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Athletic training is a scientific discipline focused on optimizing athletic performance and preventing injuries. Unlike general sports coaching (fitness, wellness), the athletic trainer works specifically with athletes and high-level competitors to develop the physical qualities required by their sport: strength, power, speed, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and agility.
The modern foundations of athletic training rest on the work of pioneers like Soviet researcher Leonid Matveyev, who developed periodization theory in the 1960s, organizing training into macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles. Tudor Bompa, a Romanian physiologist based in Canada, refined these concepts in the 1980s with his block periodization. Today, athletic training integrates the latest contributions from neuroscience, biomechanics, and exercise physiology.
Athletic trainers use precise assessment tools: MAS (Maximum Aerobic Speed) tests, VO2max measurement, maximum strength tests (1RM), vertical jump tests (Sargent, CMJ), functional movement screening (FMS by Cook and Burton), isokinetic testing, and video analysis of sport-specific movements. This data enables establishing a complete athletic profile and designing customized programs based on objective data.
In France, athletic training is a rapidly professionalizing field. Athletic trainers work in professional sports clubs, federations, training centers, talent development programs, and increasingly in private practice for individual athletes. The distinction from sports coaching is fundamental: the BPJEPS certification suffices for fitness instruction, but high-level physical preparation requires a Master's in STAPS or a DE JEPS, and often the CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) from the American NSCA.
The athletic trainer's work begins with a comprehensive initial assessment. This evaluation includes field tests (MAS via Vameval or 30-15 IFT test, Cooper test, Luc-Leger shuttle test), anthropometric measurements (body composition, BMI, height-weight ratio), strength tests (bench press, squat, deadlift), flexibility assessments (sit-and-reach, Thomas test), and FMS screening (Functional Movement Screen) to identify muscular imbalances and injury risks.
Periodization is the cornerstone of athletic training. The year is divided into distinct phases: general preparation (developing base qualities), specific preparation (transfer to sport-specific movements), competition phase (maintenance and peaking), and recovery phase (regeneration). Each phase has precise objectives, intensities, and volumes. Modern methods use undulating periodization (daily intensity variation) rather than linear, for better neurological adaptation.
The athletic trainer's tools are varied: weight training (barbells, machines, resistance bands), plyometrics (box jumps, drop jumps), functional training (TRX, kettlebells, medicine balls), speed and agility work (agility ladders, hurdles, sprints), and modern technologies (field GPS, accelerometers, force platforms, tensiomyography). Training load monitoring via indicators like RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion), acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR), and heart rate variability (HRV) enables optimizing the load and preventing overtraining.
Return to Play protocols after injury constitute a specific area of expertise. The athletic trainer collaborates with the medical staff (physician, physiotherapist) to establish objective return criteria: isokinetic tests (quadriceps/hamstring ratio), functional tests (hop test, Y-balance test), progressive rehabilitation with gradually increased intensity and movement specificity.
The primary contribution of an athletic trainer is measurable improvement in sports performance. Structured strength and power protocols enable significant gains: a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrates that a supervised 12-week program improves muscular power by 15 to 25% in intermediate athletes. Optimized periodization allows reaching peak performance at key competition moments.
Injury prevention is a major benefit. Functional screening programs (FMS) and muscular imbalance correction reduce injury incidence by 30 to 50% according to studies. Specific protocols like FIFA 11+ in football or the Nordic Hamstring Protocol have demonstrated significant reductions in sprains and muscle injuries. The athletic trainer identifies and corrects risk factors before injury occurs.
Body composition optimization is another concrete benefit. The athletic trainer helps athletes achieve their optimal muscle-to-fat ratio for their discipline, while preserving health and performance. Recovery management (sleep, peri-training nutrition, cryotherapy, compression) accelerates physiological adaptation and reduces accumulated fatigue.
Beyond pure performance, athletic training improves sports longevity. Athletes followed by a qualified trainer have longer careers and fewer recurring injuries. Regular follow-up testing allows early detection of overtraining signs or chronic fatigue, thus protecting the athlete's long-term health.
Athletic training primarily targets competitive athletes, from youth in development to high-level professionals. Team sports (football, rugby, basketball, handball) extensively rely on athletic trainers to optimize team performance. Each sport has specific requirements: aerobic endurance and speed for football, power and explosiveness for rugby, vertical jump and agility for basketball.
Individual athletes (tennis, track and field, swimming, combat sports, cycling) benefit from personalized coaching adapted to the biomechanical specificities of their discipline. An athletic trainer specializing in tennis will work on trunk rotation, lateral speed, and rally-specific endurance, while a combat sports specialist will focus on explosive power, lactic cardio, and body weight management.
Athletic trainers also intervene in sports rehabilitation. After an injury (ACL rupture, muscle tear, stress fracture), they take over from the physiotherapist for the re-athleticization phase: specific strengthening, progressive return to running, reintegration of sport-specific movements, and mental preparation for competition return. Return to Play protocols integrate measurable objective criteria before returning to team training.
Increasingly, non-elite individuals also seek athletic trainers: executives looking for overall performance, seniors wishing to preserve their muscular capital and balance, or overweight people needing expert guidance. Athletic training is not reserved for the elite: its scientific principles benefit anyone wishing to optimize their physical condition in a structured and safe manner.
Athletic trainer education in France is organized around several pathways. The university track goes through a Bachelor's in STAPS (Sports Training specialization), followed by a Master's in STAPS specializing in Physical Preparation and Rehabilitation or Sports Performance. This 5-year program provides a solid scientific foundation in exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports nutrition, sport psychology, and training methodology.
The DE JEPS (State Diploma for Youth, Popular Education, and Sport) with a sports improvement specialization constitutes a professional alternative. It is accessible after high-level sporting experience and qualifies for performance-oriented training supervision. It is distinct from the BPJEPS (Professional Certificate), which only qualifies for sports activities and general fitness coaching.
The international CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) certification from the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) has become a global standard. It requires a minimum bachelor's degree and validates competencies in program design, exercise techniques, physiology, biomechanics, and nutrition. Other recognized certifications include the TSAC-F (Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator) and UKSCA (UK Strength and Conditioning Association) certifications. Continuing education is essential in this constantly evolving scientific field.
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