What Makes A Good Strength And Conditioning Program?

Caitlyn Davey • April 2, 2025

Different coaches have different styles, and today there’s an abundance of online coaching programs available.


But what truly makes a good program—and how do you ensure you’ll achieve your goals?


Knowing what you want out of your program and how you plan to approach it can be the difference between success and frustration.


What Is Strength and Conditioning?

First, let's define it:
Strength and Conditioning is the use of sports science to enhance movement quality.


It’s highly beneficial because it’s:

  • Evidence-based, drawing from exercise physiology and anatomy
  • Focused on two main components:
  • Strength: Building raw muscle and force
  • Conditioning: Improving your metabolic fitness and endurance


Signing up for a strength and conditioning program can transform your body and deliver incredible results, no matter your current level of experience—as long as you have passion and consistency.


The great thing about these programs is that they focus on improving:

  • Movement quality
  • Health
  • Overall athletic performance


Key Elements to Consider in a Strength and Conditioning Program


Before designing or choosing a program, several factors must be considered:

  • Number of participants training
  • Experience level and age of trainees
  • Available equipment and space for sessions
  • Number of weekly sessions and duration of each
  • Practice and competition schedules (for athletes)


Where to Begin: Start Simple

Starting simple is always the safest and smartest choice.


Training involves repetitive movements, so:

  • Focus on learning and mastering fundamental movement patterns.
  • Start with just a few exercises and simple training structures.
  • Prioritize perfecting technique before introducing complexity.


Taking your time perfects form and reduces injury risk—there’s never a downside to mastering the basics first.


The 5 Phases of a Strength and Conditioning Program


A structured program often follows these five phases:


Phase 1: Hypertrophy (High Volume, Low Intensity)

  • Focus: Reconditioning the body, increasing lean mass, improving muscular endurance
  • Reps/Sets: 8–15 reps for 2–4 sets
  • Duration: 2–6 weeks
  • Goal: Build a strong foundation for upcoming strength phases


This phase may feel repetitive, but it's crucial for long-term gains.


Phase 2: Basic Strength (Moderate Volume, High Intensity)

  • Focus: Increasing raw strength to prepare for high-intensity work
  • Reps/Sets: 5 reps for 3–5 sets


Strength increases significantly during this stage, forming the backbone for power development.


Phase 3: Strength/Power (Low Volume, Very High Intensity)

  • Focus: Developing explosive power
  • Reps/Sets: 2–3 reps for 3–5 sets


Lower volume helps reduce fatigue while maximizing power output.


Phase 4: Peaking and Maintenance

  • Focus: Peaking for competition and maintaining strength
  • Reps/Sets: 1–3 reps for 1–3 sets


Training intensity remains high, but volume drops to ensure full recovery and peak performance during key events.


Phase 5: Active Rest (Very Low Volume, Very Low Intensity)

  • Focus: Recovery and rejuvenation
  • Approach: 1–2 weeks off from heavy training, followed by light activity


Rest is equally important as training—it allows the body to repair, rebuild, and prepare for the next training cycle.


Final Thoughts

Strength and conditioning is a journey, not a quick fix.


Building strength, power, and endurance takes time, consistency, and smart programming.


Start simple, master the basics, follow structured phases, and remember: Recovery is just as important as hard work.



If you have questions about strength and conditioning programming, or want to hear how our programs at Rebuild Health & Fitness work, get in touch—we’d love to help guide your journey.

Previous Blogs

November 24, 2025
Try a Session. Meet the Coaches. See What You’re Capable Of If you’ve been thinking about starting, restarting, or finding a gym that actually supports you — Taster Day is your opportunity. This is a free, one-day event designed for real people. No pressure. No expectations. Just great coaching, a welcoming community, and a chance to see whether Rebuild is the right fit for you. December 6, 7:30am at Rebuild Health and Fitness - 10 North Road Wynnum West. This session is FREE for people to join.
November 18, 2025
Finding the best gym in Wynnum isn’t about who has the biggest space or the flashiest equipment. It’s about finding a place where you can train effectively, stay consistent, and actually enjoy the process. Whether you’re new to exercise, getting back into fitness, or chasing performance goals, here’s what to look for when choosing the right gym in Brisbane’s Bayside. 1. Look for Coaching, Not Just Classes A good gym gives you more than a timetable. The best gyms in Wynnum have qualified coaches who teach proper technique, scale workouts for all levels, and help you progress safely. At Rebuild Health & Fitness, every session is coach-led. That means expert eyes on your movement, accountability when you need it, and guidance to make sure you’re not just moving — you’re improving. Tip: Ask any gym how they coach members during sessions, not just what classes they offer. 2. Check the Programming (Not Just the Playlist) A great gym doesn’t make you guess what to do. The training should follow a structured plan built around strength, conditioning and recovery. Random workouts can burn calories, but they don’t build lasting results. Rebuild’s programming is designed by professional coaches using sports science principles like progressive overload, recovery balance and functional strength. That’s how our members lift heavier, move better and stay injury-free. Keyword focus: “structured strength and conditioning in Wynnum” | “best group fitness Capalaba” 3. Community Is the Real Difference You’ll stay consistent when you train somewhere you actually want to go. The best gyms in Wynnum and Capalaba have strong communities — people who celebrate your PBs, notice when you miss a session, and make training the highlight of your day. At Rebuild, community is everything. Our members range from beginners to seasoned athletes, but everyone’s working towards the same goal: becoming a stronger, happier, more capable version of themselves. Real talk: You can’t fake culture. Visit the gym at peak time and see how it feels. 4. Ask About Progress Tracking If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Look for gyms that track strength, performance and consistency — not just calories burned. When you can see progress in the data, motivation naturally follows. Rebuild uses training logs and benchmarks so you can literally see yourself getting fitter over time. Whether it’s your first squat or your 100th power clean, we’ll help you measure what matters. Keyword focus: “track your progress at the gym” | “measurable results fitness Wynnum” 5. Prioritise Coaching Quality Over Convenience Sure, convenience matters. But the cheapest or closest gym isn’t always the best choice. If you’re investing time and energy, make it count with coaches who care about your goals and have the experience to get you there. Rebuild’s coaching team includes qualified strength and conditioning coaches, nutrition experts, and rehab specialists — so you get complete support, not quick fixes. 6. Try It First The best way to know if a gym is right for you? Experience it. Book a class, meet the coaches, and talk to the members. At Rebuild, we encourage everyone to come in, ask questions, and see firsthand what makes us one of the best gyms in Wynnum and Capalaba. Ready to See the Difference? Join a community that’s focused on more than workouts — it’s about building strength, confidence, and consistency. 👉 Book your first session at Rebuild Health & Fitness (Wynnum and Capalaba locations available)
By Sean Carroll November 3, 2025
New Title
More Posts