Strength and Conditioning in Physical Education: Meeting the Needs of All Students by Design

Physical education (PE) teachers, particularly in secondary settings, are becoming increasingly responsible for instruction in weight room/fitness facility settings. However, due to limited training during teacher education and few professional development opportunities some may lack adequate expertise to ensure safe and effective strength and conditioning (S&C) learning experiences for students. In addition, due to the wide variety of student skill levels, interests (athlete vs. non-athlete), and physical capabilities in PE, designing instruction that meets the needs of all students can be a challenge. Therefore, this article provides a framework for guiding PE teachers in developing programming that meets the needs of all students in their classes, as well as suggestions to help achieve quality educational outcomes while maintaining a safe, organized, and efficient S&C environment.