Isometric Training Strategies for Team Sport Online CE Course

This course consists of the following:

• Isometric Training Strategies for Team Sport video presentation
• Slide deck
• Practice exam
• Online continuing education exam

Isometric Training Strategies for Team Sport outlines a high-level yet practical system for implementing isometric training across a full annual training cycle within team sport settings. Using the volleyball program at Southern Methodist University (SMU) as the case study, presenter Anthony Cockrill explores the integration of multiple isometric strategies, including long-duration yielding isometrics, multiposition yielding isometrics, overcoming isometrics,complex training, and overcoming inertia. The methods discussed have often been viewed as too complex for team settings, but you’ll see data to support their usage at the team level and learn how to implement them safely and effectively. Cockrill’s approach accounts for academic schedules, athlete readiness, and competitive demands, ensuring high training transfer without unnecessary fatigue or disruption. You’ll come away with a structured, progression-based model that applies advanced isometric methods in a way that is realistic, repeatable, and effective in the team sport context.

Learning Objectives

• Learn how yielding and overcoming isometrics target distinct eccentric and concentric adaptations to improve strength, tendon integrity, and neural drive.
• Understand the biomechanical foundations—including the length–tension relationship, sarcomere dynamics, and elastic components—that underpin isometric performance.
• Discover how to apply and periodize isometric methods throughout the training year to enhance performance and reduce injury risk in team-sport athletes.

Audience

Certified strength and conditioning coaches, sport coaches, and personal trainers.

Anthony Cockrill, MS, CSCS, is the director of sport performance for volleyball at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he oversees all aspects of athlete performance, including strength training, recovery, nutrition, and overall wellness. During his tenure, the SMU volleyball team has earned AAC Conference championships, multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, and a national top-10 ranking—establishing a reputation for physicality and resilience under his guidance. In addition to his collegiate success, Cockrill is well respected in the field of performance training and has presented on isometric strategies in multiple professional settings, including podcast appearances and educational platforms. His expertise in this area is both practical and evidence informed, with a proven track record of applying advanced training methods in team sport environments.