Level 4 Diploma in British Weight Lifting Coaching Strength and Conditioning

Who is this course for?

The Level 4 Strength and Conditioning qualification has been designed for Level 3 Personal Trainers, Advanced Level 3 Gym Instructors and coaches engaged with the BWL education pathway i.e. coaches who have completed the BWL Level 3 Certificate in Coaching Strength and Power alongside relevant experience and/or industry-related qualifications (e.g., degree in related field, armed forces PT qualifications, advanced anatomy and physiology etc…). It is Cimpsa endorsed.

What does the course cover?

The level 4 course has 20 modules. Although the modules have been sequenced in a manner that is designed to provide an optimal learning experience, coaches can move through the modules in any order (and refer back to completed modules throughout the course).

1. Introduction
2. The Strength and Conditioning Coach
3. Sport Psychology
4. Physiological Function and Biomechanics
5. Skill Acquisition and Coaching Pedagogy
6. The Needs Analysis
7. Athlete Testing
8. Athlete Monitoring
9. Periodisation
10. The Warm-Up and Flexibility Training
11. Advanced Resistance Training
12. Weightlifting for Sports Performance
13. Plyometric Training
14. Speed, Agility and Change of Direction
15. Endurance for Sports Performance
16. Long-Term Athletic Development
17. Recovery
18. Safety, Policy and Legislation in Coaching Practice
19. Strength and Conditioning Coach Case Study
20. Strength and Conditioning Coach Practical Assessment

We have developed the course in partnership with several contributors from the world of academia as well as experienced strength and conditioning practitioners. This provides a blend of evidence-based insight and real-world experience to give coaches a fuller picture of how to operate effectively in the strength and conditioning industry.

Assessment

Coaches who enrol on the course will achieve their qualification by completing:

• Online module assessments,
• A 12-week case study,
• A practical assessment

*The practical assessment is completed by submitting videos onto the BWL e-learning platform.

How long does it take to complete the course?

Learners completing the diploma are required to complete over 370 hours of training to achieve the qualification.

To complete the case study, the coach is required to work with an athlete* of their choice for a 12-week period. For this reason, the estimate for completing this course will range from 6-12 months, depending on the amount of time that coaches can commit to their learning. Note that the structure and layout of the course allows learners to work through at their own pace.

*Note that the athlete does not have to be of a minimum standard.

You must be at least 18 years of age on the course start-date, have a minimum of one-year experience in participation in strength and conditioning-related activities and must hold one or more of the following qualifications;

• Level 3 Personal Training qualification
• Advanced Level 3 Gym Instructor qualification
• British Weight Lifting (BWL) Level 3 Certificate in Coaching Strength and Power qualification  alongside relevant experience and/or industry-related qualifications (e.g., degree in related field, armed forces PT qualifications, advanced anatomy and physiology etc)

Learners should have basic skills in communication that will allow them to read, write, discuss and present throughout the course (i.e., be able to communicate effectively in English).

Learners should possess foundational IT (information technology) skills so they can navigate through the course material and complete the online assessments.