‘There’s a perfect way to do things, and there’s a real way to do things’: Attitudes, beliefs and practices of strength and conditioning coaches in elite international women's rugby union

Abstract

Optimal physical performance is a product of specific and tailored training. There are well-established sex differences in anatomical, physiological, and performance factors between biological males and females, which may have implications for physical preparation. A potential knowledge gap exists in relation to sex-specific differences in physical preparation because practitioners largely rely upon empirical evidence collected in male subjects for reference when devising interventions for female athletes. Therefore, this study explored the attitudes, beliefs and practices of strength and conditioning coaches ( n = 8; M/F, 6/2) in elite level (international) women's rugby union using semi-structured interviews (mean ± standard deviation duration 59 ± 15 minutes). The interviews explored differences in coaching elite female rugby players compared to males, with specific focus on training methodologies and understanding of pertinent aspects of female physiology. Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to generate a rich qualitative dataset. Analysis resulted in the identification of higher-order themes: developmental stage of women's rugby, physical preparation, and education. Additional subthemes were created to facilitate organisation and presentation of data. The majority of coaches consider sex-specificity when devising physical preparation interventions as a function of training experience, rather than physiological between-sex differences, yet there were conflicting, and often erroneous understanding of female-specific considerations. To the authors knowledge, this is the first study to investigate attitudes, beliefs, and practices in elite level strength and conditioning coaches regarding sex-specific differences, and as such, illustrates the current understanding and opinions of practitioners in international level women's rugby union.

Examining the coach–athlete relationship for facilitators and barriers to healthy sport participation for cyclically menstruating athletes: A systematic review

“…27,29 Overall, coaches, as well, considered their own knowledge of the menstrual cycle to be poor. 39,51,52 They perceived the menstrual cycle to be a complicated topic and were unclear about the impact of training on the menstrual cycle and vice versa. 24,30,41,52 Sports scientists, nutritionists and physiotherapists, however, were more aware of how their respective domains interacted with menstrual function.…”

“…39,51,52 They perceived the menstrual cycle to be a complicated topic and were unclear about the impact of training on the menstrual cycle and vice versa. 24,30,41,52 Sports scientists, nutritionists and physiotherapists, however, were more aware of how their respective domains interacted with menstrual function. 26,36 In addition to finding their own knowledge of the menstrual cycle to be poor, athletes and coaches perceived others’ knowledge to be insufficient as well.…”

“…32 Situations where coaches had modified or adapted training routines based on the athletes’ needs served to increase their willingness for more open communication. 36,52 Athletes also reported that attending formal education sessions had helped them open up and seek support from their coaches. 41 Coaches noted that approaching athletes with menstrual tracking information and performance implications of their symptoms was conducive to more open communication regarding the menstrual cycle.…”

“…Most athletes and coaches recognised the need to improve their own knowledge of menstrual function, menstrual symptoms, and their impact on athletic performance. 24,28,30,32,33,41,52 Athletes expressed a desire to see more research and data, as well as multi-disciplinary collaboration between coaches and other staff, to improve the quality and quantity of communication around the topic. 28 Athletes indicated the need for early and more personal communication from their coaches as well.…”

A qualitative exploration of perceived challenges and opportunities in the implementation of injury prevention and management in amateur female sport

“…Research in the above Gaelic football and camogie cohort also found 55.70% of female athletes had no access to an athletic development coach, compared with 34.40% of male athletes ( p < 0.01) ( 19 ). In elite international rugby union, qualitative research in strength and conditioning professionals acknowledged the lack of athletic development opportunities for their female athletes at their clubs compared with their male counterparts ( 20 ). This limited provision of professionals and resources often leads coaches and athletes to assume individual responsibility and resort to improvised injury prevention and management.…”