Get to know Army Lieutenant Colonel Nick Barringer, Program Director for the United States Army-Baylor University Master’s in Nutrition. Barringer shares how he originally planned to become a strength and conditioning coach before a nutrition course inspired him to pursue dietetics. However, it was his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) credential that ultimately landed him his role as the first 75th Ranger Regiment (Army Rangers) Dietitian. He recounts drawing inspiration from the Navy SEALS to start the Ranger Athlete Warrior (RAW) program and seeing the Special Operations THOR3 program follow suit — laying the groundwork for the US Army Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system. Barringer and McMahon discuss the synergy between strength and conditioning coaches and dietitians, as well as cultural challenges and diverse training ages in tactical settings. The pair also stress the importance of sales and building relationships before discussing basic nutrition advice and pathways into tactical and dietetics careers. Connect with Nick on Instagram at: @nickbarringer.phd.rdn or by email: nickbarringer35@gmail.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

The NSCA is a nonprofit association dedicated to advancing strength, conditioning, & related sport science professions.

The tactical strength and conditioning field is evolving each year. Because of the experience of those in the field, as well as the growing body of research, we are gaining a better understanding of what it actually means to work within the tactical field.

Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitators® are professionals in tactical fields (e.g., military, fire and rescue, law enforcement and other professions) who apply scientific knowledge to improve performance, promote wellness and decrease injury risk. These Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitators help their peers improve on-the-job physical performance and reduce time off due to injury. Learn more about expanding your professional expertise with NSCA’s TSAC-F® certification!

While no recruitment process will ever be perfect, it is time to address the “legal defensibility” of physical employment standards as the primary consideration in developing recruitment guidelines that are concurrently designed to increase workplace diversity.

This article is part of a continuing series of tactical strength and conditioning (TSAC) research reviews. It is designed to bring awareness to new research findings of relevance to tactical strength and conditioning communities.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce the recipients of the organization’s 2024 Coach of the Year Awards: Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Justin Lovett, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, RSCC*E College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Brijesh Patel, MA, CSCS, RSCC*E Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Kenna Smoak Minnici, MA, CSCS, RSCC*D

This is an excerpt from NSCA's Essentials of Sport Science by NSCA -National Strength & Conditioning Association, Duncan N. French & Lorena Torres-Ronda.

Musculoskeletal injuries are the primary source of disability in the United States military. With the integration of movement screens and the implementation of tactical strength and conditioning facilitators there can be success in reducing the amount of musculoskeletal injuries in the tactical populations.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce the recipients of the organization’s 2022 Coach of the Year Awards: Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Dan Dalrymple, CSCS, RSCC*E College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Liane Blyn, MS, CSCS, RSCC*E Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Ryan Metzger, MS, CSCS, RSCC