The needs analysis is an important step for program design. Covers how to do it as well as provides a sample.

2. What is a needs analysis?
 A process of determining what qualities
are necessary for an athlete, a sport, or
an individual.
 It considers:
 The needs of the sport/position/situation
 The athlete/individual

3. Why is the needs analysis
important?
 Helps to focus training
 Separates the “need to do” from the
“want to do”

4. Considering the event, sport or
situation
 What are the needs?
 Is there a model?
 What kind of testing best meets the
needs?
 What is the competition schedule for the
event/sport?

5. What are the needs of the
event/sport/situation?
 What major muscle groups are
involved?
 What muscles are involved in performance?
 How are those muscles used?
○ Does performance involve exerting force
against the ground?
○ Does performance involve unilateral or
bilateral work?
○ Does performance involve rotation?

6. What are the needs of the
event/sport/situation?
 What energy systems contribute?
 How long does the event last?
 How much time is actually spent moving?
 How much time is spent resting? What is
the nature of the rest?
 Is only one energy system involved? Does
more than one contribute?
 If more than one contributes, how
significantly?

7. What are the needs of the
event/sport/situation?
 What is the speed of movement?
 Does the athlete play a position that has
specific needs?
 For example, line vs. kickers vs. quarterback
 Are there joints that are more frequently
injured?

8. What are the needs of the
event/sport/situation?
 Examples:
 100 meter sprinter
 Shot putter
 Baseball pitcher
 Middle-aged exerciser losing weight
 Elderly exerciser

9. 100 meter sprinter
 Major muscles involved:
 Abdominals and low back
 Gluteus maximus
 Gluteus minimus and medius
 Hamstrings
 Adductors
 Quadriceps
 Plantarflexors
 Dorsiflexors
 Period of time when only one leg on
ground

10. 100 meter sprinter
 This event will probably last 10-12
seconds, depending upon ability
 Majority of energy from ATP/CP
 Bulk of training should focus on ATP-CP
system with some lactic acid focus

11. 100 meter sprinting
 Speed of movement:
 Very fast.
 Stride frequency may range from 4.2
strides/second to 5 strides/second in an
athlete who runs 100 meters in 10 seconds
(Kuznyetsov, et al., 1983).

12. 100 meter sprinter, specific
needs
 Speed: faster leg
turnover without
sacrificing optimal
stride length
 Leg strength: clear
blocks, force against
ground
 Contribution of each
phase of 100 meter
sprint to the outcome
 Reaction time: 1%
 Block clearance: 5%
 Acceleration: 64%
 Maintenance of
maximum velocity: 18%
 Lessen degree of
acceleration: 12%
(Gaffney, 1994)

13. 100 meter sprinter
 Muscles/joints that are more frequently
injured in 100 meter sprinters:
hamstrings
 From:
 bad technique
 muscle imbalance

14. What do we know about 100 meter sprinters
and their conditioning requirements?
 Muscles of the trunk, hip, and knee are important
 Muscles need to be developed in a way that
enhances the ATP-CP energy system
 Muscles must be trained in a way that enhances
speed
 Leg strength will be needed to help with the start
and force application
 One-legged strength and power necessary
 Special strength training should reinforce good
sprinting technique
 The hamstrings will need to be developed in terms
of eccentric strength

15. Shot Putter
 Major muscles
involved, “Glide”
 Quadriceps
 Hip Flexors/Extensors
 Glutes
 Calves
 Abs
 Erector Spinae
 Upper Body
 Major muscles
involved, “Rotation”
 Quadriceps
 Hip Flexors/Extensors
 Glutes
 Calves
 Abs
 Erector Spinae
 Upper Body

16. Shot Putter
 Delivery takes between 0.15 and 0.18
seconds
 Long rest periods between throws
 Energy from ATP-CP breakdown

17. Shot Put, specific needs
 The shot put begins with a one-legged
squat, involved exerting force from that
position
 Requires a blocking action with one side
of the body
 Unilateral work will need to be done

18. What do we know about shot putters and
their conditioning requirements?
 Muscles of the entire body need to be developed
in a way that involves exerting force against the
ground
 Abs and lower back have to become strong and
explosive in rotation
 Muscles must be developed in a way that
enhances the ATP-CP system
 Muscles must be capable of great speed
 One-legged work is necessary for the start and the
block. Dumbbell movements (snatch, clean, jerk)
and split-style lifts will be helpful for this.

19. Baseball Pitcher
 Muscles Invovled:
 Lower body is responsible for the leg
drive, limb velocity in throwing is dependent
upon this leg drive
 Trunk rotation contributes approximately
50% of the force in throwing (Weatherly and
Schinck, 1996)
 Deltoid and rotator cuff muscles are
necessary for throwing the ball and
decelerating the arm

20. Baseball Pitcher
 Series of short-duration, maximal
intensity efforts
 May last as little as 2 seconds
 ATP-CP system
 Perform these maximal efforts 100-120
times a game

21. Baseball Pitcher
 Speed of movement?
 Very fast. According to Panariello (1992):
○ Cocking phase: 1.5 seconds
○ Acceleration phase: 0.2 seconds
○ Follow through (deceleration): 0.4 seconds
 Acceleration and Deceleration very
important

22. Baseball Pitcher, Specific
Needs
 Conditioning to be able to decelerate the
arm after the pitch. Use high-speed
training (medicine balls) and eccentric
training (PNF exercises).
 Due to wear and tear, take it easy on
upper body work (e.g. bands, etc.).

