Become a certified personal trainer with the NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer® (NSCA-CPT®) certification. Candidates must be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or an equivalent. Learn more about the prerequisites to sit for the NSCA-CPT® exam.

Explore the NSCA and SHAPE America joint statement connecting evidence-based practice, physical education standards, and professional learning for K–12 schools.

This article provides a first-hand perspective of different approaches strength and conditioning coaches can take when they need to produce a highly competitive athlete, but their financial resources are limited.

The NSCA Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2018 Coaching Advancement Grant, Nicholas Cuthrell, and Eleiko Equipment Grant, North High School.

Colorado Springs, CO – The National Strength and Conditioning Association announces that Eric McMahon, MEd, CSCS, RSCC*D, has been named the organization’s new Coaching Program Manager. In this role, McMahon will represent professional, collegiate, high school, and private sector coaches who are part of the NSCA’s community. In addition, McMahon will work with leaders in the field to advance the coaching profession, evaluate existing NSCA resources and programs, and provide new resources to better serve coaches and their needs.

Download this free packet of sample documents and information to use when proposing a new position, including: case studies of successful programs, a sample job description, evidence-based reasons why your high school needs a qualified strength and conditioning professional, and a quick worksheet to assess current liability risk.

The top concern of strength coaches should always be athlete safety. For this reason, the NSCA has compiled a list of resources to raise the standard of care when working as a strength coach at any level. By reading and sharing these examples of standards and guidelines, policies and procedures, position statements on vital topics, mental health best practices, and more, strength coaches can push to increase the safety of athletes around the world.

Elite sport often gets more attention, but youth training gives strength and conditioning coaches an earlier chance to build athletes’ competence and confidence. Kelli Brightwell specializes in youth development and brings more than a decade of sports training experience, including four years at Michael Johnson Performance. Brightwell defines peak height velocity as the period during which height increases fastest. She then explains why its timing can differ among teammates of the same age. So what should strength coaches test, and what do the results mean? The answer changes with each athlete’s maturity and training experience. Brightwell addresses the growth-spurt “awkward phase,” when familiar movement patterns can break down as an athlete adjusts to a changing body. She also considers how sport sampling can expand children’s range of physical skills and help them discover what they enjoy. Learn how maturation can affect movement, testing, and programming — and why young athletes need foundations before specialization.

This TSAC Report article highlights the need for recovery strategies to support both physical readiness and psychological resilience in military training. Visit NSCA online to learn more about tactical athletes.