National Strength and Conditioning Association Position Statement on Strength and Conditioning of Female Athletes. Part II: Training Adaptations and Program Design

Abstract – In preparing for competition, athletes and their coaches design and implement strength and conditioning regimens to maximize athletic performance. Males and females exhibit sex-specific physiological differences that may result in different needs, rates, or magnitudes of adaptation when implementing strength and conditioning programs. Yet, it should be clear that the basic principles of strength and conditioning remain relevant for all humans (e.g. progressive overload). Despite understanding the similar responses to strength and conditioning programs as male athletes, the provision, resourcing, consistency, and delivery of these programs is still restricted in many ways and fundamentally limits the actual potential of female athletes that is often incorrectly attributed to their biology. The purpose of Part II of this Position Statement is to update the original Position Statement that focused on resistance training of female athletes to be more comprehensive of strength and conditioning practice and to provide a deeper examination of physiology research relevant to the female athlete. Therefore, the Position Statement Part II is separated into four sections: (a) neuroendocrine responses and adaptations, (b) neuromuscular adaptions, (c) metabolic adaptations and, (d) program design.