Approximately 2 million youth from 6 - 12 years of age participate in football every year. This article discusses the importance of long-term athletic development (LTAD) for youth football athletes and the significance of a player development pathway for long-term success and longevity in the sport.
CoachesExercise ScienceProgram designOrganization and Administrationhs-coachingLTADLong Term Athletic DevelopmentYouth Football
Learn about the basics of the high school strength and conditioning coach profession: description, responsibilities, qualifications, pay, advantages, and challenges.
Lawrence Herrera, owner and founder of LH Performance, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about how strong is strong enough, keeping the training simple, and relating to athletes and coaches.
Colorado Springs, CO - The National Strength and Conditioning Association recognizes Avery Faigenbaum, Terry Todd, Andrea Hudy, and Jeff Chandler recognized for their career accomplishments.
This excerpt from Developing Agility and Quickness provides a needs analysis for field hockey and possible program design options for optimal performance outcomes.
CoachesProgram designField HockeyAgilityChange of DirectionQuicknessSpeed
Proper form and biomechanical execution of the squat has been a long-debated subject in the fitness and sports performance industries. The following article describes a method to help determine an individual’s preferred squatting foot position, setup, and depth based on their unique hip anthropometrics for smarter, safer, and more optimized squatting.
Personal trainersTSAC FacilitatorsCoachesExercise ScienceExercise TechniqueProgram designTesting and EvaluationSquatSquat PositionBio-mechanicsSquat stance
Since traditional sport-specific training or exercise programs do not create enough stimulus to improve the function of the respiratory muscles, the rationale to introduce respiratory muscle training (RMT) emerged. RMT is associated with improved endurance performance and pulmonary function, and it reduced respiratory fatigue, perceived exertion, or breathlessness. The purpose of this article is to provide coaches with tools to select the appropriate form of RMT in the context of the athletes’ needs, using appropriate methods, techniques, devices, and testing protocols. The video abstract is presented in Supplemental Digital Content as SDC 1
Get to know the 2024 NSCA Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Kenna Smoak-Minnici. After accepting her award at the 2024 Coaches Conference, she connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the unique coaching rigors at the prestigious military academy, Army West Point. The episode goes beyond the demands of sport-specific training to developing student-athletes and leaders for sustained success in the military. Smoak-Minnici highlights the role of family along her journey as an athlete and strength and conditioning coach, as well as the importance of always pushing yourself to go beyond the norm.
Connect with Kenna on Instagram at: @kenna_minnici or LinkedIn: @kenna-smoak-minnici | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs
Did you enjoy the episode? Don’t forget to nominate a deserving strength and conditioning coach for an NSCA Coach of the Year Award at NSCA Awards.
Gain insight into the interactions between strength, power, speed, and agility for soccer players. Also, learn basic programing guidelines that adhere to current research.
CoachesExercise TechniqueProgram designexercise programmingsoccer drillsstrength training for soccersoccer trainingspeedsoccer
This article shows how to introduce and apply the sport season model, periodization cycles, and variables of training into the ARFORGEN process. Overtraining, including the signs and symptoms, also is covered.
TSAC FacilitatorsProgram designperiodizationovertrainingmilitary fitnessTSAC-Ftactical strength and conditioningARFORGEN