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.

This article explains the connections between the upper and lower body and their influence on performance and recovery strategies in sprinting.

This article will explore the benefits of alternative licensure programs for strength and conditioning coaches aspiring to become physical education teachers.

This article highlights the benefits of exercise for adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also provides practical recommendations for high school strength and conditioning coaches working with ADHD student-athletes.

The football quarterback (QB) is a unique position in sport. To throw or pass the ball, the QB needs to incorporate nearly every muscle in the body in a very precise sequence to optimally release the ball with the right amount of power, spin, and precision. Specific movement patterns are suggested to optimize the performance of a QB.

This article discusses the idea of Confucian adaptability as a framework for cultivating interpersonal skills for personal trainers.

This article seeks to provide personal trainers with eight brief modifications that clients can benefit from if they suffer from both acute and chronic lower back pain (LBP).

This article discusses the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) scales and how to educate older clients to utilize them, as well as how to monitor and safely progress their training intensity.

This article is a personal perspective of creating and providing a fitness assessment and resistance training program from scratch to a large law enforcement organization.

This article in PTQ 11.4 shares content on exercise programs for seniors. Visit NSCA online to read articles on fitness news, personal training and more.