Strength and conditioning software is a powerful tool. But finding the right fit for your use case can be challenging. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of strength and conditioning software for high schools and how to choose the right software for your needs.
What is Strength and Conditioning Software?
At the heart of any good strength and conditioning software is a streamlined management tool that can make life easier for coaches, teachers, and personal trainers. And in the process, strength and conditioning software also enhances the experience of the students, athletes, and individuals using it.
And while each training software offers different bells and whistles, most of the best apps have some combination of the following features:
Customizable program builder
Individual and athlete management system
Video exercise library
Mobile apps for athletes and coaches
Data and reporting capabilities
Pre-built training programs and templates
5 Strength and Conditioning Software Companies
While there are countless online strength and conditioning software options to choose from, each option typically serves a specific audience and purpose. Understanding how each business operates can help you find the right strength and conditioning software for your use case. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best apps and the different groups they serve.
Teambuildr – A training software geared towards professional and collegiate sports teams that have certified strength coaches. In addition, Teambuildr now works with personal trainers.
Trainheroic – A personal training app that many gym owners and personal training businesses utilize. In addition, Trainheroic is known for having a marketplace where fitness professionals can buy and sell programming.
Volt – A software program best known for working with individual sports teams, military, firefighter, and police groups. In addition, Volt offers an individual app for everyday fitness goers.
Rack Coach – Formerly known as Rack Performance, Rack Coach has a timing system that provides audio and visual cues to keep workouts moving in a crowded weight room.
PLT4M – Yes, that’s us! PLT4M is best known as the strength and conditioning software for education. Serving both physical education and athletics, PLT4M is a comprehensive online strength and conditioning software for middle and high schools across the country.
5 Key Features Of PLT4M’s Strength and Conditioning Software
At PLT4M, we are nothing but complimentary to other companies like Teambuildr, Trainheroic, Volt, and Rack Coach. And as outlined above, these businesses are doing a fantastic job in their respective fields. And over the years, each company has evolved to better serve the unique needs of their groups and audiences.
For us at PLT4M, every feature and program is designed to serve secondary education. Let’s explore some of the key features and components of PLT4M’s strength and conditioning software and how they support secondary education in both physical education and athletics. As an added bonus, we have included quotes from teachers and coaches to highlight the benefits of PLT4M’s strength and conditioning software.
The Only App Built Exclusively For Secondary Schools
Schedule a Demo and see why PLT4M’s exclusive focus on secondary schools sets it apart from other softwares.
1) Student and Athlete Management System
During a typical day in a high school weight room, countless groups of students come to workout before, during, and after school. These students and athletes participate in strength training via physical education or with sports teams.
As a result, multiple teachers and coaches are trying to stay organized. With PLT4M, schools can group and manage students by class, team, or both. Students can also be in multiple groups.
From this group setting, teachers and coaches can assign and deliver workouts and track and manage progress. (More on this later).
"We knew going digital would help manage all the unique challenges of high school strength and conditioning. I can't put into words how much time it saved me as a teacher and coach. PLT4M helped solve a variety of logistical challenges and allowed us to give students individual plans to meet their needs."
2) Program Design and Program Builder
When it comes to high school strength and conditioning programming, schools need options!
To start, many students have never been in the weight room before. High school strength and conditioning curriculum helps introduce students to strength training for the first time. But at the same time, more advanced students require in-season, off-season, and personal training options.
On top of all that, many teachers and coaches are not certified strength and conditioning coaches and might struggle with program design from scratch. Here is where PLT4M has three fantastic options that teachers, sport coaches, and S&C coaches can choose from:
1) Pre-Built Programs – At PLT4M, our team of certified S&C coaches has developed a wide range of strength programs that range from introductory, in-season, off-season, and more. All our advanced programs provide personalized weights to each individual student. (PLT4M also has many other fitness options to offer a complete package for physical education and athletics).
2) Modifying and Adjusting PLT4M Programs – The best strength program is one that works for your unique needs. With PLT4M’s workout builder, teachers and coaches can copy and edit PLT4M’s programs to fit their goals and plans. With this option, people use PLT4M as a template to build and adjust how they see fit.
