HOME / IN-PERSON COURSES / Phase 1
Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning Course
EPI Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning course is the first phase of the National Certificate in Strength & Conditioning (NCSC) qualification. On this 3 day course, you will learn the fundamental principles of Strength & Conditioning for athletic development. Participants will be immersed in EPI’s systems and methodologies in preparation for working with individual athletes, players and team sports.
EXPERT-LED LEARNING · FLEXIBLE START DATES · 3-DAY COURSE
FROM
€595
OR PAY IN 2 INSTALMENTS
Technology Enhanced
This course has been updated to include the latest sports technology equipment
Get FREE access to the online Phase 1 S&C course + online VBT course when you register for our in-person Phase 1 S&C course at one of our locations. Download NCSC Handbook for course details and learn more.
“Top class training. The phase 1 course was the perfect introduction to SNC and gave me lots of applicable tools and frameworks for working with my clients.”
Morgan Sloggett · Google review
x3 DAYS IN-PERSON
Delivered on weekends (Friday-Sunday)
FREE ONLINE ACCESS
Get free access to online Phase 1 S&C course + online VBT course
Ebooks & Resources
Receive S&C ebooks, journal articles + learning resources on the EPI online platform
Fundamentals Strength & Conditioning Course in Ireland – Your 3-Day Introduction
Phase 1 is where most coaches begin. It runs Friday to Sunday across three days in Dublin or Belfast, and assumes no prior strength and conditioning qualification. You will cover fitness testing, movement screening, acceleration speed, Olympic weightlifting technique, plyometric training, ESD fundamentals and programme design. It stands alone as a course of completion, or counts as the first half of the National Certificate in Strength & Conditioning (NCSC) qualification. Fees start at €595 (Ireland) and €695 (International).
What You'll Learn: Fitness Testing, Movement Screening, Speed, ESD & Olympic Weightlifting Coaching
Across the three days you will work through fitness profiling, movement screening, linear speed, ESD, plyometric training and the Olympic weightlifting coaching progressions for the Clean & Jerk. Sessions are practical: you coach the lifts under supervision rather than watch them demonstrated. You will finish able to screen an athlete, identify limitations and write a basic training block. Most attendees are personal trainers and physiotherapists moving into athletic development.
Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning Course | Dublin & Belfast | EPI
Choose Location & Your Start Date
Browse our in-person and online course options
COURSE DETAILS
Course Code:
EPI02
Course Accreditation:
National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) & American Council on Exercise (ACE)
Locations:
Dublin, Belfast & international locations
Duration:
3 days in-person
Delivery:
In-person + online access
Assessment:
None
Price:
From €595 (varies by location)
Free Online Access
COURSE DETAILS
Course Code:
EPI02
Course Category:
S&C courses
Delivery:
Delivered fully online
Duration:
Typically completed in 2-4 weeks
Schedule:
100% self pace learning
Access:
Lifetime access
Assessment:
None
Price:
€495
Lifetime Access
Exclusive Offer
- FREE access to online Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning Course worth €495
- FREE access to online Velocity Based Training (VBT) course worth €300
- Discount codes available from EPI sports technology partners
Secure your place by paying in full or with a deposit payment. For our deposit registration, remaining fees are paid before the start of the course. T&C’s apply.
Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning Course Modules
Sports teams and individual athletes are only as good as their physical preparation, which is why qualified Strength & Conditioning coaches are in demand. The Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning Course will provide participants with the systems, methodologies and frameworks that will help you meet this challenging responsibility.
During this 3-day course, you’ll be immersed in the latest practical coaching skills and applied knowledge for athletic development and injury prevention. You’ll also learn about the integration of performance technology into your coaching (see our extensive list of performance partners).
Browse our full list of in-person Phase 1 courses and begin your S&C coaching journey with EPI.
Learn about the Movement Compensation Screen (MCS) for injury prevention.