23. What do we know about pitchers and
their conditioning requirements?
 Pitching velocity is dependent upon lower
extremity strength, trunk strength, and
shoulder health.
 Pitching takes place quickly, but is
repeated often during a game.
 Attention must be paid to eccentric strength
and the ability to decelerate the arm.
 Care needs to be taken with
shoulder/upper body training.

24. Middle-Aged Exerciser Losing
Weight
 Muscles involved?
 Energy systems?
 Speed of movement?

25. Elderly Exerciser
 Muscles involved?
 Energy systems?
 Speed of movement?

26. Is there a model for the
event/sport?
 Models give performance parameters.
They may consist of:
 Performance of the actual event
 Anthropometric data
 Physical preparation data

27. Performance Model, 100 Meters
(Kuznyetsov, V.V., et al., 1983)
Total Starting Time 10 m 20 m 30 m 40 m 50 m 60 m 70 m 80 m 90 m 100 m
Time (sec) 0.39 1.8 2.9 3.8 4.7 5.6 6.5 7.4 8.4 9.2 10
Avg. Speed (m/sec) 7.2 10.2 10.4 10.6 10.9 11.6 11.4 11.6 11.4 10.9

28. Performance Model, 100
meters, Trends
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
10m
30m
50m
70m
90m
Avg.
Speed
 Sprinter should be
accelerating
through 60 meters
 Sprinter should be
maintaining or
slowing minimally
for the rest of the
race
 How does our
athlete compare?

29. Height/Weight Model, Weightlifting
(Medvedev, A.S., 1989)
Weight Class (kg) Average Height (cm)
52 149 +/- 3
56 153 +/- 3
60 159 +/- 3
67.5 164 +/- 3
75 168.5 +/- 3
82.5 172.5 +/- 3
90 176 +/- 3
100 178 +/- 3
110 181 +/- 3
110+ 185 +/- 3

30. Physical Preparation
Model, Sprinters
(Tabatschnik, B., 1983)
Tests 10-12 years 13-15 years 16-17 years
60m (sec) 9.0-8.6 7.6-7.4 7.2-7.0
100m (sec) - 11.8-11.6 11.3-11.0
200m (sec) - 24.0-23.7 22.8-22.5
30m crouch start (sec) 5 4.6-4.4 4.3-4.2
30m flying start (sec) 4 3.3-3.1 3.1-3.0
St. triple jump (in) 21'4"-21'3" 24'3"-25'7" 26'3"-26'11"

31. Physical Preparation
Model, Trends
 By 17 the athlete should already
possess a great deal of speed
 After 17 it may not be possible to
improve speed that much (11 seconds to
10 seconds)

32. Other Standards?
 Are there other standards that may be
imposed?
 Example:
 Be able to bench press body weight
 Be able to squat double body weight
 Etc.

33. Applying the models
 How does our athlete’s performance
compare to the model?
 What does that tell us about the
athlete’s needs?

34. Applying the models, cont.
 Our athlete’s average
speed is not high
enough
 Our athlete is having
trouble accelerating
to 10 meters
 Our athlete is unable
to accelerate into 60
meters
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
10m
40m
70m
100m
Model
Athlete

35. Applying the models, cont.
 Based upon the model and the athlete’s
performance, we know he/she needs to
focus on:
 Starts
 Acceleration
 Speed-endurance

36. What kind of testing best meets the
needs of the event/sport?
 Strength: 1-RM, 3-RM, 5-RM, 10-RM
 Bench Press
 Back/Front Squat
 Power Clean
 Power Clean + Jerk
 Power Snatch
 Deadlift

37. Testing, Cont.
 Endurance:
timed, 5-RM, 10-
RM, reps to failure
 Bench Press
 Back Squat
 Leg Press
 Dips
 Push-Ups
 Pull-Ups
 Sit-Ups
 Crunches

38. Testing, Cont.
 Flexibility: sit and reach, shoulder, trunk
 Acceleration: 10, 20, and 40 yard sprints
 Maximum Speed: 40+ yard sprints
 Speed Endurance: 400+ yard sprints
 Anaerobic Conditioning: sport-specific
(300-yard shuttle)
 Aerobic: 1.5 mile run, 12-minute
run, etc.

39. Testing, Cont.
 Agility:
 T-test
 L drill
 Power:
 Vertical Jump
 Standing Long/Broad Jump
 Triple Jump

40. What is the competition
schedule?
 This will determine the training
schedule.
 Things to consider:
 What days of the week are competitions?
 Are all of the competitions equally important?
 Are all of the competitions going to be equally
difficult?
 Are there any camps that the athlete needs to
be peaked for?

