Part 2 of this series on allostatic load theory will focus on how monitoring personnel holistically can contribute to a well-rounded health and performance model supporting the tactical athletes.

Sporting nine national championship rings, Coach Andrea Hudy stands as a titan in strength and conditioning. She joins co-hosts NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon and Gatorade Team Sports Manager Jon Jost to reflect on her journey, including pursuing her PhD and the impact of lifelong learning. Together, they discuss the changing collegiate landscape, now resembling a professional environment with holistic, interdisciplinary collaboration. Hudy explains how early specialization may expedite later-career injuries, inspiring her to investigate gait mechanics. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies also mean a “bigger pot” for athletes, extending collaboration to agents and scheduling. They theorize collegiate athletes may face more stressors than professional athletes due to their academic schedule, training, and promotional travel — making time management and investing in longevity essential. Hudy describes her philosophy of education, motivation, and communication, built upon a foundation of honesty and healthy relationships. The trio examine the evolving strength coach skill set, including sport science elements, before offering advice for aspiring professionals. Reach out to Coach Hudy by email at andrea.hudy@uconn.edu or via social media on Instagram: @a_hudy, X/Twitter: @A_Hudy, or LinkedIn: @andrea-hudy. Connect with Jon Jost at: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com. Follow up with Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs. This special episode is brought to you in part by Gatorade Performance Partner. Learn more and join their community at GatoradePerformancePartner.com. Don’t miss your chance to get involved as an NSCA Volunteer. Applications for most positions close soon on December 15. Find your role and apply now at NSCA.com/Volunteer.

This article demonstrates how strength and conditioning coaches can coach power through non-traditional weightlifting exercises that can be taught quickly, to large groups, with less extensive technique correction.

This article presents evidence why the log press may be a viable alternative exercise for the clean and jerk for some populations.

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.

Guy Leahy writes a review of the research relating to the tactical population from presentations and research from the 65th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

This article aims to explore why unloaded non-linear training can be an effective modality for personal trainers, strength coaches, and exercise enthusiasts, as well as present the benefits, possible implications, and methods that can be implemented into a current training program.

Monitoring training load is essential for determining if athletes are adapting positively or negatively to their training program. This article goes over the various measurement metrics and includes recommendations to monitor training load for football athletes.

The purpose of this article is to justify the importance and advantage to properly incorporate upper body power (UBP) training in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes.

Once strength and conditioning coaches have a better understanding of some of the differences between coaching and training philosophy, they can build their coaching philosophy and ensure it is a combination of both the “why” and “how.”