Strength Training Essentials

This workshop is designed for physiotherapists who want to integrate strength training into clinical practice with confidence. It's ideal if you're uncertain when to progress from rehab exercises to strength training, how to load progressively, or how to coach compound movements. This is clinical reasoning training for strength integration, not comprehensive S&C certification.

We highly recommend it. Exercise Prescription Essentials provides the foundational patient engagement, exercise prescription, and coaching frameworks that this workshop builds upon. Exercise Prescription Essentials graduates can focus entirely on strength-specific clinical reasoning and technical expertise without relearning fundamental concepts.

However, if you already have strong exercise prescription and patient engagement foundations from other training, you can take this as a standalone course. You'll learn strength-specific strategies, but the coaching applications assume you understand foundational principles like fear-avoidance, self-efficacy, and collaborative approaches.

Exercise Prescription Essentials teaches the patient psychology and engagement skills that work across and exercise form. It's the human skills foundation. Strength Training Essentials assumes you have that foundation and teaches the technical, strength training-specific knowledge: evidence-based loading parameters, tissue adaptation science, movement pattern coaching, and progressive overload decision-making.

Exercise Prescription Essentials answers: "Why don't patients follow through and how do I engage them?" Strength Training Essentials answers: "When do I progress to strength training, how much should I load, and what exercises should I prescribe?"

Additionally, Strength Training Essentials shows you how to apply Exercise Prescription Essentials's engagement principles to strength-specific contexts:

• Exercise Prescription Essentials teaches fear-avoidance principles → Strength Training Essentials applies them to "this barbell is too heavy" scenarios

• Exercise Prescription Essentials teaches self-efficacy building → Strength Training Essentials applies it to gym intimidation and equipment fear

• Exercise Prescription Essentials teaches choice architecture → Strength Training Essentials applies it to dumbbells vs barbells, machines vs free weights

We strongly recommend taking Exercise Prescription Essentials first, then adding Strength Training Essentials for specific expertise.

You can, but we don't recommend it. Exercise Prescription Essentials provides the patient engagement foundations that make your strength training programs actually work. Strength Training Essentials focuses on technical expertise (loading, dosage, progressions, technique) and assumes you already know how to engage patients psychologically.

The ideal sequence:

1. Exercise Prescription Essentials (learn to engage any patient with any exercise)

2. Strength Training Essentials (learn to load patients systematically with strength training)

If you already have strong patient engagement skills from other training, you can take Strength Training Essentials standalone.

Not at all. We teach essential technique for all fundamental exercises (squat, hinge, press, pull, carry) from the ground up.

For novices, you'll learn proper technique and when to apply it clinically.

For more experienced practitioners, you'll learn clinical modifications for different presentations and systematic application frameworks.

The workshop meets you where you are - technique essentials for everyone, then clinical application depth.

Yes, absolutely. While you learned strength training exercises at university, this workshop focuses on what wasn't covered - clinical integration, systematic program design, progression frameworks, and coaching within rehabilitation contexts. You don't need an S&C background; you need clinical reasoning frameworks for applying strength training in practice.

Not necessarily replace, but strategically reduce. You'll learn to manage strength training through mid-late stage rehabilitation and return to activity. For patients needing ongoing performance training or complex athletic development, trainers remain valuable partners. But you'll confidently handle strength progression for most clinical presentations without automatic referral.

S&C certifications are comprehensive, expensive, and focused on athletic performance. They require significant time investment and cover advanced programming for athletes. This workshop is focused on essential strength principles and clinical decision-making for rehabilitation populations. You'll leave knowing how to integrate strength training clinically, not how to train elite athletes.

No, and that's not the goal. This workshop qualifies you to integrate strength training into your physiotherapy practice with clinical reasoning and essential competence. It's designed to make strength training a strategic tool in your rehabilitation approach, not to replace dedicated S&C professionals. If you want formal S&C credentials, traditional certification is more appropriate.

