If you want to manage the performance of assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars, you better know what you’re doing. At the elite and professional levels of sport, strength and conditioning coaches are responsible for managing the performance of teams’ most valuable assets – The Athletes.

Congratulations to the NSCA's 2025 awardees for their dedication and contributions to the NSCA and the field of strength and conditioning.

The purpose of this article is to discuss relationships between current fitness testing within the United States Army and its effect on overall tactical readiness.

The Tactical Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award is awarded to the coach whose influence within his or her assigned tactical (military, law enforcement, fire and rescue) setting exceeds that of peers. Achieving this influence can be the result of one or multiple coaching related accomplishments such as but not limited to measurable performance improvements or injury reduction, program creation, advancement through innovation, and other initiatives that enhance wellness, health, and performance at the local level.

NSCA Member Spotlight: Lee Brown shares his path into tactical strength and conditioning, firefighter research, and how NSCA engagement has elevated his career.

Get NSCA’s Essentials of Tactical Strength and Conditioning, Second Edition — a trusted resource for TSAC-F® exam prep and military and public safety training.

This article briefly reviews the importance of the stretch-shortening cycle in power production.

Ground-based free weight lifts, especially the explosive Olympic-style lifts, are highly recommended for athletic conditioning for the core muscles. They can provide a moderately unstable stimulus to augment activation of the core and limb muscles, while still providing maximal or near maximal strength, velocity, and power output.