Effective strength and conditioning programmes are designed to optimally prepare athletes to meet the specific demands of their particular sport. To appreciate the unique demands of any sport a needs analysis of that sport must first be performed. This article presents has been separated into two parts. The first part of this article explores the latest findings from the literature in regards to the specific technical and metabolic demands that Judo competition exerts on participants. In addition to this, physiological characteristics of elite competitors are explored to find possible determinants of successful performance in each sport. These determinants are then used to establish a sample judo specific testing protocol. Part II of this article shows how the information gathered from part I can be applied to the design of a judo-specific strength and conditioning programme.

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