After almost leaving the profession entirely, Ashley Kowalewski landed her role as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the prestigious Louisiana State University. Listen as she recounts the strength and conditioning coach who inspired her as a high-level athlete at Oklahoma State University, diverting her path away from pursuing a physical therapy career. Explore how her early experience as an NSCA intern and working with adaptive sports under the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee expanded her network and strengthened her coaching. Discover where to tap into access points that can build mentors in your corner and the importance of being relationship-oriented in a field where collaboration is key. Kowalewski also speaks about checking her ego after a difficult career experience and the challenge of starting again at the intern level. Learn her guiding principle of providing over proving and how high-quality leadership can elevate a program’s impact and staff longevity. Connect with Ashley on Instagram at: @ashleykowalewski or by email: ashk@lsu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Learn about cluster sets, and how they can be used in program design for optimal athletic development. Greg Haff, President of the NSCA, shares examples of various set structures in this session from the NSCA 2016 National Conference.

The aging athlete and office worker are both being cramped into body positions that not ideal. People in these situations could greatly benefit from some daily exercises to perform to overcome these issues. In this hands-on session, attendees will be given some simple movements that can be adapted for anyone and any situation.

[High School Athletic Directors] Help your coaches gain the skills they need to safely and confidently teach complex lifts to student-athletes with this 1-day course. Skilled coaches are a key to a safe weight room, happy parents, and improved sports performance.

Dr. Lonnie Lowery spoke at the NSCA's 2012 National Conference about the value of incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into the nutrition of youth athletes.

Body composition is an important physical characteristic to consider for football players and their performance. Tyler Bosch goes over the various methods of measuring body composition, what the numbers really mean, and how they can be used to develop a player's training.

At smaller colleges, strength and conditioning coaches are often asked to lead big with limited staff. Whitney Leyva-Camberos, Director of Sports Performance at Fresno Pacific University and NSCA Southwest Regional Coordinator, shares how she supports a growing program while building a career through service. Leyva-Camberos talks through small-department challenges coaches know well, from crowded training windows and shared weight room space to constant communication with sport coaches. She uses timing gates and velocity-based training to raise intent, spark athlete competition, and keep data useful for a small staff. As a parent and department leader, Leyva-Camberos reflects on the support that helps coaches stay in the field for the long term. She also shares how saying yes and showing up at NSCA events helped turn local introductions into lasting connections. Listen for strategies to lead with limited resources, choose technology with purpose, and get connected through NSCA opportunities in your region. Connect with Whitney on Instagram: @bigassmuscles or by email: whitney.leyva@fresno.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Dietary fat has both long-term and short-term effects on an athlete and athletic performance. “Fat loading” as a strategy to improve athletic performance remains unproven.

Physical assessments have evolved as a result of developments in scientific research, equipment loads, operational environments, and doctrine.

In this episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast, we delve into one of the biggest topics in college sports today–Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Tune in to learn more about this game-changing development and its implications for college athletes. Hannah Burkhart, a graduate student in Sport Science and Coaching Education at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), shares her experience as a student-athlete and brand ambassador. Eric McMahon, the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, joins her in the discussion to unpack the details of NIL policies, learn about the impact of social media on student-athletes, and uncover potential career benefits of NIL for personal branding. The episode focuses on the journey of the student-athlete towards professional growth. Don't miss out on this crucial discussion–listen now to stay ahead of the curve! Connect with Hannah on Instagram at: @hannaahnichole or LinkedIn: Hannah Burkhart | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs