肌力與體能教練，這是一個什麼樣的工作？
肌力與體能教練的英文名稱叫做Strength Coach、Performance Coach，或者有些人會稱為Strength & Conditioning Coach，簡稱S&C Coach，但少有人稱作Conditioning Coach。
它跟坊間的健身教練，或是俗稱的personal trainer、fitness coach有什麼區隔？
首先，要定義「肌力與體能訓練」是什麼，並不是一件容易的事情。
但幸運地，英國肌力與體能協會(UKSCA)在剛成立之際給了大家一點點指引，他們定義肌力與體能為
“…執業者具備特殊的技能來為運動表現(performance)規劃和實現一套生理的準備計畫。其中牽涉的過程，有賴在計畫中整合體適能條件，最終展現身體適應的成果，以補齊運動員各面向的發展。這包含了，肌力、速度、爆發力、耐力、敏捷和柔軟度…族繁不及備載。”
在《Effective Coaching in Strength and Conditioning: Pathways to Superior Performance》一書，更是開宗明義直指「肌力與體能」就是在做提升表現的事情。(strength and conditioning is directly involved in enhancing performance.)
因此以常理認知來看，只要是進行提升運動表現的工作，都可自詡為體能教練，哪怕只是健美運動。
但如要勝任這份工作稱職地當個體能教練，則應熟悉週期化編排、各種體測項目和訓練法，例如增強式訓練、速度訓練…等，且最好具備NSCA-CSCS這張證照。最重要的是，需不斷充實自己的知識庫，隨時為推陳出新的訓練法、時勢做好準備。
體能教練中又分為負責球隊的隨隊體能教練和一對一的體能教練。其中隨隊的體能教練，可以說是這個行業非常吸引人的職位。
隨隊的體能教練需與專項教練溝通。依球隊規模大小，有些球團還會配給物理治療師、營養師、心理諮商師、運動防護員，甚至在國外也不乏有隊醫、針灸師這樣的角色。因此，體能教練就會有非常多的機會跟不同領域的專業人士做交流。
但這樣夢幻的執業環境，並不是人人都有機會。
體能教練發展概況
無論是在美國或台灣，隨隊體能教練的全職職缺都處於僧多粥少的情況。大部分的人依舊只能選擇在健身房、工作室就業；運氣好一點，或許能成為少數專接運動選手的體能教練，自己開業成立訓練中心。
運動科學網站Science for Sport曾經分享過一段話，
“…NSCA公布他們32000名會員中，只有低於2600人被聘為肌力與體能教練。通過認證的肌力與體能教練數量明顯高於美國本土所需。如果你很幸運地成為其中一人，站上肌力與體能教練的位置，你會發現你所期待的時薪中位數只有19.71塊美金。
這現象不僅僅是發生在美國。來自UKSCA(英國肌力與體能協會)的數據顯示，47%的會員至少都有學士的學歷，但22%的肌力與體能教練都是自願性地(志工性質)去服務球隊。超過33%的人每年被付的薪水低於19999英鎊。
如果你有3~5年的業界經驗，這其中有1%的人，或許可以獲得50000英鎊或更多。但其他55%受到認證的專家，只能帶著他們4、5年以上的研究和業界經驗，領取被吃乾抹淨的最微薄薪資。
這個產業正在經歷危機。一張證照可以讓你取得面試機會，但只有持續地進修、學習最新的科學和實作應用，才能讓你成為那頂尖的1%。”
最後，再附上一個近期看過比較血淋淋的留言(英文太長懶得翻譯)
“This is a WARNING to aspiring S&C coaches that I wish I got before getting so involved with the field... You may love the field, but chances are, it won’t love you back. Know that you can do everything right (e.g. get a bachelor’s and master’s in exercise or sport science, obtain professionally relevant certifications like the CSCS and/or SCCC, and complete numerous internships/apprenticeships and still not find a paid, full-time position in the end. Having the proper credentials doesn’t mean anything because the field is unregulated, and therefore oversaturated. Don’t believe me? Do a quick search of some of the S&C staffs at universities and pro sports teams in the US. I think you’ll be surprised by what you find. Some of the highest paid coaches, at the highest levels of the game have unrelated degrees (i.e. in disciplines that are not relevant to the profession). Or, they may possess a bachelor’s degree that is relevant, but don’t have a graduate degree (yet they preach that you need a master’s to work in the field... how ironic?). It’s pure politics. A good ol’ boy network that doesn’t care much about credentials. And, at the lower levels of the field (e.g. high schools and collegiate DII or DIII) you will likely struggle too since many small departments either don’t see a need for a S&C coach, or, they want to fill two voids with one individual. Most often, this is done by hiring a dual-role Athletic Trainer/Strength and Conditioning Coach position. If you’re like me, you didn’t go to school for the treatment of injuries - you went to school to study the enhancement of performance in apparently healthy individuals. So, you won’t be able to sit for the ATC exam, and in turn, you won’t be eligible for these combination jobs. This problem may only be remedied after 2030, when the NSCA will actually put appropriate prerequisites in place for the CSCS exam. But even then, everyone who has taken the exam prior to 2030 will be grandfathered in, so how much that will truly help with the advancement of the profession remains questionable. Also, know that if you are fortunate enough to land a position, the compensation package will likely be on par with jobs that you can get straight out of high school (e.g. $20,000 - $40,000), and expect to work 60-80+ hour work weeks consistently. Other factors to consider are the instability (if a team starts losing, you might catch the blame and be the one to go), and the demand to regularly relocate throughout the country on short notice. This is especially hard if you have or want to have a family. I am not one to tell people what to do in life, but I would strongly advise anyone looking to become a strength and conditioning practitioner at the high school level or beyond to think it through and make an informed decision. That’s why I took the time to write this - to help people not make the same mistakes as me, and so that they don’t find themselves down a rabbit hole with no recourse. If you still decide to go for it, sadly, even though they are two different disciplines, you may be better off going to school for athletic training instead of exercise/sport science so that you have a shot at the dual-role positions that are out there. That way, you can at least fall back on athletic training if things don’t work out in S&C. As for me, I’ve had enough. After 8 years (12 if you’re counting undergrad too) of trying to break through, I am about to hang up my whistle and move on to something else. Something reasonable. I feel for the others who gave it a good run, but came up short. Keep your head up. There’s more to life than this.”
目前看來，在NSCA拉高CSCS報考資格前，去進修運動科學相關的學位並非投報率最高的選擇。具備傷防或是其他領域的學位，似乎才能幫自己增加更多的籌碼。
如果你是正準備花近百萬出國念書的教練，請記住『who you know 』會比『what you know』更值得你去體會。
在台灣，那些在健身房養家餬口的體能教練，如果對於訓練競技選手依然保有熱忱者，通常會主動和球隊接觸，幫自己探路。利用工作閒暇的時間到球隊服務、下班回家整理資料，等待更好的機會。
這樣蠟燭兩頭燒的工作情況，很容易遇到幾個問題：跟專項技術教練的交流太少、沒辦法定期地深入追蹤球員的狀況、規劃課表都來不及了更不用說對單一球員的狀況分析。當一支20人以上的球隊只有你一位體能教練時，這種窘境更是雪上加霜。
競技運動還有一個富有挑戰性的地方–就是人和的問題。如何獲得教練和球員的buy-in、調解隊職員的鬥爭，讓體能教練這份工作變得不再只是「懂訓練」就好。這些難題都為體能教練的養成提供了很好的練功機會，也是每個人必經的過程。
認清現實後，如果你對於這項工作依然還有興趣，非常歡迎你一起加入我們的行列。
