. These muscles are greatly involved with the power principle known as triple extension. Every sport can benefit from Posterior Chain training.

Faculty and Staff