Physical training

Squats and power cleans. Box jumps, dead lifts and the power snatch. Most people do not understand, but for elite athletes it is part of their weekly schedule. All of our elite athletes follow physical trainings two to three times per week. Weight training, core stability training, fitness training. To become stronger, sprint quicker. Jump higher. Moreover, physical training helps to avoid injuries.

Every type of sports requires a different physical training. BMX requires explosiveness, whereas handball players train their sprint and agility. Taking into account age and experience is important as well. Young talents must first learn the basic exercises. Carrying out an exercise incorrectly can cause injuries.

All programmes @Papendal have a designated physical trainer. He writes individual strength plans and organises the physical training. We work with a team of specialized trainers. They report to the performance manager physics of the NOC*NSF for contents and quality assurance. The team of physical trainers who work at TeamNL centres and NTCs in the Netherlands meet regularly. To discuss the latest developments and share knowledge.

Targeted use of expertise. That is what it is all about. National coaches are not always specialized in giving physical trainings. Therefore, we work with specialized strength and conditioning trainers. They are aware of the latest developments in their field of expertise. They work closely together to share knowledge and support each other.

Where possible, every physical trainer coaches the same elite athletes and programmes for a number of years. This ensures that the strength plans are perfectly tailored for the individual. And the respective sports.

We dispose of four extensive weight training rooms. Provided with all necessary materials. In addition, the trainers make use of the athletics track and our forested surroundings for weight and fitness trainings.

The physical trainers are part of the multidisciplinary team and work closely with the national coaches, the embedded scientists and the (para)medical teams.