Elite sport often gets more attention, but youth training gives strength and conditioning coaches an earlier chance to build athletes’ competence and confidence. Kelli Brightwell specializes in youth development and brings more than a decade of sports training experience, including four years at Michael Johnson Performance. Brightwell defines peak height velocity as the period during which height increases fastest. She then explains why its timing can differ among teammates of the same age. So what should strength coaches test, and what do the results mean? The answer changes with each athlete’s maturity and training experience. Brightwell addresses the growth-spurt “awkward phase,” when familiar movement patterns can break down as an athlete adjusts to a changing body. She also considers how sport sampling can expand children’s range of physical skills and help them discover what they enjoy. Learn how maturation can affect movement, testing, and programming — and why young athletes need foundations before specialization.

Developing a program for a general population client requires understanding their movement needs. Expand your training programs by implementing all ten of the major human movement patterns.

This NSCA Coach article provides a proposes a framework for standardizing SEB resistance training based on principles of kinetic and potential energy. Visit NSCA online to read more on exercise science and sport performance.

This article discusses the findings of a recent study on the effectiveness of a time-efficient occupationally-specific training program to improve performance in qualities related to physically demanding tactical tasks in law enforcement officers.

This article gives readers a personal insight into the qualities that a successful and credible personal trainer should have.

Soldiers in today’s Army should be exposed to realistic and stressful training scenarios. Additionally, they should be educated on the physical, psychological, and cognitive effects of combat and fatigue. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC) cadets are an ideal training audience since they are already immersed in an academic environment.

This article is the eleventh in 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.

This article explores biomechanics through the lens of a fulcrum and lever system, providing personal trainers with strategies to reduce injury risk and improve performance. Visit NSCA online to learn more about personal training and program strategies for fitness.

Nutrition plays a crucial role in athletic performance. The purpose of this article is to discuss the landscape of nutrition in collegiate and professional football. It will address the following areas: 1) the current landscape, 2) current practices, 3) opportunities, and 4) challenges faced in collegiate and professional football.

As consumers embrace technology, they are also expecting that same incorporation of technology into their exercise programs. This article shares how some top trainers are meeting this need.