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.

In today’s digital era, nutritional information, and misinformation, is readily available for most people by media outlets, social media, and on-line streaming videos. Nutrition is of utmost interest because of its role in health, fitness, weight management, and athletic performance. Because of the public interest and information availability, qualified health care providers and exercise professionals can be an excellent source of evidence-based nutrition counseling for appropriate clients to improve overall health and athletic performance. The goal of this article is to provide a source of practitioner and client evidence-based education regarding nutritional strategies to improve athletic performance

Blood pressure changes acutely during resistance exercise. Continuous, beat-by-beat assessment provides detailed temporal resolution of blood pressure profiles, through techniques including intra-arterial catheterization, photoplethysmography, or applanation tonometry. However, noncontinuous measurements may be conducted before and after resistance exercise through auscultatory sphygmomanometry or oscillometry. Blood pressures tend to increase across repetitions within sets, influenced by load magnitude, repetitions and sets performed, muscle mass recruited, and rest periods; the highest pressures result from multi-joint, large muscle group exercises. Evaluation of such factors may facilitate better understanding of blood pressure responses to acute resistance exercise and influence program design considerations relative to anticipated hemodynamic changes.

This continuing education opportunity explores a variety of topics as they pertain to nutrition and supplement information. Articles 1) Betaine Supplementation: A Critical Review of Its Efficacy for Improving Muscle Strength, Power, and Body Composition 2) Energy and Macronutrient Considerations for Young Athletes 3) Evidence-Based Nutritional Strategies to Enhance Athletic Performance 4) Green Tea and Black Tea for Exercise Recovery: A Systematic Review 5) Understanding the Scientific Evidence and Regulatory State of the U.S. Dietary Supplement Industry: Considerations for Health and Fitness Practitioners

The implementation of long-term athletic development (LTAD) aims to improve health, physical activity, and performance of all youth. Contemporary LTAD models suggest that a broad range of physical and psychosocial competencies should be developed in youth, but few resources are available for coaches that describe “how” to achieve these outcomes. This article overviews a coaching session framework built around the following components: raise, activate, mobilize, prepare, activity, games, evaluate (RAMPAGE). The framework provides practitioners with information on what can be planned and delivered and when within a coaching session, across multiple ages and stages of development within multiple contexts (e.g., physical education and talent development).

Maximal force can be expressed across a range of conditions influenced by the external load and the time available to express force. As a result, several distinct and specific strength qualities exist. Conversely, some expressions of maximal force are similar and can be categorized as a single quality. Therefore, strength assessment systems must be sophisticated enough to isolate and measure each quality while minimizing redundant information. This article presents a contemporary, evidence-based and practical framework that reduces the many strength and speed-strength metrics into 5 distinct qualities. Alongside this, we present case examples of the application of strength diagnosis.

Weightlifting is a highly technical sport that is governed by interactions of phases to optimize the load lifted. Given the technicality of the snatch and the clean and jerk, understanding key stable components to identify errors and better prescribe relevant exercises are warranted. The aim of this article is to present an applied method of analysis for coaches that considers the biomechanical underpinnings of optimal technique through stable interactions of the kinetics and kinematics of the lifter and barbell at key phases of the lift. This article will also look to discuss variable components that may differentiate between athletes and therefore provide a foundation in what to identify when coaching weightlifting to optimize load lifted while allowing for individual variances.

Exercise is an effective tool for managing and treating type II diabetes (T2DM) and may be a useful component of a diabetes management program. Both short- or long-term exercise interventions can improve physical fitness, metabolic health, and cardiovascular function in individuals with poor glycemic control. Incorporating aerobic and resistance exercise as part of a comprehensive diabetes management plan can play a vital role in the fight against this chronic metabolic disease. Progression and individualized exercise programming are critical for an effective and enjoyable exercise experience in a gym setting. With respect to safety, exercise professionals should be aware of special considerations and potential complications persons with T2DM can experience when exercising.

This continuing education opportunity explores a variety of topics as they pertain to exercise technique. To earn your CEUs, it will be necessary to review several articles and pass a 50-question quiz. Please note: this quiz awards 1.0 CEU (10 contact hours). Articles include: 1) Exercise Technique: The Push Press 2) Exercise Technique: Snatch Balance 3) Technique of the Unilateral Dumbbell Wide Row 4) The Viking Press 5) Exercise Technique: Handstand Push-up 6) Exercise Technique: The Landmine Row