Resistance Training Prescription During Planned Deloading Periods: A Survey of Strength and Conditioning Coaches Across Varying Sporting Codes

Kristen De Marco; Paul S R Goods; Kate M Baldwin; Daniel J Hiscock; Brendan R Scott

doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004932

Resistance Training Prescription During Planned Deloading Periods: A Survey of Strength and Conditioning Coaches Across Varying Sporting Codes

J Strength Cond Res. 2024 Oct 24. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004932. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Kristen De Marco^{1

2}, Paul S R Goods^{1

2}, Kate M Baldwin³, Daniel J Hiscock^{4

5}, Brendan R Scott^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Physical Activity, Sport, and Exercise (PHASE) Research Group, School of Allied Health (Exercise Science), Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
² Center for Healthy Ageing, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
³ School of Physiotherapy and Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia.
⁴ Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; and.
⁵ Sport Department, Wesley College, South Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

PMID: 39446750
DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004932

Abstract

De Marco, K, Goods, PSR, Baldwin, KM, Hiscock, DJ, and Scott, BR. Resistance training prescription during planned deloading periods: A survey of strength and conditioning coaches across varying sporting codes. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The aim of this study was to investigate the resistance training (RT) prescription practices of strength and conditioning coaches throughout 4 common planned deloading periods (taper, competitive season, tournament, and travel). An anonymous online survey was shared globally to coaches, with data from 204 subjects included in analysis (current level of athlete coached: world class n = 68, elite/international n = 62, highly trained n = 64, trained n = 10). Coaches only provided answers about prescription for deloading periods, which they reported encountering. Where a coach indicated not prescribing RT for specific deloading periods, they detailed any barriers preventing RT prescription. Weekly deload RT prescription was typically reported as follows: 1-2 sessions, 30-60 minutes, 1-3 sets, 1-6 repetitions, and between 60 and 84% 1 repetition maximum. Most coaches reported decreasing volume during all deloading periods (taper: 89.1% [163/183 respondents], competitive season: 70.4% [133/189], tournament: 84.1% [74/88], travel: 74.6% [88/118]), with the most common reduction in RT volume reported as 0-25%. Most coaches also decreased intensity during a taper (52.9% [82/155]), tournament (54.8% [40/73]), and travel (53.6% [52/97]), with a 0-25% reduction the most common. Travel had the highest incidence of coaches not prescribing RT (38.5% [75/195]). The most cited barriers by these subjects were "scheduling/time" (60.0% [45/75]) and "lack of equipment and facilities" (57.3% [43/75]), which were also common in other periods. To address common barriers experienced by coaches, researchers should investigate time-efficient RT strategies requiring minimal equipment for periods of planned deloading to maintain training stimulus.