Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: 
A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches

Enrique Cañadas-García; Alfonso de la Rubia; Anthony Weldon; Jaime González-García; Verónica Giráldez-Costas; Carlos García-Sánchez

doi:10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228

eISSN: 2083-1862
ISSN: 0860-021X

Biology of Sport

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abstract:

Original paper

Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches

Enrique Cañadas-García

¹

,

Alfonso de la Rubia

¹

,

Anthony Weldon

^{2, 3}

,

Jaime González-García

⁴

,

Verónica Giráldez-Costas

⁵

,

Carlos García-Sánchez

¹

Deporte y Entrenamiento Research Group, Departamento de Deportes, Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Martín Fierro 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Research for Athlete and Youth Sport Development (RAYSD) Lab, Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK
Aston Villa Foundation, Aston Villa Football Club, Birmingham, B6 6HE, UK
Exercise and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo, Spain
Strength Training and Neuromuscular (STreNgthP) Research Group. Camilo José Cela University. Faculty of Health Science Madrid, Spain

Biol Sport. 2026;43:661–670

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228

Online publish date: 2025/12/04

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AMA

Cañadas-García E, de la Rubia A, Weldon A, González-García J, Giráldez-Costas V, García-Sánchez C. Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: 
A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches. Biology of Sport. 2026;43(1):661-670. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228.

APA

Cañadas-García, E., de la Rubia, A., Weldon, A., González-García, J., Giráldez-Costas, V.,  & García-Sánchez, C. (2026). Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: 
A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches. Biology of Sport, 43(1), 661-670. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228

Chicago

Cañadas-García, Enrique, Alfonso de la Rubia, Anthony Weldon, Jaime González-García, Verónica Giráldez-Costas,  and Carlos García-Sánchez. 2026. "Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: 
A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches". Biology of Sport 43 (1): 661-670. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228.

Harvard

Cañadas-García, E., de la Rubia, A., Weldon, A., González-García, J., Giráldez-Costas, V.,  and García-Sánchez, C. (2026). Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: 
A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches. Biology of Sport, 43(1), pp.661-670. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228

MLA

Cañadas-García, Enrique et al. "Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: 
A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches." Biology of Sport, vol. 43, no. 1, 2026, pp. 661-670. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228.

Vancouver

Cañadas-García E, de la Rubia A, Weldon A, González-García J, Giráldez-Costas V, García-Sánchez C. Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: 
A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches. Biology of Sport. 2026;43(1):661-670. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2026.156228.

PlumX metrics:

This cross-sectional survey study investigated the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches working in professional Spanish soccer concerning resistance priming strategies. Twenty-four S&C coaches (age: 30.6 ± 5.3 years; professional experience: 7.7 ± 3.5 years) participated in this study. The survey comprised four sections: 1) coaches’ information; 2) perceptions about resistance priming; 3) programming variables; and 4) opinions. Results showed that S&C coaches predominantly used resistance priming strategies 24 h (79%) or 24–48 h (21%) before a match. The most frequently used exercises during resistance priming sessions were isometric exercises (25%), followed by traditional strength exercises heavy load (85% 1RM) (22%), traditional strength moderate load (60–85% 1RM) (17%), ballistic exercises (17%), traditional strength light load (< 60 % 1RM) (11%), sprint (4%), and weightlifting (4%). This paper analyses survey responses from S&C coaches in soccer, comparing their reported practices and perceptions with the findings of existing empirical research. This allows us to examine whether their methods are consistent with research-based approaches, or if they deviate towards alternative methods. This information can help professionals

design more effective training programmes.

keywords:

Resistance priming strategies in professional Spanish soccer: A survey study into the practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches

Enrique Cañadas-García 1 , Alfonso de la Rubia 1 , Anthony Weldon 2, 3 , Jaime González-García 4 , Verónica Giráldez-Costas 5 , Carlos García-Sánchez 1

Strength, Soccer, Priming, Performance, Coaching practices

Enrique Cañadas-García

¹

,

Alfonso de la Rubia

¹

,

Anthony Weldon

^{2, 3}

,

Jaime González-García

⁴

,

Verónica Giráldez-Costas

⁵

,

Carlos García-Sánchez

¹