Understand it’s practical application and integration into the coaching setting.
Receive EPI’s corrective exercise strategies for issues with flexibility/mobility, stability and motor control.
Pre-season fitness testing is vital for all athletes and teams.
Discover how to successfully implement a standardised battery of fitness tests for teams and individual athletes.
Understand how to tailor and adjust the fitness tests based around their athletic ability.
Receive EPI’s resources on profiling your teams and athletes once the fitness tests have been conducted.
Master your coaching of acceleration speed.
Understand how to implement EPI’s technical and coaching models for improved sprinting technique.
Receive a detailed plan and structure on how to effectively program design for acceleration speed development.
Learn about explosive power development using Olympic weightlifting.
Understand how to implement EPI’s technical and coaching models for improved technique on the Clean & Jerk.
Receive a detailed plan and structure on how to effectively program design for Olympic weightlifting.
Learn about reactive power development using plyometric training.
Understand when to implement slow stretch shortening cycle (SSC) plyometric exercises into the program and how these exercises relate to the force-velocity (FV) curve. Apply EPI’s Phase 1-3 coaching model for muscular power development using performance jumps to hops.
Receive a detailed plan and structure on how to effectively program design using plyometric training.
Discover how to effectively train and develop the ATP-CP energy system.
Understand when to implement ATP-CP sessions into the training program based on the individual needs of the athlete/team.
Receive a detailed plan and structure on how to effectively program energy system development (ESD).
Discuss how to effectively train and develop hypertrophy, strength and power for your athlete/team.
Understand effective exercise selection choices for the different strength & power qualities.
Receive a detailed plan and structure on how to program design using EPI’s system.
Learn how to implement the linear model as part of your medium to long term periodisation.
Understand key characteristics of the linear model for effective usage based on the profile of your athlete/team.
Receive a detailed plan and structure on applying the linear periodisation model following a phase by phase approach.
EPI Sports Technology Partners
Both formats cover the same course content. Choose in-person or online:
In-Person
Choose your location and start date
- In-person learning with industry-expert lecturers
- Meet coaching peers in a friendly environment
- Get hands on with state-of-the-art sports technology
On-Demand
Fit your learning into your own schedule, and learn at your own pace
- 100% self paced learning
- Lifetime access to course content and updates
- Average completion: 2 - 4 weeks
Funding
EPI courses are also approved by the Department of Social Protection for the Training Support Grant (TSG) in Ireland, which provides up to €1,000 annually to jobseekers on certain social welfare payments to cover the cost of short-term training.
Your route to the NCSC
One exam.
Phase 1 stands alone, or counts as the first half of the NCSC. It is not assessed: the NCSC exam is taken online once both phases are complete.
You are here · 3 days
Build your foundations in fitness testing, acceleration speed, Olympic weightlifting, plyometric training and program design.
3 days
Enhance your coaching skills for advanced strength & power development, max velocity speed, MAS, ESD and conjugate periodisation.
Within 8 weeks
A written MCQ and a practical lifting video, each worth 50%. You need 70% to pass.
Certified
Your National Certificate in Strength & Conditioning (NCSC) is issued on the EPI platform.
Register Now
COURSE DATES
COURSE NAME
LOCATION
REGISTER
“Top class training. The phase 1 course was the perfect introduction to SNC and gave me lots of applicable tools and frameworks for working with my clients.”
Morgan Sloggett · Google review
Where our graduates work
“I completed EPI’s NCSC Course before commencing my role with Manchester Utd. The course was an excellent mix of theory and practical sessions delivered in a very clear manner for coaches. I would highly recommend this course for any coach looking to further their understanding of athletic development for sports performance”
Michael Clegg
EPI graduate · Manchester United
“As a sprinter, I’ve found the S&C course with EPI incredibly valuable. It’s given me a much deeper understanding of what goes into developing performance, from strength and power to programming, injury prevention and athlete development.
