This article addresses three main areas of resistance exercise that best prepares tactical personnel for load carriage.

Rushing into administering a training program can greatly hinder long-term gains for the client. This article explains the key components of the client interview, or as it is commonly referred to, “success session.”

Developing safe and effective exercise training programs requires the application of abundant training variables and the implementation of appropriate progression for each variable. Importantly, the outcomes of each training program are the product of these variables and their progression, so practitioners are keen to select methodologies and overload strategies that effectively support their target training outcomes. One such training variable is mechanical loading, which describes the forces of gravity, resistance, and muscle contraction and how these forces affect musculoskeletal adaptations. Numerous research articles and texts have been published regarding mechanical loading and its effects on exercise adaptations; however, these findings can be arduous to organize, which requires additional time investment by professionals. Developing a succinct system is critical because practitioners face clients and patients with a wide range of physical skills and challenges, and having an easily referenced loading guide may assist them in designing appropriate strength and conditioning or rehabilitation programs. Thus, the purpose of this review is to define and describe the mechanical loading continuum and its individual components to better assist the practitioner in identifying appropriate exercise modes and progression strategies.

The steps on this page will help you select the right certification that fits your career goals.

Colin Wilborn and Bret Contreras are elected to the NSCA Board of Directors. Joining the Nomination Committee are Shawn Arent and Jenevieve Roper.

This Personal Training Quarterly article shares ways that personal trainers can help clients develop a growth mindset for success in their physical fitness. Visit NSCA online to read more on health science and fitness news.

This article discusses how first responder organizations can optimize their training programs through scientific techniques, including the measurement of training load.

This second article of a two-part series continues the discussion of long-term athletic development (LTAD). This article provides practical application of the LTAD principles by examining two sample programs.

This article seeks to help personal trainers understand the physiological effects of stress and helpful ways they can drive positive changes for their clients through exercise.