Needs analysis and exercise selection | Program design for resistance training

Designing a resistance training program is a complex process that involves manipulating seven key variables:

Needs analysis
Exercise selection
Training frequency
Exercise order
Training load and repetitions
Volume
Rest periods

This chapter walks through those variables using three athlete case studies:

Scenario A: Collegiate basketball center (female) in preseason
Scenario B: High school American football lineman (male) in off-season
Scenario C: High school cross-country runner (male) in-season

Each athlete is healthy, cleared for participation, and has no musculoskeletal dysfunction. The programming approach for each athlete reflects their sport-specific needs, training history, and performance goals.

Step 1: Needs analysis

A two-stage process that includes:

Evaluation of the demands of the sport.
Assessment of the individual athlete.

Evaluation of the sport

Movement analysis: Body and limb movement patterns, muscular involvement
Physiological analysis: Strength, power, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance
Injury analysis: Common joint/muscle injury sites and causative factors

Assessment of the athlete

Training and injury status
Movement screening
Physiological profiling and performance testing

Athlete scenarios

Scenario	Sex	Age	Sport	Position	Season
A	Female	20	Collegiate basketball	Center	Beginning of preseason
B	Male	18	High school football	Offensive lineman	Off-season
C	Male	17	High school cross-country	Not applicable	Beginning of in-season

Training status classification

Resistance training status	Current program	Training age	Frequency (per week)	Training stress*	Technique experience and skill
Beginner	Not training or just began	<2 months	≤1-2	None or low	None or minimal
Intermediate	Currently training	2–6 months	≤2-3	Medium	Basic
Advanced	Currently training	≥1 year	≥3-4	High	High

*Training stress refers to the degree of physical demand or stimulus.

Step 2: Exercise selection

Choosing appropriate exercises based on the needs analysis. Exercise choices should reflect:

Sport-specific movement patterns
Muscles commonly used in the sport
Goals of the training phase (e.g., hypertrophy, strength, endurance)

Application of the needs analysis

Scenario A	Scenario B	Scenario C
Sport: Running, jumping, ball handling, shooting, blocking	Sport: Grabbing, pushing, repelling, blocking	Sport: Running, repetitive leg and arm movement
Muscles used: Hips, thighs, shoulders	Muscles used: All major muscles, especially chest, arms, back	Muscles used: Lower body, postural muscles, shoulders, arms
Primary goal: Strength/power	Primary goal: Hypertrophy	Primary goal: Muscular endurance
Training background: Trained since high school, skilled in machine & free weight, completed 4-week offseason program	Trained since high school, skilled in machine & free weight, completed 2-week in-season program	Recently began training, low experience, completed 2-week preseason program
Training status: Advanced	Advanced	Beginner
Comments: Preseason goal is strength/power using varied loads	Goal is hypertrophy due to physical demands of position	Limited preseason training and low volume

General training priorities by sport season

Sport season	Sport practice priority	Resistance training priority	Resistance training goal
Off-season	Low	High	Hypertrophy, strength, power
Preseason	Medium	Medium	Depends on sport
In-season	High	Low	Maintenance
Postseason	Variable	Variable	Not specific or recovery

Exercise type

Core and assistance exercises

Core exercises: Multi-joint movements using large muscle areas; may directly load the spine (e.g., back squat, power clean).
Assistance exercises: Single-joint or smaller muscle group exercises; used for rehab, technique refinement, or isolating specific muscles.

Structural and power exercises

Structural: Involve postural stabilization (e.g., back squat).
Power: Performed explosively (e.g., power clean, snatch); subset of structural exercises.

Movement analysis and sport-specific exercises

Use the SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) to choose exercises that mimic sport movement.

Examples of movement-related resistance training exercises

Movement pattern	Related exercises
Ball dribbling and passing	Close-grip bench press, dumbbell bench press, triceps pushdown, reverse curl, hammer curl
Ball kicking	Unilateral leg press, leg extension, leg curl, single-leg squat
Freestyle swimming	Pull-up, lateral raise, step lunge, upright row, barbell pullover
Vertical jumping	Snatch, power clean, push jerk, back squat, front squat
Racket stroke	Flat DB fly, DB lateral raise, wrist curl, wrist extension
Rowing	Power clean, bent-over row, leg press, seated row, snatch pull
Running, sprinting	Snatch, clean, lunge, step-up, leg extension
Throwing, pitching	Lunge, single-leg squat, pullover, triceps extension, shoulder rotation

Muscle balance

Programs should avoid imbalances between:

Agonist/antagonist muscle groups (e.g., quads vs. hamstrings)
Bilateral vs. unilateral limbs
Upper vs. lower body

Exercises to promote recovery

Recovery should be performed at very low intensity (e.g., easy cycling, mobility work, light band drills).
Low-load, low-intensity exercises can assist recovery, but more fatiguing movements (such as walking lunges) are better suited for training blocks rather than recovery.
Typically included at the end of a session or on separate days.

Exercise technique experience

Coaches must assess whether athletes can perform exercises safely and correctly. Poor technique may require regression or coaching before loading.

Availability of resistance training equipment

Limitations in available equipment may require substitutions (e.g., front squat instead of back squat if no Olympic bars).

Application of the exercise selection guidelines

Category	Scenario A	Scenario B	Scenario C
Core	Hang clean, snatch, push press, front squat, incline bench press, pull-up	Clean, tire flip, back squat, deadlift, bench press, shoulder press	Clean, tire flip, back squat, deadlift, bench press, shoulder press
Assistance	Ab crunch, seated row, stiff-leg deadlift, standing calf raise	Ab crunch, step-up, leg curl, bent-over row, shoulder shrug, biceps curl, triceps extension, seated calf raise	Ab crunch, step-up, leg curl, bent-over row, shoulder shrug, biceps curl, triceps extension, seated calf raise
Comments	Exercises match movement demands of basketball (jumping/power)	Extra time allows more sport-specific lifts; hypertrophy is the focus	Extra time allows more sport-specific lifts; hypertrophy is the focus