What I’ve enjoyed most is being able to take what I learn and apply it directly to my own training while also building the knowledge and practical skills to work with other athletes.
If you’re serious about sport, coaching or building a career in S&C, I’d highly recommend this course. The knowledge, experience and opportunities it can create make it well worth the investment.”
Christopher Sibanda
EPI graduate · Irish Sprinter
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning Course is a short, sharp, focused, and impactful course, giving fitness professionals like you a coaching skill set to work with senior athletes.
For coaches looking to complete the National Certificate in Strength & Conditioning (NCSC) course step-by-step, they can begin by registering for Phase 1 initially. Phase 1 is the first educational component of the NCSC course. It lays the foundation for more advanced training and content delivered on the Phase 2 course.
The Phase 1 S&C Course provides participants with the fundamentals of Strength & Conditioning. Learners will gain insights into EPI’s four pillars for Strength & Conditioning:
- Coaching philosophy
- Coaching methodology
- Coaching framework
- Training system
By completing this course, you will have begun your journey towards completing your Strength & Conditioning qualification. Whether you want to become a qualified Strength & Conditioning coach or just learn more about the principles of Strength & Conditioning to help your physiotherapy or personal training, becoming NCSC qualified will allow you to obtain insurance to deliver Strength & Conditioning services as a professional coach.
The main benefits of studying for a course with Elite Performance Institute (EPI) centre around your ability to rapidly upskill and obtain a certification in Strength & Conditioning, taught by industry leading practitioners, via a short and flexible learning schedule.
Short and intensive in nature, EPI courses demonstrate your commitment and drive to either begin or advance your professional career. Obtaining a Elite Performance Institute (EPI) course allows professionals to formalise and affirm the knowledge and coaching skills you might informally practice in the gym, on the pitch or in your private practice. Studying with EPI will allow you to stay ahead in a rapidly progressive coaching landscape.
As well as your Elite Performance Institute (EPI) course certification and new skill set, you will have accessed a network of like-minded professionals as you study alongside each other. Peer to peer learning will bring theory to life through active learning, as you problem solve and explore practical applications of relevant topics. All of this will be facilitated during breakout lecture sessions, facilitated conversations, hands on practical sessions, supplemented by a rich bank of online resources to give you the best possible chances of professional growth and development.
Many of our courses are now available both in-person and on-demand (online). Both formats cover the same course content. You now have more choice in how you learn with us:
In-person
Our in-person courses are delivered in various facilities in Dublin, Belfast and international locations. All locations are well equipped to allow EPI to deliver all course content in a professional learning environment.
On-demand
On-demand courses enable you to complete your course online on your own schedule. Course content is delivered in the form of a “module”. The module is broken up into practical and lecture videos outlining the content in the same way as seen on our in-person course.
Expert-led
Both in-person and on-demand courses are delivered by elite coaches who have more than 20 years of industry experience and 15 years of tutoring experience. When you choose an EPI education course, your learning experience will be unparalleled in terms of clarity and quality.
The Phase 1 Strength & Conditioning course is not assessed.
Assessment for the National Certificate in Strength & Conditioning (NCSC) is completed online after Phase 1 & 2 Strength & Conditioning courses have been fully completed.
Payment
Payment for our in-person courses have two options:
- Payment in full
- Deposit payment (€100 for Phase 1, Phase 2 and Youth courses; €200 for the full NCSC course) followed by remaining course fee before start of course
Payment for our on-demand courses have two options:
- Payment in full
- Payment plan involving x3 interest-free payments
Funding
EPI courses are also approved by the Department of Social Protection for the Training Support Grant (TSG) in Ireland, which provides up to €1,000 annually to jobseekers on certain social welfare payments to cover the cost of short-term training. Get in touch with your employment officer to complete the TSG application form to secure your course funding.
★★★★★
What Our Graduates Are Saying About EPI
See what our 5,000+ graduates have to say about their experience