41. Sample Competition Schedule,
Division I Football
Date Opponent Home (H) or Away (A)?
2-Sep School ranked #10 A
9-Sep Walkover University H
16-Sep Easy Victory College H
23-Sep Bye Bye
30-Sep School ranked #20 H
7-Oct School ranked #15 H
14-Oct 0-7 College A
21-Oct Red-headed Stepchildren University A
28-Oct School ranked #3 H
4-Nov School ranked #18 A
11-Nov School ranked #23 H
18-Nov School ranked #6 A
2-Dec Conference Championships A

42. Sample Competition
Schedule, cont.
 The schedule tells
us the following:
 7 opponents are
ranked
 These games will
require serious
preparation and
peaking
 4 opponents “should”
be gimmies
 Is peaking required
for those 4 schools?
 Should we focus
more on the 7 ranked
opponents?
 All games except
Dec. 2 are on
Saturdays, we can
organize training
accordingly

43. Why examine the
event, sport, or situation?
 This analysis tell us:
 What are the needs?
 Is there a model? How do our athletes
compare?
 What kind of testing best meets the needs?
 What is the competition schedule?

44. Examining the Athlete or
Individual
 How long has the athlete been training?
 What is the athlete’s injury status?
 What level is the athlete competing at?
 How did the athlete perform last year?
 Based upon the testing, what kind of
shape is the athlete currently in?

45. Training History
 How long has the athlete been training?
 What has the athlete been doing in
his/her training?
 Gives you an idea of what they can
tolerate, what they know, work ethic, etc.
 Beginner: low volume, low intensity, few
exercises
 Advanced: high volume, high intensity, great
fitness, variety of exercises

46. Injury Status
 Is the athlete currently healthy?
 If not, can it be trained around? For
example: shoulder, lower back
 If so, does he/she have a history of
particular injuries? Why? For example,
groin or hamstring injuries.

47. What level is the athlete
competing at?
 Elite athletes have very different needs
than beginners.
 Pro’s and elite’s are not developmental.
 Advanced athletes require much more
specific and focused training.
 Beginners need to work on everything!

48. How did the athlete perform last
year?
 Did the athlete peak on time?
 If not, when did the athlete peak?
 Was the athlete over-trained?
 If athlete was over-trained, was that our
fault or due to other circumstances?
 Gives feedback about the program!

49. Based upon testing, where is
the athlete/individual currently?
 Where is the athlete deficient?
 Are those important enough to warrant a
focus?

51. Basketball Guard
 Basketball is a total body sport
 There is contact between players and
this is a source of injuries

52. Basketball Movement Patterns
Activity Speed of Movement Total Distance
Covered
Percentage of Time
Spent in Activity
Standing 0 0 32%
Walking ≤6 km/h 1720 meters 31%
Jogging 6.1-12 km/h 1870 meters 5.6%
Running 12.1-18 km/h 928 meters 4.5%
Sprinting >24 km/h 763 meters 2.8%
Striding 18.1-24 km/h 406 meters 2.4%
Low Intensity
Shuffling
≤6 km/h 606 meters 8.5%
Moderate Intensity
Shuffling
6.1-9 kh/h 691 meters 6.5%
High Intensity
Shuffling
>9 km/h 169 meters 3.1%
Sideways Running >12 km/h 218 meters 1.9%
Jumping 0 0 1.7%
Adapted from Abdelkrim et al 2010.

53. Basketball: Injuries
 Ankles and knees are the most
commonly injured areas in basketball.
 These are largely ligament strains and
muscle/tendon sprains.

54. Basketball Guards
 Guards prepare offensive situations via:
turnovers, passing, steals, ball
control, assists, and three-point field
goals.
 They are faster, stronger in terms of
lifting their own body weight, and jump
higher than forwards and centers.

55. Ideal Characteristics of a Guard
Variable Model
Height (cm) 189.5
Weight (kg) 84.5
Body Fat (%) 9
Vertical Jump (cm) 61
5m Sprint (sec) 1
10m Sprint (sec) 1.9
40m Sprint (sec) 4.1
T Test (sec) 9.3
Bench Press (% of Body
Weight)
1.1
Back Squat (% of Body
Weight)
2
Adapted from Abdelkrim et al 2010, Berg and
Latin 1995; Ostojic et al 2006.

56. Hypothetical Guard
 Plagued by non-contact ankle injuries.
 Good three-point shooter, does not
contribute in terms of steals and assists.
 Gets fatigued after the first half of play
and three-point accuracy deteriorates
after the first half.

57. Player vs. Model
Variable Model Sample Player
Height (cm) 189.5 189
Weight (kg) 84.5 92.9
Body Fat (%) 9 12
Vertical Jump (cm) 61 62
5m Sprint (sec) 1 1.2
10m Sprint (sec) 1.9 2.2
40m Sprint (sec) 4.1 5
T Test (sec) 9.3 11.2
Bench Press (% of Body
Weight)
1.1 1.2
Back Squat (% of Body
Weight)
2 2.3