Stronger Wellness creates Sport-specific Strength Programs to Support School Sports
Stronger Wellness, the fitness equipment manufacturer and creator of wellness spaces, is partnering with the UK's sports schools to launch sport-specific and foundational strength programmes to students aged 11 to 18. The joint aim is to support School Sports and introduce students to the benefits of developing physical literacy and strength training at a key stage in their lives.
The Growing Need for School-Based Strength Training
As the talent level across UK School Sports rises, so does the need for schools to support students with their athletic development. However, it remains a challenge for many schools to timetable conditioning work focused on building strength and functional resilience that can be delivered in the gym. Additionally, it is essential to safeguard and develop the health and wellbeing of young people while promoting physical performance, but an expert approach to physical development achieves both.
Research Finding: Children can improve strength by up to 50% after just 8 to 12 weeks of a well-designed strength training programme. However, they need to continue to train at least twice per week to maintain the benefits—a frequency which is often tricky for schools to accommodate, even in some of the top-ranked private schools.
The Current Challenge: Unsupervised Training Risks
As such, students commonly resort to training outside of school hours on borrowed training programmes where misguided training plans can lead to:
- Lower back injuries
- Misuse of equipment
- Inappropriate weight selection
- Improper technique
- Lack of qualified adult supervision
In the worst cases, this can compromise their growth and development—an increasing concern as participation in School Sports continues to grow.
The Stronger Wellness Solution
With the input of Heads of Sport from across the country, Stronger Wellness has designed a series of fitness equipment packages that can be installed into underutilised spaces in school facilities, opening new opportunities for students wanting to learn more about strength training or pursue their sporting endeavours. These packages play a valuable role in strengthening the foundations of School Sports programmes nationwide.
Tailored Equipment Selection
The equipment has been specifically selected to meet the needs of students and the representative sports within each school. Ready-made programming, which focuses on the schools' major games such as football, rugby or cricket and on the fundamentals of strength, accompanies the equipment fit-out. This alignment helps schools elevate their School Sports provision with structured, age-appropriate development pathways.
Expert Collaboration with CAWS
Stronger Wellness have collaborated with long-standing partner CAWS, a health and fitness content company, to design strength programmes for all major School Sports for people in this age range.
About Dr Col Robertson, CAWS Director
- More than 30 years of experience as an exercise and nutrition scientist
- Environmental physiologist expertise
- Three decades as a certified strength coach in elite level sport
- Specialist in sports medicine, exercise rehabilitation and performance
Together with Stronger Wellness, CAWS has produced a series of programmes that develop the child, enhance their strength and fitness, and position them for continued progress and sporting success.
Leadership Vision
"We are so excited about our new schools' packages solution. Having spoken with schools about the complications of timetabling, funding, availability, staff hours and programming, we're really hoping that by being creative with available space on school campus, we can create more sporting and wellness opportunities for young students. Not only students with sporting promise, but those who can benefit from understanding the basics of strength training from a young age particularly females who, historically, engage far less frequently and consistently in strength-type training, yet are set to benefit most. These foundations are essential for confidence, participation and long-term engagement in School Sports."
"Our early school partners have been a pleasure to work so closely with and get to know, and I am really proud that together we have been able to create truly bespoke spaces, with all the programming, care and attention needed for students to reap the benefits right away."
Steve Shaw, Director at Stronger WellnessProgramme Implementation and Future Growth
Projects are already underway across parts of the UK with select schools for the new school year, and Stronger Wellness are looking to explore more opportunities to add value to schools who want to broaden their strength and conditioning offering to meet the needs of their student athletes and any student looking to try strength training for the first time.
This marks an important step in supporting the future of School Sports and physical development across the UK.
Children & Young People in Gyms and Exercise Facilities – Guidance Document (PDF)
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Contact us at: strongerschools@strongerwellness.com
