On a daily basis, tactical athletes take in their surrounding environments, make quick decisions, and put those decisions into actions. Their success begins with the brain, and like any other muscle, it needs to be fueled properly. Join Nick Barringer as he discusses fueling the brain, nutritional threats, and substances that can stave off cognitive decline and improve performance.

Held annually, NSCA Conferences are an exceptional way to learn the latest research, techniques, and breakthrough performance methods used by top professionals around the world. Learn from the best and grow your network! All of our conferences provide CSCS® and NSCA-CPT® Continuing Education Unit (CEU) opportunities.

This article defines and reviews the allostatic load theory in tactical personnel.

This TSAC Report article highlights the need for recovery strategies to support both physical readiness and psychological resilience in military training. Visit NSCA online to learn more about tactical athletes.

Vernon Griffith, co-owner of Virginia High Performance and high school strength and conditioning coach, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about opening Virginia High Performance, transitioning from the military to strength and conditioning, and impacting youth athletics.

Not all smoothies are made the same, and due to the nature of process (i.e., mixing of ingredients), oftentimes the nutritional information provided may not be exactly reflected

The purpose of this article is to identify and discuss the difficulties that can arise when performing physiological-based research with firefighters.

This article in NSCA Coach discusses how machine-based testing can be used to gather data and improve training. Visit NSCA online to learn more on sports science and exercise research.

Tactical athletes, due to the nature of their jobs, may have sleeping problems (such as falling asleep and/or staying asleep) which is indicative of poor sleep quality. This article shares sleep hygiene strategies that can help tactical athletes achieve better rest.

Get to know Army Lieutenant Colonel Nick Barringer, Program Director for the United States Army-Baylor University Master’s in Nutrition. Barringer shares how he originally planned to become a strength and conditioning coach before a nutrition course inspired him to pursue dietetics. However, it was his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) credential that ultimately landed him his role as the first 75th Ranger Regiment (Army Rangers) Dietitian. He recounts drawing inspiration from the Navy SEALS to start the Ranger Athlete Warrior (RAW) program and seeing the Special Operations THOR3 program follow suit — laying the groundwork for the US Army Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system. Barringer and McMahon discuss the synergy between strength and conditioning coaches and dietitians, as well as cultural challenges and diverse training ages in tactical settings. The pair also stress the importance of sales and building relationships before discussing basic nutrition advice and pathways into tactical and dietetics careers. Connect with Nick on Instagram at: @nickbarringer.phd.rdn or by email: nickbarringer35@gmail.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs