The High School Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award is awarded to a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS) who has demonstrated excellence the field of high school strength and conditioning.

The Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award is given to an outstanding Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS) with RSCC distinction, for their dedication to improving the performance of athletes with safe and effective science-based programs.

Join 2026 NSCA Tactical Annual Training in Orlando for evidence-based tactical human performance education. Learn hands-on, explore new tools, and earn 2.0 CEUs

The Educator of the Year Award is presented to an educator who has made noteworthy contributions to education and clinical application of strength training and conditioning.

The physiological response to breath holding includes bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction, which contrasts with that of exercise which includes tachycardia and peripheral vasodilation. This raises the question as to what the physiological response is to breath holding during exercise. During low-intensity exercise, the breath holding response of bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction prevails over the exercise response of tachycardia and peripheral vasodilation, but nevertheless the exercise may be sustained. Due to the lack of availability of extrinsic oxygen (O 2 ) from the atmosphere during breath holding, the energy demands can be met by increased reliance on intrinsic O 2 stores (i.e., O 2 that was in the body before the breath hold) via increased O 2 extraction at the muscle compared with exercise while breathing, or increased contributions from anaerobic energy systems. During high intensity exercise of short duration, the exercise response may prevail over the breath holding response due to the increased parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic drive of higher intensity exercise. If breath holding during high-intensity exercise was sustained for long enough, the breath holding response may eventually overcome the exercise response, although this may be difficult due to the inverse relationship between exercise intensity and breath hold duration.

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The NSCA Collegiate Program of Distinction honors colleges and universities that demonstrate the highest standards in strength and conditioning.

From the 2023 NSCA Tactical Annual Training, Lee Margolis discusses the physiological outcomes of the body during periods of low glycogen availability in regard to military operations.

Learn, participate and network with colleagues at (location) while earning CEUs. Hosted by the state, provincial and regional directors, this local event brings cutting-edge research and application to your backyard.

NSCA Member Spotlight: Meredith Butulis shares how the CSCS helped bridge physical therapy, strength and conditioning, and athletic confidence. Read her story.