Course Focus: Strength & Conditioning
Lecturer: Dr. Manuel Matzka (manuel.matzka@uni-wuerzburg.de)
Course Description:
This advanced course focuses on the independent planning, implementation, and evaluation of training interventions within the field of Strength & Conditioning. Students will design evidence-based programs, recruit participants, and apply structured analysis to assess their outcomes using laboratory testing. Emphasizing self-driven learning and commitment, the course prepares students for real-world applications in sport science and coaching by fostering autonomy and responsibility. The lecturer serves primarily as a mentor, providing guidance only when students encounter specific challenges or questions during the project.
While the course is generally outlined for 2 semester hours per week, the first 4 weeks will consist of 4 semester hours per week to build a solid knowledge base and provide ample time for planning individual interventions. Later in the semester, there will be weeks without lectures to compensate for the early accumulation of semester hours.
Course Objectives:
- Develop comprehensive, evidence-based training interventions in Strength & Conditioning.
- Independently manage all aspects of a training project, including participant recruitment, pre- and post-testing, and monitoring during the intervention.
- Gain practical experience with testing methods and equipment, including strength, power, and conditioning assessments.
- Demonstrate self-drive and responsibility for all aspects of project completion, from planning to final evaluation.
Key Expectations:
- Student Responsibility: Students must take full ownership of their projects, including finding participants and ensuring successful completion.
- Participant Recruitment: Each student is required to recruit at least two participants, who may include athletes they work with, random volunteers (e.g., students from younger semesters), or fellow course members.
- Peer Participation: Students are expected to be willing participants in a fellow student’s training project.
- Project Timeline: The intervention phase will last approximately 6 weeks, beginning in mid-November and running until the semester break in late December. The students will have about 4 weeks at the start of the course to finalize their research question, plan the intervention, and schedule the pre- and post-diagnostics. While the general project timeline covers a phase from mid-November to the semester break, slight adjustments to this timeline are permitted if students are working with athletes to accommodate their training or competition schedules.
- Mentor Role: The lecturer acts as a mentor, guiding students only when they articulate specific problems or barriers. Students must approach the mentor with clear questions after conducting independent research and formulating ideas.
- Clear Articulation of Problems: To receive effective mentorship, students must articulate their problems clearly. Questions should be specific and related to a defined aspect of the project, whether methodological or practical.
- Self-Drive: This course requires students to be proactive in their research and problem-solving. The lecturer will not provide solutions unless the student has attempted independent problem-solving first.
Assessment:
Oral Presentation (30 minutes): Presentation of the research project, focusing on rationale, design, implementation, and evaluation of the Strength & Conditioning intervention.
Further Information:
Students are encouraged to begin brainstorming project ideas as soon as they decide to enroll in the course. They are also welcome to contact the lecturer, Manuel Matzka (manuel.matzka@uni-wuerzburg.de), before the course starts if they have any questions regarding the course structure or potential project ideas.
Lecturer: Dr. Manuel Matzka (manuel.matzka@uni-wuerzburg.de)
Course Description:
This advanced course focuses on the independent planning, implementation, and evaluation of training interventions within the field of Strength & Conditioning. Students will design evidence-based programs, recruit participants, and apply structured analysis to assess their outcomes using laboratory testing. Emphasizing self-driven learning and commitment, the course prepares students for real-world applications in sport science and coaching by fostering autonomy and responsibility. The lecturer serves primarily as a mentor, providing guidance only when students encounter specific challenges or questions during the project.
While the course is generally outlined for 2 semester hours per week, the first 4 weeks will consist of 4 semester hours per week to build a solid knowledge base and provide ample time for planning individual interventions. Later in the semester, there will be weeks without lectures to compensate for the early accumulation of semester hours.
Course Objectives:
- Develop comprehensive, evidence-based training interventions in Strength & Conditioning.
- Independently manage all aspects of a training project, including participant recruitment, pre- and post-testing, and monitoring during the intervention.
- Gain practical experience with testing methods and equipment, including strength, power, and conditioning assessments.
- Demonstrate self-drive and responsibility for all aspects of project completion, from planning to final evaluation.
Key Expectations:
- Student Responsibility: Students must take full ownership of their projects, including finding participants and ensuring successful completion.
- Participant Recruitment: Each student is required to recruit at least two participants, who may include athletes they work with, random volunteers (e.g., students from younger semesters), or fellow course members.
- Peer Participation: Students are expected to be willing participants in a fellow student’s training project.
- Project Timeline: The intervention phase will last approximately 6 weeks, beginning in mid-November and running until the semester break in late December. The students will have about 4 weeks at the start of the course to finalize their research question, plan the intervention, and schedule the pre- and post-diagnostics. While the general project timeline covers a phase from mid-November to the semester break, slight adjustments to this timeline are permitted if students are working with athletes to accommodate their training or competition schedules.
- Mentor Role: The lecturer acts as a mentor, guiding students only when they articulate specific problems or barriers. Students must approach the mentor with clear questions after conducting independent research and formulating ideas.
- Clear Articulation of Problems: To receive effective mentorship, students must articulate their problems clearly. Questions should be specific and related to a defined aspect of the project, whether methodological or practical.
- Self-Drive: This course requires students to be proactive in their research and problem-solving. The lecturer will not provide solutions unless the student has attempted independent problem-solving first.
Assessment:
Oral Presentation (30 minutes): Presentation of the research project, focusing on rationale, design, implementation, and evaluation of the Strength & Conditioning intervention.
Further Information:
Students are encouraged to begin brainstorming project ideas as soon as they decide to enroll in the course. They are also welcome to contact the lecturer, Manuel Matzka (manuel.matzka@uni-wuerzburg.de), before the course starts if they have any questions regarding the course structure or potential project ideas.
- Dozent: Manuel Matzka