The effects of alcohol on athletic performance vary depending on quantity, demographics, and type of exercise, making it difficult to determine specific recommendations. From an athletic performance standpoint, the acute use of alcohol can influence motor skills, hydration status, aerobic performance, as well as aspects of the recovery process.
CoachesNutritionalcoholsports nutritiondietary recommendationsstrength and conditioningNSCA Coach
Biofeedback is a tool that not everyone knows about, yet many coaches and athletes could benefit from using it. This article will describe the psychophysiological principle, introduce biofeedback, and provide descriptions of two biofeedback modalities that may be useful for strength and conditioning professionals to improve performance.
CoachesExercise ScienceExercise TechniqueProgram designstrength and conditioningstrength trainingbiofeedback
This article from NSCA Coach explores how beet juice and nitrate supplements can enhance athletic performance. Learn more about nutrition and exercise physiology online at NSCA.com.
Exercise ScienceNutritionProgram designTesting and EvaluationClient Consultation|AssessmentBasic Pathophysiology and Science of Health Status or Condition and Disorder or DiseaseDietary NitratesBeet JuiceHigh-intensity exerciseRecoveryEnduranceAthletic PerformanceNutrition Supplements
Planning and designing training programs for a new group of athletes (e.g., a new recruiting class or a new coaching job) can be problematic without a base level understanding of the athletes’ current skill levels. This article describes one system that can be used to determine an athlete's self-confidence on different exercises.
CoachesExercise ScienceProgram designstrength trainingstrength and conditioningprogram designself-confidenceSports Psychologyhs-coaching
This NSCA Coach article examines the importance of hip-shoulder separation on performance in baseball pitching. Visit NSCA online to read more on athletic performance and sport science.
CoachesExercise ScienceExercise TechniqueProgram designOrganization and AdministrationTesting and EvaluationClient Consultation|AssessmentBasic Pathophysiology and Science of Health Status or Condition and Disorder or DiseaseProfessional DevelopmentBaseball Throwing MechanicsGround Force ProductionReaction TimePitch VelocityRotational PowerMobility and FlexibilityCore StabilityStretch–Shortening Cycle
The purpose of this article is to help bring awareness of athletic recovery by useful fatigue monitoring and managing tools, such as external and internal load examples.
This article is the second part of a two-part series that considers the potential role strength and conditioning coaches have in developing student-athlete leadership.
CoachesOrganization and AdministrationProfessional DevelopmentNSCA Coachleadershiprole model
One challenge is to critically examine your own successes and failures to find a way to attribute the outcomes to something you can control and can change for the future. This could be as small as how you deal with a single person, or it could be a more in-depth examination of how you provide feedback to athletes and how you work with your own staff.