University programs teach strength training exercises and basic principles, but rarely cover systematic clinical integration, program design frameworks, or the nuanced decision-making of when and how to apply strength training throughout rehabilitation. This workshop fills that gap between exercise knowledge and confident clinical application.

Yes. We cover both gym-based and home-based strength training approaches. You'll learn how to progress patients using minimal equipment, bodyweight progressions, and accessible resistance tools. While gym access expands options, it's not essential for clinical strength training integration.

At minimum: bodyweight progressions work for many patients. Ideally: resistance bands, dumbbells, and kettlebells cover most clinical applications. Optimally: access to barbells and basic gym equipment expands options. We'll discuss equipment prioritisation and practice-specific solutions during the workshop.

Pilates and strength training serve different purposes in the rehabilitation continuum. Pilates excels at movement quality, control, and stability (early-mid rehab phases). Strength training focuses on progressive loading and strength development (mid-late phases and return to activity). They're complementary tools, not competing approaches.

These workshops are complementary and sequential in the rehabilitation continuum. Exercise Prescription Essentials provides the patient engagement and coaching foundations for both. Pilates Training Essentials teaches when and how to use Pilates for movement quality and control (early rehab). Strength Training Essentials focuses on progressive loading and strength development (mid-late rehab and return to activity).

Together, the three workshops form a comprehensive exercise therapy skillset:

• Exercise Prescription Essentials: Patient engagement and coaching (foundation)

• Pilates Training Essentials: Early-mid rehab modality

• Strength Training Essentials: Mid-late rehab modality

Absolutely. Strength training is essential for return to sport. You'll learn systematic progression from rehabilitation exercises through strength development to sport-specific loading. We cover plyometric and reactive strength training integration for athletic populations while maintaining clinical reasoning frameworks.

Very much so. Strength training is critical for older adult function, fall prevention, and independence. We specifically address coaching strategies for gym-naïve older patients (Rob's scenario), managing age-related considerations, and building confidence with loaded exercises in populations who think strength training "isn't for them."

Perfect - this workshop will systematise and enhance what you're already doing. We start with essential technique for fundamental exercises (ensuring everyone has a solid foundation), then progress to clinical modification strategies and systematic application frameworks. You'll transform trial-and-error into confident clinical reasoning while potentially refining your technique execution and coaching approaches.

Nothing immediately! The waitlist is free and requires no payment or commitment. You’re simply expressing interest in the next 2026 workshop but you’ll get early access to registrations and secure early bird pricing. With spots limited, it’s worth it.

The Strength Training Essentials course will be held in Melbourne in 2026. Specific dates and venue details will be announced to waitlist members in early 2026 first.

Your registration includes the full 2-day workshop, comprehensive course workbook, downloadable resources and frameworks, lunch and refreshments, 14 CPD hours, and ongoing access to a graduate community for continued support.

This is a comprehensive 2-day intensive workshop covering all 6 modules (approximately 14 hours of content plus breaks). The format allows for interactive practice, case study discussions, and real-time Q&A throughout.

While designed specifically for physiotherapists with 0-8 years of experience, the adherence-focused content and systematic frameworks are valuable for any physio and health professional wanting to improve patient engagement and build their exercise therapy caseload.

Yes! While this isn't a hands-on skills workshop, you'll participate in case study discussions, practice assessment frameworks, design programs collaboratively, and engage in coaching conversation exercises throughout both days.

Bring comfortable clothing suitable for movement demonstrations, a notebook, laptop or device, and an open mind ready to challenge traditional approaches to exercise prescription. All course materials and frameworks will be provided via electronic resources.

Lunch and refreshments (morning tea, afternoon tea) are included both days. This allows networking time with fellow participants without needing to leave the venue.

Absolutely! We offer group discounts for clinics sending 3 or more physiotherapists. This also helps build consistent approaches across your team. Contact us for group pricing details.

Yes, this workshop provides 14 CPD hours and you’ll receive a certificate of completion.

Full refund available up to 4 weeks before the workshop date. Between 4-2 weeks: 50% refund. Within 2 weeks: no refund, but you can transfer your registration to another physiotherapist or a future workshop date.