This NSCA Coach article discusses training modalities in bench press training and incorporating accessories to improve rate of force development (RFD) among athletes. Visit NSCA online to read more on strength training and exercise science.

The purpose of this article is to identify and discuss the difficulties that can arise when performing physiological-based research with firefighters.

Join the 2026 NSCA Performance Science Integration Summit in Austin, TX, on March 28. Explore applied sport science research, train hands-on, and earn 0.8 CEUs.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Research, Coaching Advancement, and Equipment Grants.

This article will review the latest evidence regarding optimal rest intervals, and the science behind them.

Knowing the risks of cold weather training is only half the battle. It is important to be familiar with a proper risk management strategy to help guide decision-making that can enhance safety and exercise performance.

This article seeks to help simplify the exercise selection process by providing clarity on how different exercises can aid in enhancing performance and potentially reduce injury risk.

This article provides eight important considerations when designing a program to optimally build the glutes.

As Director of Sport Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Heather Farmer spearheads comprehensive integration efforts. This includes ensuring every stakeholder, from sport performance staff to academic advisors, has a seat at the table. Farmer also outlines developing an internship and graduate assistantship program to meet staffing needs and offer opportunities for practical experience. She recounts how leveraging relationships — not data — has been her key to scalability. Additionally, Farmer recognizes that to make an impact, she must meet athletes and sport coaches where they are, which she uncovers through “highlights” and “hurdles.” She suggests that sport scientists with strength and conditioning backgrounds, like herself, are uniquely equipped to excel due to their communication skills. Farmer and McMahon also discuss avoiding “analysis paralysis” and how to incorporate data to elevate the student-athlete experience — an unignorable factor as athletes bring an element of “self” in the age of name, image and likeness (NIL). Reach out to Heather by email at: heather.farmer@unlv.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

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.