3) Custom Program Building – This option is for coaches and teachers who like how they do things but want to go digital. Most popular with strength coaches, workouts can be built entirely from scratch with percentages, weights, and more using PLT4M’s workout builder.
"What I like most about using PLT4M is the ability to edit and adjust the program to fit our exact goals. There is a great structure in place with what PLT4M offers, and it is easy for anyone to tailor the existing programs to their specific needs."
3) Workout Delivery
With strength and conditioning software comes the ability to deliver workouts digitally to students and athletes.
PLT4M offers web and mobile apps so students and athletes can access everything on any device. Many schools allow students to utilize phones in the weight room. But for others, Ipads or 1-to-1 school-issued Chromebooks become a popular option.
In addition, PLT4M also allows up to 5 students to share on any device via the rackview feature. This allows for more flexibility and options when it comes to managing technology in the weight room.
"Phones and personal devices are a part of students' lives. By teaching them how to use an app to improve their physical fitness, they learn that the phone is more than just a way to text friends and scroll social media. It gives them a new level of independence crucial to our physical identity mission."
4) Instructional Videos
All PLT4M training sessions come fully loaded with high-quality instructional videos. Better yet, all videos in our exercise library are made in-house by our team of coaches, instructors, and fitness professionals.
Videos are an excellent supplemental resource to review form, answer questions, and go over best practices. Each PLT4M video breaks down the movement, points of performance, and talks about common faults and fixes.
"The instructional videos emphasize good form and technique. It helps answer students' questions and reinforces the instruction and teaching I give students in class."
Below is a sample from the PLT4M exercise library. Here Sam and Jackie break down the barbell back squat.
5) Data and Analytics
In the past, teachers and coaches have relied on printouts and endless tabs on Excel spreadsheets to manage data and analytics. But with online strength and conditioning software, staff and students can get real-time data and analytics at a push of a button.
For students, this means they can access personalized workouts, training data, and more, all via the PLT4M app. And teachers and coaches can do everything from tracking progress, generating reports, and creating leaderboards. Data is a powerful tool in the world of strength and conditioning.
“Students love the instant feedback they get by using the app. It gives them that extra nudge to work harder in class. And it helps get everyone on the same page. We track certain things for PE that all students do, like the FitnessGram tests. But we can also add other performance-based testing like maxes, speed and agility tests, and more.”
Key Takeaways on Strength and Conditioning Software For High Schools
High school strength and conditioning is a unique and challenging beast. But what separates PLT4M from other online strength and conditioning softwares is that every program and feature is built for secondary education. By taking this laser-focused approach, we have been able to create and evolve our strength and conditioning software to respond to the unique needs of high school teachers and coaches. And in the process, also find engaging and motivating ways to inspire and excite students in the weight room.
As a result, over 1,000 schools across the country are utilizing PLT4M in high school strength and conditioning. Better yet, PLT4M isn’t just for strength and conditioning. PLT4M offers a complete and comprehensive program across physical education and athletics.
Want to learn more? Contact us for a free consultation to see how PLT4M can take your school’s strength and conditioning program to the next level.
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The Ultimate Guide to High School S&C
Learn how to navigate the many logistical challenges that face high school coaches, and get insights into how to program effective workouts.
FAQ
How much does PLT4M cost?
Just like our strength and conditioning software is built for middle and high schools, so is our pricing. Pricing is based on the number of student licenses you want to utilize. We do not feature price, which means every feature and program comes with a PLT4M subscription. In addition, we also provide loads of customer support and professional development opportunities.
How did PLT4M start?
PLT4M was born in the high school weight room. Sam Breslin, a high school PE teacher, football coach, and strength coach, was spending countless hours in front of the computer trying to program workouts for his students and athletes. Alex Relph, a college football coach and strength coach, felt the same frustration. Friends from college, the two were on the phone with each other one day, and a light bulb went off.
“There has to be an easier way!”
Together, Sam and Alex imagined a program that would allow them to deliver workouts to athletes while also tracking and monitoring progress. And as they got to work on a solution, they quickly realized that countless other coaches were sharing similar frustrations. So became the birth of PLT4M over ten years ago! (Check out more from on our history from our 10 year company anniversary announcement!)
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