Level 4 Strength and Conditioning Award
Completing your course during Lockdown.
Over the last year we have all been faced with many challenges that have arisen following the Covid19 global pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It has been a difficult time for our industry as a whole, and you may be wondering how you can complete your studies without access to a gym.
We are here to try and break down any barriers stopping you from completing your Level 4 Award and help you to graduate with a brand-new skill set. A skill set that will set you aside from other trainers, and one that will see you ready to attack the world as soon as you are able to get back out there.
As part of the Level 4 S&C award, there are some practical elements that you may be wondering how you can complete whilst in lockdown and with gyms closed. We hope we can address some of these questions and give you some renewed motivation to get your course completed!
Practical assessment
I am confident and ready to be assessed so how can I complete my video assessment during lockdown?
To ensure we all stay safe, we must follow the government lockdown guidelines, however this does not make it impossible. Please see the following scenarios and solutions, which may be relevant to your individual circumstances:
I have access to my own facilities/equipment and a suitable person to use as a body, who lives with me or is within my support bubble.
Great – then you have everything you need to complete your video assessment! You can complete this as per the instructions on step 5 of your L4 dashboard.
I do not have a suitable person in my household, or support bubble but have access to equipment.
No problem, you can use someone else as long as you film the assessments outside and remain socially distanced throughout filming.
I have a suitable person but no access to equipment and cannot get hold of a barbell or something similar.
Then the only option left is to wait until restrictions have been lifted, although it is worth asking around to borrow a barbell, or try using social media for this.
I cannot find a suitable body or equipment.
We would suggest using social media to see if anyone would like a free coaching session. Alternatively, you can wait until we are running the live assessment days again, where you will be paired up with a suitable person.
A suitable person =
Someone with no injuries or health conditions and has experience and competency with resistance exercise and gym activities
Main Equipment =
- Weightlifting – Barbell and space:
- Speed/agility – Just space
Case Study Assignment
How can I complete my case study during lockdown, as my athlete is not part of my household or support bubble and I have no access to any facilities?
The case study assignment requires a lot of planning, research and preparation before any face-to-face coaching takes place. If you have only just started the course, then see how much of the planning you can complete before restrictions are lifted. You are then ready to go as soon as it ends.
I was halfway through coaching my case study when we went into lockdown.
If you have completed some of the coaching process and all of the planning, then you can complete the rest of the assignment on a theoretical basis, making realistic improvements to test results on the assumption your athlete completed all the sessions. If your client has access to equipment, they can still continue with the sessions you have created without you.
I have completed all the planning and was about to start the coaching when we went into lockdown.
You can either wait until restrictions have been lifted or complete the rest of the assignment on a theoretical basis as above. This does make the evaluation and testing process more difficult and is not ideal, but it will speed up your course completion. If your client has access to equipment, they can still continue with the sessions you have created without you.
NOTE:
If you have access to private facilities and your case study candidate is from your household or support bubble, great! Continue as normal!
Further Support
If you have a question that is not covered in this guide, please reach out to our customer service or tutor teams on the email address below. Just because it is not covered here, it does not mean that we cannot help you.
Tutor Support: assessments@strengthandconditioningeducation.com
Customer Services: Info@strengthandconditioningeducation.com